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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[ELECTION 2026: Make sure you’re eligible to vote|How to vote by mail|Election Myths]
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.
Marion County School Board District 4
The Marion County School Board has five districts. These are nonpartisan races, so they are open to all voters.
School Board District 4 encompasses voters in the central part of the county. You can see a map of the area HERE.
Since there are four candidates in the race, the top vote-getter must get more than 50% of the vote (50%+1) in order to win outright. Otherwise, the top two candidates will go to a runoff in November.
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.
News 6 compiled the candidate responses for Marion County School Board District 4, emailing and calling the candidates over several weeks. Responses were edited for spelling and grammar, but otherwise left intact.
Jeff Brewer
WEBSITE: https://www.jeffreybrewer4schoolboard.com/
FOR CHALLENGERS AND OPEN SEATS: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race? I have a passion for all the stakeholders: parents, taxpayers, students, teachers, administrators and staff. As a retired teacher, I believe I can help make things better. Knowing what working in the schools is all about, from being a school bus driver to teaching social studies at the high school level, to teaching special education at all levels, I have the knowledge, experience and wisdom to avoid mistakes and direct the district to success. Values and education go together. You can’t have one without the other. We have a great resource in our highly educated retired population here in Marion County who can be activated to help in our schools. We have so many that contribute now but so much more can be done. I want to make this happen.
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.
Problem Number 1 and Solution: Toxic behavior in schools. Students are disrespectful to each other, to their teachers and to staff far too frequently. Discipline and accountability for poor behavior has likely never been worse. We can’t change family dynamics, the realities of family dysfunction, trauma, poverty, but we can work to bring order and peace to our schools. That means that teachers need their administrators to be leaders instead of politicians. 8% of our students are creating 50-plus percent of our discipline referrals. We need to be all on the same page when it comes to where the right behaviors end and bad behaviors start and what to do about them.
Problem Number 2 and Solution: Chronic absenteeism. If students aren’t in school, they can’t learn. Good schools have low student absentee percentages. We can use resources to get kids who miss the bus to get to school. We can make school a safer, more nurturing atmosphere so students and their families will be motivated to get them to school and participate in the learning process. Parent participation is critical to student success.
Problem Number 3 and Solution: Lack of vision. We have programs and spend money, as much as $1.26 billion! We need vision and specific goals to every aspect of what we do on the board. We need to have big goals and fail more. Then we can change our direction instead of doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. More than 40% of our students are failing to meet grade-level standards. Small incremental results are not enough. Every person in every department needs to have a vision stamped on what they do and know how it fits into the grand vision: success for all our students.
How would you handle district budget issues? #1 Live within our means, borrow as little as possible #2 Use a Design and build model to build new schools #3 Listen to parents and communities when designing the size, location and amenities of new or when redesigning existing schools. #3 Develop a public-private partnership to bring revenue to schools, i.e., voluntary preK or Gymnastics, Dance businesses to school properties to generate revenue.
How should the district handle teacher shortages? There are only two things we can do: Increase pay for both new and existing teachers and/or increase job satisfaction to keep teachers. Too many new college graduates are not choosing teaching because they can’t afford to; other places in Florida and other states are paying more. The answer is to recruit relentlessly, increase pay for new and experienced teachers and increase teacher satisfaction. We need to listen to why young teachers are not staying and why experienced teachers are leaving and take steps to raise job satisfaction.
Florida ranked last for academic growth in reading. How would you improve that? Keep encouraging families to participate in early learning opportunities like VPK, voluntary pre-kindergarten. Bring more adult volunteers into schools to read with students, especially in elementary and middle school. We can also encourage student mentors to tutor and befriend their younger peers. Initiate grants recruiting teachers with stipends to tutor students before or after school hours.
What changes, if any, would you make to school safety policies? I would like to see if it will be a cost savings without loss of safety, to have the sheriff take over school safety.
How should book challenges and library removals be handled? As they are now. If there are any books that are objectionable, anyone can raise the red flag and have the text reviewed.
What outside organizations or endorsements are supporting your campaign?
Mr. Brewer did not give a response to this question.
If elected, what policy would you try to pass in your first year? I would lobby and have a vote to allow Chaplain volunteers to operate in schools.
Mike Mills
WEBSITE: www.mikemillsmarionschools.com/
Mr. Mills did not respond to our requests to fill out the questionnaire.
Brigitte Smith
WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/people/Brigitte-Smith-for-Marion-County-School-Board/61590594200771/
FOR CHALLENGERS AND OPEN SEATS: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race? I’ve quietly shown up and advocated for our children for over a decade — long before this election. As an operating room nurse with 35 years of experience, a U.S. Army Nurse Corps veteran, and a dedicated community volunteer, Board Secretary to the Paul Chester Children’s Hope Foundation and medical missionary, I’ve built my life around service and leadership.
I’m vested with skin in the game. I have 2 daughters who graduated from Marion County schools, and I currently have a granddaughter attending Dunnellon Middle School. I see every day the work and materials she brings home; what I see coming home from school every day tells me we must do better.
