As part of our commitment to providing you with what you need to make an informed decision in the 2026 elections, News 6 joined with the News Collaborative of Central Florida to present the Voting Central Florida 2026 Voter’s Guide.
Tuesday, Aug. 18 is the Florida Statewide Primary election, a mix of party primaries and nonpartisan local elections, such as school board races, judicial races, and county commission races in some counties.
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Florida has a closed primary system, which means only members of a political party may vote in party primaries. To be eligible, a voter had to identify with that party by July 20.
However, judicial races and local races, for the most part, are open to all registered voters, regardless of political party.
Everything you need to know in order to vote in the Aug. 18 Statewide Primary, including how to vote by mail, vote early, and vote on Election Day, can be found in our Election 2026 section HERE.
Brevard County School Board District 1
The Brevard County School Board has five districts. These are nonpartisan races, so they are open to all voters.
School Board District 1 encompasses voters in the northern part of the county, including Titusville, Mims and Cocoa. You can see a map of the area HERE.
The News Collaborative of Central Florida created a list of common questions to ask the candidates. Questionnaires were sent to all candidates.
Not all of the candidates responded. Where candidates did not respond, we have filled out the information to the best of our abilities.
Our News Collaborative partners at Central Florida Public Media compiled the candidate responses for Brevard County School Board District 1.
You can also see the full Central Florida Public Media Voting Guide HERE.
Tara “Coach” Gibson
WEBSITE: www.vote4tara2026.com/
NOTE: This candidate did not respond to our request to fill out this voter guide. To best serve you, we searched candidate websites, social media and interviews they’ve done to provide answers to the following questions.
TOP ISSUES
What are the three most pressing problems happening in your district, and what do you suggest to solve them? Please put your responses in the sections below.
The Brevard County Republican Forum recently held a candidate forum. Video was posted to Facebook by the Brevard News.
During the forum, Gibson listed the following as her top concerns.
- Approving the Brevard School District millage rate (November ballot)
- Voucher schools, which Gibson said are draining the life out of public schools.
- Hiring of a CFO. Gibson says the previous one resigned earlier this year and operating without one will be detrimental.
How should the district handle teacher shortages? Gibson did not respond to this questionnaire; however, in a forum hosted by the Brevard County Republicans, Gibson stated that if the district does not pay teachers better, they will leave. Gibson says teachers should make $100,000 and that she’s already working on a pathway for them to do so, leaning on her resources. She later clarified that teacher pay would not start at $100,000 but could reach that benchmark with her idea.
Florida ranked last for academic growth in reading. How would you improve that? The candidate did not respond to the questionnaire, but on June 19, Gibson posted to Facebook, asking people to approve the additional millage on the November ballot. Gibson believes the money helps to pay for staff who are helping students improve test scores. Gibson said the following on her Facebook page:
“For years, parents, teachers, and advocates have argued that our schools are understaffed. This presentation provided some of the strongest evidence yet that when schools receive the personnel they need, students benefit. There is another piece of this story that should not be overlooked. Many of those literacy coaches and interventionists were funded through the voter-approved local millage. They were not funded through new state dollars. They were not funded through increased district revenues. They were funded because the citizens of Brevard County voted to invest additional local resources in their public schools. Many of the current Brevard School Board members even campaigned AGAINST the millage referendum. But the millage investment produced results. In other words, funding matters. As we approach the upcoming millage renewal vote, voters should remember what those dollars helped accomplish. They helped put additional instructional professionals in schools and classrooms. They helped provide targeted academic support. And according to district leadership’s own presentation, those efforts contributed to measurable student achievement gains.”
Tara Gibson
What changes, if any, would you make to school safety policies? The candidate did not respond to the questionnaire; however, during a forum hosted by the Brevard County Republicans, Gibson said that the district is doing a good job protecting children, though she is worried about the psychological impacts of metal detectors and school resource officers carrying guns. Gibson stated that she would like to see the schools look less like prisons.
How should book challenges and library removals be handled? The candidate did not respond to the questionnaire and we could not ascertain where she stands on this issue.
What outside organizations or endorsements are supporting your campaign? The candidate’s campaign website does not list any endorsements.
If elected, what policy would you try to pass in your first year? The candidate did not respond to our questionnaire and it is unclear what policy she would try to pass in her first year.
