2026 Voter’s Guide - Marion County School Board District 5

Election Day is Aug. 18

Published: July 31, 2026 at 12:59 PM

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.

Marion County School Board District 5

The Marion County School Board has five districts. These are nonpartisan races, so they are open to all voters.

School Board District 5 encompasses voters in the northern part of the county. You can see a map of the area HERE.

Since there are three 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 5, emailing and calling the candidates over several weeks. Responses were edited for spelling and grammar, but otherwise left intact.

Donald Barber

WEBSITE: www.votedonny.com/

Mr. Barber did not respond to our requests to fill out the questionnaire.

Ualthan Bigby

WEBSITE: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590235095180#

FOR CHALLENGERS AND OPEN SEATS: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race? I don’t believe I deserve this seat because I’m smarter than anyone else. I believe I deserve the opportunity because I’ve spent my career living the realities our teachers, students, and parents face every day.

I’m a Marion County graduate, a parent, an eighth-year educator, and I’ve served as a dean in elementary, middle, and high school. Those experiences have allowed me to see our district from nearly every angle. I’ve celebrated incredible successes, but I’ve also witnessed the challenges that cause great teachers to leave, families to lose confidence in public education, and students to struggle despite everyone’s best efforts.

I’m running because I believe our community deserves a school board member who listens first, values every perspective, and makes decisions based on what is best for children—not politics or special interests. My campaign has been built by conversations with teachers, parents, support staff, students, and community members. Many of the ideas in my platform came directly from those conversations.

My promise is simple: every decision I make will be guided by one question—“Is this what’s best for children while respecting the people who serve them?” If we can answer that honestly, I believe Marion County’s best days are still ahead.

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: Staff Retention. Staff retention is the most important challenge facing our district because every other goal depends on having great people in our schools. Our teachers, support staff, administrators, bus drivers, cafeteria employees, and custodians are overworked, underpaid, and under-supported. We must move the needle in all three areas. Retaining employees starts with the Golden Rule. We should continually ask ourselves, “Would I want to work under these conditions?” That means reducing unnecessary workload, improving compensation whenever financially possible, creating dependable systems that allow employees to take a day off without guilt, providing reliable classroom coverage, and improving communication. We must also rebuild trust with our employees by creating meaningful feedback systems that are anonymous when appropriate, transparent about how input will be used, and followed by visible action. People are far more willing to stay when they know their voices matter. Finally, successful school teams deserve stability. Strong relationships between staff and administrators take years to build and should not be disrupted without compelling reasons. When employees feel respected, supported, heard, and valued, retention improves—and so does student success.

Problem Number 2 and Solution: Better Serving Students with Disabilities While Protecting Every Child’s Opportunity to Learn. We must do a better job serving students with disabilities while protecting every child’s opportunity to learn.

Too often, teachers are expected to meet increasingly complex behavioral and academic needs without sufficient training, staffing, or support. Earlier identification, faster evaluations, expanded behavioral coaching, stronger counseling services, and additional support personnel can help students receive the services they need before problems become crises.

I also believe we should continue strengthening alternative learning opportunities for students whose needs cannot currently be met in traditional classrooms. The goal is never to give up on a child. The goal is to find the environment where every student has the greatest opportunity to succeed while protecting the learning environment for everyone else.

Just as importantly, we must rebuild trust with parents. Families deserve meaningful opportunities to share their experiences, and they deserve to know how that feedback is shaping district decisions. Listening shouldn’t be a campaign promise—it should be a governing philosophy.

This issue is also directly connected to our district’s financial future. When students with disabilities don’t receive appropriate services, families understandably begin looking elsewhere. At the same time, when general education families feel their children can’t learn because classrooms are overwhelmed, they begin leaving as well. Every student who leaves takes public education funding with them. By better serving students with disabilities while protecting strong learning environments for all students, we can rebuild confidence in our public schools, strengthen enrollment, and keep more of our education dollars here in Marion County.

Problem Number 3 and Solution: Student Success. Every decision the School Board makes should ultimately be judged by one question: Are more students leaving our schools prepared to lead successful lives?

Academic achievement will always be important, but true student success is much broader. It includes strong character, healthy relationships, consistent attendance, responsible citizenship, career readiness, and the ability to contribute positively to our community. I would also love to explore post-graduation feedback systems that help us understand whether our graduates are finding meaningful employment, staying out of legal trouble, and building successful lives. Those are outcomes worth measuring.

