Lake County School Board — District 1 — 2026
30-Year Classroom Teacher · Coach · Mentor · Man of Faith · Lake County, FL
“30 Years in the Room.
Now Fighting for It.”
The Platform
Eric has spent 30 years watching what works — and watching leadership fail the people doing the actual work. Here is what changes on Day One.
Pillar 01
No social promotion. No data manipulation. No passing a child forward who isn’t ready. Every student deserves an honest education and genuine preparation for the next level. Proficiency is the floor, not the ceiling.
Pillar 02
You cannot serve kids without keeping great teachers in the room. That means fair pay, planning time, real discipline support, and an administration that stands with educators — not against them. Florida ranks 50th in teacher pay. That changes now.
Pillar 03
The goal of Lake County education is not a test score. It is a human being — one who can think critically, create, earn a living, serve their community, and grow for life. Vocational pathways, real-world skills, and a love of learning built from day one.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
These are the documented outcomes of the current system — a system without a single active classroom teacher making decisions.
Lake County high schoolers reading at grade level
Source: U.S. News & World Report / NCES
Florida’s national ranking in average teacher pay
Source: National Education Association, 2025
Lake County elementary reading proficiency
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023–24
Florida’s reading trend among 35 states studied, 2022–2025
Source: Stanford / WUSF Education Scorecard, May 2026
“They’ll never care how much you know until they know how much you care. I’ve spent 30 years proving that in the classroom. Now I’m bringing it to the board.”
— Eric Schwalbach · Lake County School Board Candidate, District 1
Who Is Eric Schwalbach
Since 1996, Eric has taught math and coached sports in Florida public schools at every level. He grew up understanding hardship firsthand — raised by a single mother after his father left — and has spent three decades giving every kid who walked through his door the same foothold that education gave him.
He is a man of faith who opened his own home to students in crisis. He is a coach who gave his stipend to other teachers. He is the only person on the District 1 ballot with a lesson plan on his desk right now.
Read Eric’s Full Story →30 Years. One Mission.
Teaching math, coaching championship athletes, mentoring at-risk youth, and fighting for teacher dignity in Florida’s public schools since 1996.
Faith & Community
Eric believes in freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. His faith drives his service, his character, and his commitment to every child — regardless of where they come from.
Educator. Not Politician.
Eric is not looking for a political career. He has a calling. And that calling has been proven over three decades in the rooms where it counts most.
Knock doors. Put up a sign. Make a donation. Show up on August 18th.