Megan Wright - Incumbent
WEBSITE: wrightforbrevard.com/
NOTE: This candidate did not respond to our request to fill out this voter guide. To best serve you, we searched candidate websites, social media and interviews they’ve done to provide answers to the following questions.
TOP ISSUES
What are the three most pressing problems happening in your district, and what do you suggest to solve them? Please put your responses in the sections below. On her campaign website, Wright lists the following priorities:
Empowering parents -- Megan is committed to protecting parental rights, increasing access to information, and ensuring families remain partners, not bystanders in their child’s education.
Safe and disciplined classrooms-- Megan believes discipline supports teachers and protects students who are ready to learn.
Supporting our teachers-- Megan supports competitive teacher pay, stronger classroom resources, and high standards for excellence.
How should the district handle teacher shortages? The candidate did not respond to the questionnaire and it is unclear what she believes the best way to solve this issue.
Florida ranked last for academic growth in reading. How would you improve that? The candidate did not respond to the questionnaire but has made public statements about where Brevard stands academically. The statement below was taken from a July 18, 2026 Instagram post.
“You may have seen a scary stat: ’40% of students are below grade level in reading and math.’ Here is the context they leave out.<br><br>That same data earned Brevard an A from the state three years in a row, with zero D or F schools district-wide and a graduation rate of 92.7%, a district record and above the state. Here is the manipulation. Any proficiency number can be flipped to sound like a failure. In reading, Brevard ranks 17th out of 67 Florida districts and scores above the state average. In math, Brevard is above the state average too. No district anywhere is at 100%. As much as I would love to see 100% reading proficiency, that is just not a realistic goal. There will always be students still working toward grade level, in every district in Florida, because that is how the math works. And like I have said before, sometimes kids CAN read, but they test poorly. There is no way to capture that in these state assessments. What matters is direction and where we stand, and Brevard’s overall performance ranks in the top 20 while earning 68% of all possible points, up from 65%. Same numbers, two very different stories. One is designed to scare you. The other is the truth. Is there still work to do? Always. And I will continue to prioritize our students’ achievements in these core subjects.”
Megan Wright
What changes, if any, would you make to school safety policies? Wright did not respond to the questionnaire but on her campaign website, she states the following: A safe school is the foundation for academic success. During Megan’s tenure, Brevard implemented OpenGate weapons detection systems in all high schools, expanded the School Guardian Program, strengthened partnerships with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and reinforced consistent discipline policies district-wide. The result: safer campuses and stronger learning environments. Megan believes discipline supports teachers and protects students who are ready to learn. She will continue fighting for policies that keep classrooms focused, structured, and secure.
How should book challenges and library removals be handled? Wright did not respond to this questionnaire; however, looking over previous votes by the Brevard School Board, it is clear that she has voted both with and against recommendations made by the committee that reviews book challenges. It is unclear how Wright believes removals should be handled.
What outside organizations or endorsements are supporting your campaign?
According to her campaign website, endorsements include:
- Sheriff Wayne Ivey
- Senator Tom Wright
- Property Appraiser Dana Blickley
- Commissioner Micah Loyd
- Former Speaker Steve Cristifulli
- Congressman Mike Haridopolos
- Associated Builders and Contractors
- Trailblazers of Tomorrow
If elected, what policy would you try to pass in your first year? Wright did not respond to the questionnaire. However, in a video posted on July 23 to her reelection Facebook page, she said her focus over the next four years would be to change the narrative about Brevard Public Schools. She posted the following:
“Here’s my main focus for the next four years: changing the story we tell about Brevard Public Schools. Because the good far outweighs the bad. Every single day I watch teachers show up and pour themselves out for our kids in ways that genuinely move me. That’s the real story. But it’s not the one that gets told. People hear about the one-off problem and that becomes their whole picture of our schools. It isn’t the truth. So here’s what I tell parents who are on the fence: go see for yourself. Set up a tour. Walk in the door, meet the people who would be teaching your child, and see what’s actually there. I’ve watched parents do exactly that and come away blown away. Some came right back to public school. I want the next four years to be about that, showing people the truth of what we’ve built, and then pushing even harder on academics to see just how far our kids can go. The good is real. I want everyone to see it.”
Megan Wright