Oskaloosa News Q&A Offers Insight Into School Board Candidates and Their Priorities

Oskaloosa School Board candidates took part in a forum at Penn Central Mall on Tuesday evening.

Oskaloosa News Q&A: Transparency in Local Elections

Ahead of the upcoming Oskaloosa School Board election, Oskaloosa News invited all candidates to participate in a written Q&A covering their backgrounds, priorities, and vision for the district. The questions were identical for every candidate and focused on issues central to local education—student achievement, fiscal responsibility, staff retention, safety, and communication.

Public office comes with public accountability, and transparency begins before a vote is ever cast. Providing voters with direct answers in each candidate’s own words allows the community to compare perspectives and evaluate qualifications without interpretation or bias.

It’s equally important to note which candidates chose not to respond. Participation reflects a willingness to engage openly with the public and discuss the challenges facing the district. When voters head to the polls, that transparency—or lack of it—should weigh into their decision.

Oskaloosa News remains committed to publishing factual, unedited responses from all candidates to help voters make informed choices about who will guide our local schools.

We will post a link to the candidates in the order they responded to the provided questions. You can click on their names listed below to be taken to their answers, and if they have a social media page, we will link that as well. We will also embed the video from the candidates forum.

James Feudner – Answers our questions – Social Media Page

Tasha Jannsen – Answers our questions – Social Media Page

Scott Van Veldhuizen – Answers our questions – Social Media Page

Crystal Jimenez-Boender – Answers our questions – Social Media Page

Kathy Butler – Answers our questions – Social Media Page

We never received a response from candidates Tyler Wilson, Aaron Hinnah, or Katie Johnston.