Preparing students for success also means preparing them for a rapidly changing world. Artificial intelligence will transform nearly every career our students enter. Marion County should work with teachers, parents, students, businesses, and higher education to develop a community-informed framework for how AI should be taught and responsibly used in our schools. We should also continue expanding career and technical education, industry certifications, apprenticeships, and other alternative pathways so every student graduates with a clear path toward success.

Finally, student success begins with safe, orderly learning environments. Students learn best when expectations are clear, consequences are consistent, and discipline is paired with coaching, intervention, and opportunities for growth. Parents also deserve confidence that our schools maintain strong predator-proof procedures that protect students while protecting the reputations of the many outstanding educators who serve them.

When we invest in great employees, provide the right supports for every student, maintain safe and orderly schools, and prepare our children for the future, student success becomes the natural result rather than something we simply hope for.

How would you handle district budget issues? The School Board has one of its greatest responsibilities when it comes to stewarding taxpayer dollars. Every dollar represents a family’s hard work, and every budgeting decision should reflect that responsibility.

I believe every budget decision should be guided by two equally important questions:

First: Does this improve student outcomes?
Second: Does this improve the lives of the people responsible for achieving those outcomes?

Too often, we ask employees to do more with less until the workload becomes unsustainable. Great schools require both successful students and a workforce that feels respected, supported, and valued. Staff retention is not separate from student achievement—it is one of the strongest predictors of it.

I also believe we need to think beyond simply reducing expenses. Our long-term financial health depends on rebuilding enrollment. Every family that chooses to leave our district takes funding with them. By improving employee retention, strengthening services for students with disabilities, maintaining safe and orderly schools, and rebuilding public confidence, we can slow that loss and position Marion County Public Schools for long-term financial stability.

Finally, I believe the School Board should actively pursue grants, partnerships, and new funding opportunities while remaining transparent with taxpayers about how every dollar is spent.

How should the district handle teacher shortages? Teacher shortages are not simply a hiring problem—they’re a retention problem. Our teachers, support staff, administrators, bus drivers, cafeteria employees, and custodians are overworked, underpaid, and under-supported. We must move the needle in all three areas. One thing that has encouraged me throughout this campaign is how many employees have reached out with practical solutions. The list below isn’t a final plan—it’s a growing collection of ideas worth researching and considering as more voices join the conversation.

Some ideas include:

Continue pursuing competitive compensation and meaningful salary growth.
Reduce unnecessary paperwork and administrative workload.
Consider requiring dependable bathroom management plans so teachers can reliably step away when needed.
Improve substitute recruitment, training, and support.
Strengthen the culture around taking earned leave without guilt.
Minimize unnecessary leadership shakeups and preserve successful school teams whenever possible.
Expand anonymous employee feedback systems and clearly communicate how that feedback influences decisions.
Increase transparency surrounding major district decisions affecting employees.
Strengthen mentoring and support for new teachers.
Explore additional cafeteria services and other practical ways to support employees throughout the workday.
Ensure district-level reductions and efficiencies are considered alongside school-level budget reductions whenever possible.
Expand district engagement in community conversations so employees know they have advocates beyond school walls.
Continue researching additional ideas suggested by employees and implementing those supported by evidence and community feedback.

The people closest to the work often have the best ideas for improving it. My role as a School Board member would be to make sure those ideas have a seat at the table.

Florida ranked last for academic growth in reading. How would you improve that? What should Marion County Public Schools do to improve reading achievement?

Reading is built through practice, motivation, and early intervention.

The earlier we identify struggling readers, the greater the impact we can have. I support continued investment in evidence-based literacy instruction, early screening, tutoring, and targeted interventions before students fall significantly behind.

We should also continue looking for creative ways to make reading enjoyable. Programs like Book It! demonstrated that positive incentives can motivate children to read more, especially in the elementary years. I would love to explore partnerships with local businesses and community organizations that reward students for reaching reading goals while encouraging families to participate in literacy at home.

Every child deserves the opportunity to discover that reading isn’t simply another school subject—it is one of the greatest tools for success in every area of life.

What changes, if any, would you make to school safety policies? School safety begins long before an emergency occurs. It begins with strong relationships, clear expectations, consistent consequences, and a culture where students feel seen, supported, and comfortable reporting concerns.

As a dean and member of school threat management teams, I’ve learned that we often spend too much time responding to the symptoms of unsafe behavior instead of addressing its earliest causes. The standard shouldn’t begin when students become physically aggressive. It should begin with disrespect. When we consistently coach, model, recognize, and expect respectful interactions between students, we prevent many larger problems before they ever develop.