What’s been missing on the school board is a disciplined approach of assessing, intervening, and evaluating — the same cycle I use every day as a nurse. Despite rising budgets, Marion County has remained in the bottom third academically for years. That’s unacceptable.
If elected, I will raise the bar for our students, reject mediocrity, restore fiscal responsibility, and ensure every taxpayer dollar is spent efficiently — especially in school construction — so we can put those resources back in the classroom where they belong.
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.
Problem Number 1 and Solution: One of my top three concerns is literacy — specifically our third-grade reading proficiency. Right now, only about 46% of our third graders in Marion County are reading on grade level.
To fix this, I’m pushing for a Reading Revolution. Teachers must be at the center of the conversation. Many already use UFLI Foundations, but concerns remain about the consistency and quality of how it’s being delivered.
I want to ensure every teacher receives high-quality, ongoing training in the Science of Reading, along with real coaching and support. This is especially important for teachers who didn’t train as educators but hold content degrees — we need to give them the tools to succeed.
The plan also includes expanding reading into every class, not just ELA, moving back to physical books instead of tablets, honest conversations about early intervention before third grade, and using volunteers for extra targeted support.
I’m also excited about bringing in fresh ideas: a “Caught in the Act” program to celebrate kids when parents catch them reading at home, launching a Battle of the Books competition with our business partners providing small prizes for the teams that read the most, and creating a health-themed literacy program that partners with our local hospitals — something that fits perfectly with my background as a nurse.
Strong attendance ties directly into this too — kids can’t learn to read if they’re not here. I truly believe adding incentives like the different contests throughout the year can spill over to reducing attendance.
I know the importance of getting the fundamentals right the first time. I will push for proven, phonics-based reading instruction, intensive early intervention starting in pre-K and kindergarten, smaller class sizes in the early grades, and targeted support for struggling readers. We will hold administrators accountable for results, equip teachers with the best training and resources, and celebrate progress with clear benchmarks. By making reading proficiency a non-negotiable priority, we will raise our third-grade scores significantly, close achievement gaps, and ensure every child in Marion County gains the strong literacy foundation they need to succeed — building stronger schools, stronger students, and a stronger future.
I don’t have all the answers, but I’m committed to listening to our teachers and making sure every child gets the strong reading foundation they deserve.
Problem Number 2 and Solution: As a candidate for school board, I believe our schools need both accountability and common sense when it comes to student behavior. While restorative justice can be effective for minor conflicts between students, it should not be the only approach. For serious safety issues like weapons, violence, or drugs, we must maintain zero tolerance policies with swift and strong consequences.
My plan focuses on a balanced discipline system that includes using restorative practices when appropriate, enforcing clear zero tolerance for dangerous behavior, and making much better use of in-school suspension. Rather than simply removing students from class, in-school suspension should be a structured environment with strong academic support and behavioral oversight so students actually continue learning while addressing their actions. Many times it’s those students who need more attention that are sent to ISS, so let’s utilize that time to assist those in need.
Most importantly, our teachers must receive full support from school administrators when they enforce discipline. Teachers should not be undermined by simply taking a student’s word over theirs. When a teacher addresses misbehavior, they need to know their administration has their back.
An example that typically comes up - cell phone usage and enforcing our state law on cell phones. Florida House Bill 1105 prohibits elementary and middle school students from using cell phones during the school day. If a parent requests that their child be allowed to keep their phone, the policy must still be followed. We can acknowledge parents’ concerns about emergencies, and our schools are taking steps to harden security and improve emergency communication. However, once a rule is set, it must be consistently upheld by both teachers and administrators for the benefit of the entire classroom.
This approach puts safety first while ensuring every student is held accountable and given the opportunity to improve. Our kids deserve both a safe classroom and real consequences when they break the rules.
Problem Number 3 and Solution: Marion County suffers from a clear imbalance of overcrowded schools in the rapidly growing Southwest and significantly underutilized schools in the North. Schools like West Port High (112% capacity), Belleview High (110%), and Dunnellon High (124%) are severely overcrowded, while several North Marion schools are running as low as 69% to 70% capacity. This mismatch wastes resources and forces long bus rides for many students.
Compounding the problem are ongoing bus route issues. Chronic bus driver shortages in recent years have caused frequent late buses, delayed pickups, and students arriving late to school. We need smarter rezoning to better balance enrollment across the county, reduce excessive busing, and improve transportation efficiency so students spend less time on buses and more time in the classroom
To help solve our chronic bus driver shortage, we should explore creative solutions that other districts have successfully used. One promising model is allowing bus drivers to work a morning or afternoon route and then serve as a paraprofessional, classroom aide, or in another school role during the rest of the day. This gives drivers full-time hours and benefits, making the position much more attractive and helping us retain reliable transportation staff.
