Kelly Spurgeon said he’s more likely recognized in Lawrence as “Sally’s Dad” than as Kelly.

“She’s a theater kid, and a lot of people know her,” he said, chuckling.

Spurgeon said he’s taken an active role in his daughter’s endeavors, specifically her education.

Kelly Spurgeon.

“Like a lot of parents, I decided to follow her through school until it became too embarrassing for her,” he said. “From Rainbow Preschool to Vineland Elementary to junior high and high school.”

Like his daughter, Spurgeon said he has had a lot of learning experiences, both inside and outside of the classroom. Now that his daughter is out of high school and in college, Spurgeon said he can effectively share his experiences with Lawrence’s schools.

“(Sally) has been lucky enough to have all these different types of teachers in her life, beyond the K-12 world,” he said. “And every kid needs something like what my daughter had, every child needs to have some place where who they are and what they’re good at gets to be displayed and caring adults get in there and give them feedback.”

A Lamar, Mo., native, Spurgeon said he was the first person in his immediate family to continue his education after high school. Which is not to say his family placed a low priority on education.

“Both of my parents valued education immensely,” he said. “And I think the opportunities were there for my brother and sister, but it made less sense for them than it did me.”

From there, Spurgeon, the youngest of three, said he’s constantly been involved in education, both professionally and otherwise.

“I’ve always been in education,” he said. “It’s always been what form, or level, or service.”

Throughout his career, Spurgeon said he has worked at several colleges and universities, teaching, counseling and working with at-risk undergrads.

“I worked at KU in a program set up for students who were first-generation college educated, come from a low education background or were identified as being at risk for not completing their first year of college,” he said. “We surrounded those students with advising and counseling and then tutorial services to increase the likelihood they would make it through their first year.”

For the past 15 years he has worked as a program consultant for the Kansas Department of Education, Spurgeon said.

“I work in accountability,” he said. “I’m the third-most-hated guy in the state because I create accountability reports for schools.”

Now vying for a position on Lawrence’s school board, Spurgeon said he would be comfortable being held accountable in that office.

“That’s what a board member does,” he said. “That’s part of the service and leadership.”

At the heart of any issues facing Lawrence’s schools, Spurgeon said he’s a pragmatist rather than an ideologue. And while he doesn’t presume to know or understand all the area’s problems, he said he’s prepared to listen to the needs of the people.

One issue Spurgeon said he’s certain is on the horizon is cuts to the state’s education budget.

“Nobody knows what’s going to happen with that because nothing concrete has been said, and it isn’t like we’re swimming in funding now,” he said. “But what’s next? What’s the priority after that? It’s about how we can become more frugal, coupled with how do we remain effective educators?”

Spurgeon said he predicts the board will be judged on how well Lawrence’s schools educate their students, how well prepared those students are for jobs or secondary education when they graduate high school and how well the board listens to the needs of the people.

“There are expectations of an elected official, and I think there needs to be a real honor to that,” he said. “Ultimately you’re being a steward of someone’s kid. Every parent in the state sends us their best kid. We get the best kid every parent has and it’s our job to help make them better.”

More 2015 Lawrence school board primary election coverage

• Candidate profiles and questionnaires