That doesn’t mean simply increasing punishment. It means pairing consistent consequences with coaching, mentoring, positive incentives, and relationship-building so students develop the skills necessary to treat one another with dignity. By raising the standard for everyday behavior, we create safer schools long before serious incidents occur.

I’m also passionate about strengthening predator-proof procedures across our district. Clear professional boundaries, transparency, and consistent expectations help protect students while also protecting the reputations of the overwhelming majority of educators who serve with integrity every day.

School safety isn’t just about responding to danger. It’s about building a culture of respect where students, parents, and employees all feel secure enough to focus on learning.

How should book challenges and library removals be handled? Parents are their children’s first and most important teachers, and they deserve a meaningful voice in their children’s education.

I believe every concern deserves to be heard respectfully through a transparent review process. Every challenged book should be evaluated on its educational value, age appropriateness, and alignment with district policy—not on politics or public pressure.

One of the values I’ve tried to carry throughout this campaign is that everyone deserves a seat at the table. That includes parents who are concerned about instructional materials, parents who support keeping a book available, teachers, librarians, and students. We won’t always reach unanimous agreement, but we can ensure every perspective is heard with respect.

My goal isn’t to win cultural debates. My goal is to build trust between families and our public schools by listening carefully, communicating openly, and making thoughtful decisions that put students first.

What outside organizations or endorsements are supporting your campaign? None and I intend to keep it that way. Outside organizations and endorsements are killing government. I have approximately $515 in donations that aren’t my own meager funds because my campaign is funded almost entirely by people who are hurting financially, who in return only demand I do my best for children and staff: Teachers, staff on the frontline of education, and their family members.

If elected, what policy would you try to pass in your first year? If elected, I would focus on passing a framework to collect the ultimate teacher “shopping list.” I want to ask our educators: “What would you buy with our district’s money if money were no object?”Once collected, I intend to prioritize these needs based on two factors: first, restoring decency for our teachers and staff, and second, improving student outcomes. I believe we must do this fundamental groundwork before we can discuss passing specific initiatives.

That being said, my primary focus areas are teacher retention through restoring decency to the profession, meeting the needs of the ESE population to support both exceptional education and general education students, installing predator-proof procedures, and ending the unnecessary leadership shake-ups that plague our district.

Sarah James - Incumbent

WEBSITE: https://drsarahjamesforschoolboard.com/

FOR INCUMBENTS: Why do you deserve to be re-elected in this race? When I was elected in 2022, I quickly realized that we had an uphill battle, fighting the internal bureaucracy, the loss of federal funds attached to COVID, and top leadership that was disconnected from the district. In April of 2025, our then Superintendent resigned and we were able to appoint our now Superintendent, Dr. Danielle Brewer as our interim Superintendent. She was permanently hired in February of 2026. Under her leadership, we now have 0 “D” or “F” schools (traditional) compared to 6 “D” schools in 2025 under our former Superintendent. Academically, we have shown significant growth.

In the last year, we hired a new CFO (last summer) who has offered countless innovative finance approaches. We have also completely revamped the facilities department to ensure we are addressing our intensive construction season effectively.

The work is happening and we are moving in the right direction. I am asking for 4 more years to finish the work that I have started, keep the momentum going, and keep the work of MCPS focused on doing what is best for our students.

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 Chronic Absenteeism - Our district faces a 30% chronic absenteeism rate, down over the last 4 years. When 30% of your students are chronically absent from school, teaching them becomes even more challenging. The district continues to implement a variety of initiatives to address this and improve student attendance overall.

Problem Number 2 and Solution: Balancing a Student First Budget. As we continue to face a need to tighten our budget and maximize every dollar, the board, working with the CFO and Superintendent, are committed to ensuring that each dollar is spent with the student in mind. Site-based budgeting, district-wide budget cuts, and adding innovative strategies to maximize every dollar have allowed us to present a balanced budget, year over year, to the state. As a board member, I am committed to this continued focus and ensuring that our taxpayer dollars are spent with the student in mind.

Problem Number 3 and Solution: Overall Academic Achievement. Overall student academic achievement must continue to improve across Marion County Public Schools. When comparing the current data with the data from 2022-2023 school year, the data shows we are implementing the right strategies across the district.

