Joe Lacey,

57, is a 12-year Dayton school board member and an accountant for the Montgomery County treasurer. His daughter attends Ruskin school.

Lacey thinks DPS is making progress academically, arguing that report card slippage was largely due to last year’s change to a middle school model — causing many students to switch schools. He downplayed teacher frustration with Superintendent Rhonda Corr.

Known for some outbursts on the board, Lacey acknowledged he “should probably calm down,” but added given his passion for school issues, he’s not going to “just yawn and move on.”

Lacey said early-childhood education as well as summer and after-school programs are key. He said DPS is doing as much outreach as it can, but there will always be parents who don’t do enough.

Lacey was the lone vote against rehiring Athletic Director Mark Baker, and he still believes Baker should be fired, because the OHSAA implicated him in a Dunbar High School football game-rigging scandal.

He said he believes in true neighborhood-based schools, but added DPS may need to close two to three schools given enrollment declines.

“People on the higher (socioeconomic) end use school choice, and that leaves us with the lower end,” Lacey said. “We can perform above our economic station. Are we going to compete with Oakwood? I’d love to, but I’d reasonably like to compete with Columbus and Akron.”