It’s time for fresh thinking and new ideas on the school board. For too long, the same approaches have delivered the same disappointing results. We need board members willing to think outside the box, challenge the status quo, and bring forward-thinking solutions to better serve our students, teachers, and taxpayers. Real change starts with new perspectives.
How would you handle district budget issues? I am concerned about waste in our current budget, especially in construction contracts. The new Southwest Marion High School project is now $29 million over budget, partly because of a flawed contractor selection process that led to months of delays. An independent investigation revealed violations of the district’s “cone of silence” policy and other irregularities during bidding.
To prevent this in the future, we need a crystal-clear, transparent selection process. School board members should not sit on selection committees — perhaps only in an advisory role. We should require a thorough review and audit before any major contract is signed, and ban any bidder who violates the cone of silence from future bids.
Savings from tighter contract oversight, better bidding practices, and a long-overdue energy efficiency audit can be redirected back into our classrooms. Those funds should support retaining our best, most experienced teachers — not just through higher pay, but with a full benefits package that includes retention bonuses, advanced certification incentives, professional development, and a supportive culture where teachers feel protected, heard, and valued every day. As a nurse, I know it’s the whole package, not just the hourly wage, that keeps quality professionals from leaving.
How should the district handle teacher shortages? To address teacher shortages in Marion County, my first priority is retaining our experienced, certified teachers who are leaving at high rates. As a nurse, I know professionals don’t stay for salary alone — it’s the full package. We must improve retention through better benefits, retention bonuses, advanced certification stipends, strong mentoring, and a supportive culture where teachers feel protected, heard, and valued every day, and practical support such as partnering with local daycares to help teachers with young families.
By creating a more competitive overall package, we will also attract more quality educators to Marion County. To fund this, we must find savings elsewhere in the budget — through tighter contract oversight, eliminating waste, and redirecting those dollars into the classroom and into teacher support.
We should also strengthen our Professional Learning Certification Program so professionals with degrees in high-need areas, can earn their teaching certification while working here, giving us another strong pipeline of new teachers.
Florida ranked last for academic growth in reading. How would you improve that? As a school board member, I believe our experienced teachers must be at the center of every conversation about improving student achievement. I will be a more engaged board member who regularly meets with teachers, listens to their feedback, and ensures they have a real voice in shaping reading instruction, discipline policies, and student retention decisions.
My job is to set policy and budget priorities that fully support them. That includes funding literacy coaches, providing ongoing training in the science of reading, maintaining orderly classrooms with strong discipline, and having honest conversations about retaining students — especially in second grade before they reach the critical third-grade year.
When our teachers are truly supported, heard, and equipped to succeed, our students will thrive.
What changes, if any, would you make to school safety policies? I support returning the Safe Schools department to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, as Sheriff Billy Woods proposed in 2022. At that time, the department had five employees and cost the district roughly $450,000 annually. The sheriff offered to absorb those positions, make them sworn deputies with full arrest powers, and have the district continue paying the same amount — with no additional cost to taxpayers.
Safe Schools currently focuses on prevention, emergency preparedness planning, security measures, and acting as a liaison with law enforcement. However, the district already contracts with the Sheriff’s Office and local police departments for approximately 60+ School Resource Officers who provide day-to-day presence in our schools. Any serious incident still requires calling actual law enforcement. Since its creation, the Safe Schools department has grown significantly. What started as a small department of five employees in 2022 has now expanded to include an Executive Director and multiple coordinators, increasing both cost and bureaucracy.
Creating a separate department adds an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy. The sheriff is a constitutional officer best equipped to handle school safety with clear command authority. Returning this function to the Sheriff’s Office would improve coordination, eliminate redundancy, and allow district leadership to focus on education rather than duplicating law enforcement efforts. School safety is too important for overlapping departments.
Any savings realized by eliminating this unnecessary duplication of services should be redirected back into our classrooms to support and retain our high-quality teachers.
How should book challenges and library removals be handled? Florida Statute 1006.28 sets the statewide rules for handling objections to library and instructional materials. Parents or county residents file a formal objection on the district’s form. Pornographic or sexually explicit material must be pulled from that school within five school days and stay unavailable until resolved. Other challenges go through a public hearing before an unbiased officer, then to the school board for a final decision. The board’s ruling is binding, and districts must post their full process and objection form on the website homepage. I’ll follow that law exactly. I have been a participant in this process several years ago when discovering a book that was not age-appropriate for a particular classroom. The policy in place does work and has appropriate oversight. Additionally, within this legislation, librarians must take certain educational instruction regarding the process in which new books are approved.
What outside organizations or endorsements are supporting your campaign? Christian Family Coalition Florida, I have earned the highest Qualifying grade by that organization
If elected, what policy would you try to pass in your first year? Not necessarily a new policy, yet enforce our discipline policy. We need to ensure we have structure and discipline in the classroom and zero tolerance for egregious conduct! The classroom need to be a place conducive to learning and a safe environment. Teachers need to be supported by the leadership!
Buddy Wyckoff
WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587118806004
Mr. Wyckoff did not respond to our requests to fill out the questionnaire.