Every community has turning points. For Dayton, Ohio, one of those moments began when Adil Baguirov joined the city\u2019s Board of Education. At that time, the school district was struggling with failing buses, outdated technology, and families losing patience. Most people had stopped believing the system could change. Baguirov believed the opposite \u2014 that change was not only possible but long overdue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Baguirov joined the Board, Dayton\u2019s public schools were near the bottom of Ohio\u2019s performance charts. Many buses were older than the students they carried, and financial records were nearly impossible for citizens to follow. Families were frustrated, teachers were exhausted, and the district was losing hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead of issuing statements or forming another committee, Baguirov started with one question: what would it take to make people believe in their schools again?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Go to Transportation Reforms \u2193<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n He began where parents felt the pain most \u2014 transportation. The Board approved a plan to replace 115 buses<\/strong> through a cooperative state program that offered a 2.06 percent interest rate<\/strong>, saving thousands compared to traditional financing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within months, routes became dependable, breakdowns rare, and drivers finally had vehicles they could take pride in. The change did not just move buses; it moved public opinion. For the first time in years, the district was delivering on its promises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next: Fair Funding Initiative \u2193<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Behind the scenes, Dayton was quietly paying over 1.2 million dollars a year<\/strong> of local funds to bus students attending charter and private schools. The state\u2019s reimbursement covered only a fraction of that amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Baguirov led the effort to calculate the shortfall and send a formal invoice to the State of Ohio \u2014 the first resolution of its kind. It forced policymakers to confront an uncomfortable truth: local taxpayers were subsidizing state mandates without full compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Go to Transparency Efforts \u2193<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Transparency became Baguirov\u2019s trademark. Under his guidance, Dayton became the first urban district in Ohio<\/strong> to publish all spending data on OhioCheckbook.com<\/strong>, where anyone could see how every dollar was spent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He pushed for an independent Internal Auditor\u2019s Office<\/strong>, a public Fraud Hotline<\/strong>, and the BoardDocs<\/strong> system that posted every agenda and vote online. These actions gave citizens direct access to decisions that had once been hidden in paperwork and meetings few could attend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next: Efficiency and Savings \u2193<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Baguirov\u2019s reforms showed that smart change does not require higher taxes. The district cut its IT budget by 1.3 million dollars<\/strong> over three years while providing every student with a personal device through the 1:1 Technology Initiative<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Energy-saving projects lowered yearly utility costs by another 350,000 dollars<\/strong>, freeing funds for classrooms and teacher support. Efficiency became not just a goal but a habit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<a id=”transportation”><\/a>Fixing Transportation the Right Way<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<a id=”funding”><\/a>Fighting for Fairness in School Funding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<a id=”transparency”><\/a>Opening Government to the Public<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<a id=”efficiency”><\/a>Saving Money While Modernizing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n