'I want to see our schools succeed': Former teacher files to run for Brevard school board

Over the years, Keith Schachter has worn many hats: husband, father, teacher, business owner. Now, he's hoping to take on Brevard's District 4 seat on the school board.

"I don't think that that what's going on currently is productive, and is in the best interest of everyone involved," Schachter said. "I want people to know that I'm in it for the right reasons. I want to see our schools succeed."

Schachter, who has experience teaching in both Broward and Brevard County for a total of 17 years, filed to run for school board on May 20. He's the fourth candidate to file to face off against incumbent Matt Susin, who filed to run back in June 2023. Other candidates include mom and active duty member of the Navy Avanese Taylor, Viera High graduate Max Madl and mom and former flight attendant Crystal Kazy.

Should he win, Schachter — who is running unaffiliated with a party — has goals that include addressing declining student enrollment, improving curriculum and finding outside sources of revenue.

Declining student enrollment: Make Brevard competitive

Schachter's biggest motivator in running is the decline in student enrollment, the Melbourne resident said.

"I don't think the public truly understands how dire straits public schools are in right now with the student enrollment crisis," he said, adding the school budgets are determined based on enrollment. "Declining student enrollment is the biggest issue that faces public education that no one's talking about."

Schachter cited multiple factors for the decline that's occurred over the past several, years, specifically the COVID-19 pandemic.

"COVID really did expose public school districts for being ill-prepared to sort of facilitate an online curriculum," he said. "That ... led to a lot of pop-up, fly-by virtual school and other alternative school options."

Additionally, state vouchers gained popularity during the pandemic. Florida used to provide vouchers for private schools only to students who met certain criteria, but House Bill 1, passed in 2023, now allows any student to attend a private school using state funds.

Schachter thinks public schools need to work to be more enticing to students who may otherwise choose vouchers or other schooling options.

"Public schools need to be more competitive than they are right now," he said. "We're losing students and if we don't do anything about it, it's an institution that is on the verge of complete despair."

Tweak curriculum for more hands-on learning

Part of how Schachter plans to make schools more competitive is by adding new programs for "more diverse academic offerings."

He said he feels not all students are given the same opportunities, referencing how his daughter — who is in a gifted program — gets to experience things that other students don't.

"Just because she's designated as a gifted student doesn't mean the same types of learning practices that are afforded to gifted children shouldn't be afforded to all children," he said. "Everybody likes to do that — those sorts of enrichment activities."

Schachter added that he feels there should be more "hands-on" learning, and that he'd love to see children taught to use the technology available to them in a creative way.

"Teach them how to create accounts, teach them how to become creators of things, not just consumers," he said. "The most successful people in the world create things, so learn how to make an app; create content that's going to be consumed by others."

Find outside avenues of revenue for additional funding

Schachter retired from teaching in 2019 and founded B2K12 Branding Solutions the same year. The company specializes in marketing for public schools, and has worked with Brevard and Seminole County Schools to sell advertising for their districts. Their work has raised about $1 million dollars in Brevard.

If Schachter is elected, he would not be able to continue the contract with Brevard Public Schools due to it being a conflict of interest, he said. But his experience in advertising and working with the districts has given him a passion for finding outside sources of funding for Brevard's schools.

"School districts can tap into other revenue streams beyond the traditional tax base," he said.

While referendums are a way for schools to get money from taxpayers, Schachter said he sees those funds typically going toward things like building repairs and not other expenses like teacher salaries.

Brevard's teachers received just slightly less than a 10% pay increase after a millage referendum was voted on during the 2022 election, though data from the National Education Association ranked Florida as the worst state for teacher pay based on the 2022-2023 school year.

"I just feel like we need to do a better job of figuring out another way to drive more revenue to schools, because at the end of the day, public schools are always underfunded," Schachter said.

"You can make all the changes you want to the taxes and cutting this and adding that, but at the end of the day, if you need X and you start with O, you'll never get to X because you don't have enough to start with."

Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at [email protected]. X: @_finchwalker.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Business owner, former teacher runs for seat on Brevard school board