STATE BOARD DISTRICT 8
Dr. Walt Chappell
3165 N. Porter
Wichita, KS 67204
(316) 838-7779(h)
(316) 838-7900(w)
e-mail:chappellhq@chappell4ksboe.com

Dr. Walt Chappell was elected in November of 2008 to represent District 8 in Wichita on the Kansas Board of Education.   He was born and raised in Kansas and since graduating from KU in 1963, he has taught science, math and technology in Kansas public schools.   Both of his parents and grandmothers were teachers in Kansas.  A daughter and her husband are currently teaching in the state.   

 

Dr. Chappell earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 1970.   He served on the team which designed the medical school at MSU, then served as Coordinator of Medical Instructional Services at the University of Iowa where he held joint faculty appointments in Medicine and Education.  He has also taught Public Administration and other college courses.

He has served as Budget and Planning Director for a 6-state federal project which included 125 schools; was elected to serve on a district school board in California; and has worked with superintendents, state departments of education and special education cooperatives to screen 700,000 K-12 students for special learning needs in 16 states.  He has also served on numerous public and non-profit boards of directors and has been the manager of major projects in the USA and overseas.  In addition, he helped write and pass legislation in 5 states and the US Congress and worked extensively on school finance.

 

Dr. Chappell currently owns an export trading company which supplies American made products to developing countries and transfers appropriate, sustainable technology to help build their economies.   He is a strong advocate of peace, social justice and the right of each person to reach their full potential.

 

He is married with 5 grown children and 11 grandchildren.   He and his wife Valentina live in Wichita.