Joy EakinsAn Education Leader

Our kids deserve better. They don’t need an “Education Governor” who focuses on money in education but fails on student outcomes – or a weak Republican who has stewarded our educational decline. We need a proven leader with a fresh perspective. Joy Eakins is that leader.

Joy's Platform

Joy believes that every child is precious and full of potential and opportunity, and education is key to unlocking that opportunity. Parents know best what their child needs to succeed, and every family should have choices available to them to educate their children as they see fit.

Joy’s platform is pro-child, pro-parent, AND pro-teacher.

Joy will take the following action as Governor, working with the Legislature where appropriate:

• Pass robust school choice legislation to give families educational freedom
• Improve civics education so that our kids learn to love our nation
• Focus on improving outcomes, especially in reading and math
• Repeal the law mandating that school districts have to negotiate with teachers’ unions
• Pass a new school finance formula that promotes student outcomes and getting money into the pockets of classroom teachers
• Provide training for school board members – and get conservatives elected
• Deliver robust training to teachers focused on improving student outcomes, especially in reading and math

Joy's Background

Joy has advanced parents’ rights and advocated for school choice, both during her time on the Wichita School Board and since. Joy pushed for more emphasis on student outcomes, not just spending more money. She was the only vote on the school board for school choice, against suing the state for more money, against longer school days that prioritized janitors over kids, and against fiscally irresponsible decisions like huge raises for superintendents.

Joy spoke out against bullying and intimidation of parents by the School Board – and was attacked by her colleagues for doing so. When Joy declined to seek reelection, she was praised for her service. Some parents even wrote a letter to the Wichita Eagle thanking Joy for championing parental involvement.

In her time since serving on the School Board, Joy has continued to fight for school choice and parents’ rights. She has supported school choice legislation and advocated for enhancing education in tech and computer sciences in Kansas schools, testifying in front of both the legislature and the State Board of Education.

Joy used her data analytics firm to prove how we could get kids back into Kansas classrooms safely during the COVID pandemic. She has worked with Policy Circle to coach and train school board members across the country on how to be leaders and conservative fighters on their school boards – just as Joy was in Wichita.