Adil Baguirov’s Bold Fix for Dayton’s Schools
How One Local Leader Turned Everyday Problems into a Citywide Success Story
When Adil Baguirov first joined the Dayton Board of Education, the situation could have discouraged anyone. School buses broke down so often that parents expected phone calls about delays. Public trust in the district was almost gone, and money seemed to disappear into outdated systems no one could clearly explain.
Instead of complaining, Baguirov rolled up his sleeves. He treated the school district like a company that needed to earn back its customers — the students, the parents, and the taxpayers.
Table of Contents
- A System in Need of Change
- The Transportation Turnaround
- Fighting for Fair Funding
- Opening the Books
- Doing More with Less
- Restoring Confidence
- Frequently Asked Questions
<a id=”need”></a>A System in Need of Change
By 2014, Dayton Public Schools had become a portrait of decline. Test scores were low, morale was lower, and many buses were nearly old enough to vote. Families had stopped expecting improvement.
Baguirov believed that progress would start only when the district could deliver simple reliability: students getting to school safely, teachers having working tools, and the public knowing where every dollar went.
Go to Transportation Turnaround ↓
<a id=”transportation”></a>The Transportation Turnaround
Transportation was the first problem on his list. The district owned buses that averaged 15 years of service and spent more time in garages than on routes.
Baguirov championed a plan to replace 115 buses at once through a state consortium that offered a 2.06 percent interest rate. It was the district’s biggest single modernization in decades.
Within months, delays dropped, drivers stopped quitting, and parents finally stopped calling to complain. A basic function — getting kids to school — became a source of pride again.
<a id=”funding”></a>Fighting for Fair Funding
While fixing operations, Baguirov also tackled an issue that had quietly drained the budget for years. Dayton Public Schools was spending more than 1.2 million dollars annually of local money to bus students attending charter or private schools. The state covered only part of the cost.
He led the Board in passing a resolution to invoice the State of Ohio for that shortfall, publicly calling attention to how the system penalized local taxpayers. The move sent a message far beyond Dayton: public schools deserve fair treatment and transparent accounting.
<a id=”transparency”></a>Opening the Books
Transparency became Baguirov’s signature issue. Under his guidance, Dayton became the first urban district in Ohio to publish all expenses on OhioCheckbook.com, where any citizen could see how money was spent.
He pushed for an independent Internal Auditor’s Office that answered directly to the Board and helped create a Fraud Reporting Hotline for staff and residents. The adoption of BoardDocs made meeting materials and votes viewable online, replacing secrecy with accessibility.
Next: Efficiency and Savings ↓
<a id=”efficiency”></a>Doing More with Less
Unlike many reforms that rely on new spending, Baguirov’s approach actually reduced costs. The district’s IT budget shrank by 1.3 million dollars in three years even as it launched a 1:1 Technology Initiative that gave every student a personal device.
Energy upgrades saved another 350,000 dollars each year, proving that smart management could fund innovation. Every improvement was measurable, and every dollar saved was redirected to classrooms.
<a id=”trust”></a>Restoring Confidence
By 2016, Dayton Public Schools earned an “A” in Value-Added, a key indicator of academic growth in Ohio. That success helped the district avoid a state takeover and showed that accountability could drive results.
The community noticed. Parents spoke proudly again about their schools. Teachers had better tools. Bus drivers felt respected. What began as a list of small fixes grew into a full-scale renewal of trust between the district and the people it served.
Continue to Article 2: Fiscal Integrity and Long-Term Reform →
<a id=”faq”></a>Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Adil Baguirov?
He is a civic and business leader who served on the Dayton Board of Education, known for modernizing transportation, improving transparency, and reducing waste in public education.
What was his first major achievement?
Replacing the district’s entire bus fleet and ending years of transportation failures that disrupted families daily.
Why did he bill the State of Ohio?
To recover the local funds spent transporting non-DPS students, bringing fairness to the district’s finances.
How did he improve transparency?
By putting Dayton Public Schools on OhioCheckbook, creating an internal auditing office, and posting every Board agenda and vote online.
Did these changes actually save money?
Yes. The reforms lowered IT and energy costs while expanding technology access for every student.
Over the course of his election campaign for a position on the Dayton Public Schools Board of Education, 
Dayton area businessman 
