Endorsements
Who am I?
I am a father of four, a Professor of Human Development and Family Science, and the Director of the Center for Early Learning which is a research, practice and policy center at Purdue. I am deeply focused on education both personally and professionally. I've been married to my brilliant wife, Ashley, for 15 years and our children will be in the West Lafayette schools for more than the next decade. This year, we'll have our children at all three schools in the district. I am not only invested in the long-term success of our schools as a parent, but also as an educator. As part of my position at Purdue, I am faculty in the Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs program where we train pre-service preschool through 3rd grade teachers. My emphasis is on teaching these future teachers how to teach math--and how to do so with passion. I am running for school board because I want to apply my educational expertise in service of making our schools a better place to learn for all our students.
Why I'm Running for School Board
I have substantial experience in conducting and applying education research in preschool and elementary/intermediate schools. We have an excellent school district—amazing teachers and administrators, talented students, engaged families, and high-quality community resources. However, we must always strive to continue to enhance learning opportunities for all of our students and ensure that our students and teachers have what they need to be most successful. We have to work together as a community to identify and support unique opportunities for continued success.
Over the last several years, I have been highly active in our school and community. I co-chaired the “Vote Yes” committee in 2023 that led to more than 80% of voters supporting the school funding referendum. I served on the K-3 classroom size study group and provided support to the school district as they planned the new pilot preschool program. In my role on the Parks and Recreation board, I helped connect the schools and the John Dennis Wellness Center to build an after-school program that serves nearly 50 children across our elementary and intermediate schools.
I believe that serving on the board will allow me to continue contributing my educational and school expertise to the broader strategic planning and implementation process that is now being initiated. To me, it’s important that scientific and expert evidence is brought into the decision making process from the beginning and not just through later consultation. I hope to bring that expertise to the board if elected. My goal is to ensure that all students and teachers in our district have the opportunity to excel!
My Experience
- Leads and education research lab and directly managed over $10 million in state, federal and foundation grants
- Teacher Educator
- Directs the Center for Early Learning
- Co-chair of Vote Yes for West Lafayette Schools (2023)
- President of West Lafayette Parks and Recreation Board
- Served on the West Lafayette K-3 Classroom Size Committee
- Youth sports coach (basketball, baseball, soccer)
My Goals
As a school district, we have to continue to build on our successes and look to the future and see how we can make our schools excellent for families in the decades to come. This continuous process and long-term goal requires the school board to have a well thought through vision for our district. It also requires that the school board supports the school district administration in working towards this goal. The three most pressing long-term goals that I believe are important include:
1. Inclusive Strategic Planning - Our school district is in the midst of a strategic planning process that will set the vision for our schools over the next several years. This process--and the implementation of this vision--must be inclusive of the breadth of our community. I will advocate for the inclusion of all community voices in the strategic planning process, ensuring that the implementation of the strategic plan reflects the diverse needs and aspirations of our community.
2. Enhanced Early Childhood Education Opportunities - Our school district is taking the initiative of implementing a pilot preschool classroom this year. I can leverage my expertise in early childhood education research to guide the successful transition of our pilot preschool program into a sustainable and high-quality long-term initiative.
3. Enhancing Learning Opportunities in School and Beyond - Learning doesn't stop at the end of the school day and our schools should be an integral part of student learning more broadly. I will support our school administrators to foster collaborations between our schools and local organizations to expand and enrich in-school and after-school learning opportunities.
Support My Campaign
I would love to have your support for my campaign! In our community, the best way to support my campaign is spreading awareness with others. If you'd like to support my campaign, you can do any of the following:
1. Tell your friends and your neighbors to vote for me for school board and share my website with them.
2. Volunteer to help distribute campaign fliers or signs.
3. Put a David Purpura for WLCSC School Board sign in your yard.
4. VOTE! Remember, you can vote for up to four candidates.