2023

Grade 3-10 ELA: 42% proficiency
Grade 3-8 Math: 45% proficiency
Social studies: 62% proficiency
Science: 47% proficiency
Grad Rate: 78%
D & F schools: 3 (D - all traditional schools)

2026

Grade 3-10 ELA: 51% proficiency (+9 in 3 yr)
Grade 3-8 Math: 51% proficiency (+6 in 3 yr)
Social studies: 69% proficiency (+7 in 3 yr)
Science: 55% proficiency (+8 in 3 yr)
Grad Rate: 86% (+8 in 3 yr)
D & F schools: 0 traditional schools

We are making great strides but the reality is, we are still behind the state. We have to work harder and achieve outcomes that outpace the state. We will continue to dial in our delivery of research-based programs to ensure we are meeting students where they are while also addressing student attendance and their economic needs. What we know is that when students are at school, we can address their needs directly, both basic and academic.

How would you handle district budget issues? As a sitting board member, I have been addressing the impending budget concerns since I was elected 4 years ago. For the 2026-2027 school year, we have transitioned to site-based budgeting as our key strategy to balance the budget.

This budgeting model allows each school and department to have a budget based on the students it serves or the work it does. Site leaders and principals have the authority to adjust their staffing to fit their needs while staying in line with their budget. This system created an ability to cut our budget back to match the students we are serving.

In addition, the Superintendent, with support from the executive cabinet, are continuing to cut budgets for programs across the district. For clarity, the “central office” staff make up less than 1% of our total budget and is not inflated nor excessive. Cuts have occurred all around the district to ensure we have a balanced, student-first budget.

The board, Superintendent, and CFO, are committed to having a balanced budget, addressing students’ needs first, every year!

How should the district handle teacher shortages? Finding highly-qualified teachers continues to be a focus for me. As a board member, one of the ways I can address this directly is teacher pay. During our negotiations with the union, I have worked to have a competitive starting teacher pay while also addressing the salary comprehension that we see for our teachers with more seniority. As the board starts negotiations again this year, I remain committed to both of these things. We have brought on a staffing agency to fill our most critical ESE vacancies across the district. These staff members travel to Marion County to work specifically in our most challenging classrooms and address this critical need. We also partnered with an online substitute company, which has increased our efficiency in filling vacancies on a day-to-day and long-term basis. Most schools now have most, if not all, vacancies filled on a day-to-day basis. I am committed to continuing to work with our HR department to explore new and innovative ways we can address teacher shortages throughout the district.

Florida ranked last for academic growth in reading. How would you improve that? Academic growth for reading continues to be a focus for the board and Superintendent. There are some key metrics that help paint the entire picture for the academic achievement within Marion County. For comparison, looking at the data from the 2022-2023 school year, compared to the 2025-2026 school year, also helps.

2023:

Kindergarten Readiness: 35.4%
Grade 3-10 ELA: 42% proficiency
Chronic Absenteeism: 34%
Economically Disadvantaged: 89%

2026:

Kindergarten Readiness: 49.2% (+13.8% in 3 yr)
Grade 3-10 ELA: 51% proficiency (+9 in 3 yr)
Chronic Absenteeism: 30% (-4 in 3 yr)
Economically Disadvantaged: 85% (-4 in 3 yr)

Fundamentally, that data supports that the programs we are using in our schools are working to improve student achievement and outcomes. However, we still face 3 major community barriers. First, even with a significant commitment from MCPS, 30% of our students are still chronically absent across the district. We have schools with much higher chronic absenteeism (as high as 50%). One of our biggest focuses continues to be decreasing our chronic absenteeism across the district. If the students are at school, we can teach them well.We have spent millions of dollars expanding access to Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten on our elementary school campuses for a free, full-day program over the last 4 years. In doing this, we have improved our Kindergarten Readiness rate significantly. However, 50+% of our students entering Kindergarten are still not ready for the learning environment. We will continue to work with the local Early Learning Coalition to expand VPK offerings and meet students’ needs throughout the district.

Finally, we face an incredibly high economically disadvantaged student %. We partner with local non-profits like The Rock to meet students’ basic and fundamental needs on our school campuses. We also serve a free breakfast and lunch to every student enrolled with MCPS. The data shows students struggle to learn when their basic needs are not met.

What changes, if any, would you make to school safety policies?

Our schools are safer today than they were in 2022 when I was elected. Now, every campus has a single point of entry, a locked front door with entry by a remote buzzer, a camera at the front door that is accessed remotely, and we operate schools with locked classroom and exterior doors.

Each school is equipped with at least 1 School Resource Officer, which is provided in partnership with Ocala Police Department or Marion County Sheriff Office. We also use the Guardian program and have an undisclosed amount of trained and armed staff members on our campuses.

To continue to improve school safety, we have plans to create vestibule entrances at schools that do not have them by adding doors and walls into the “lobby”. We will also continue to add additional cameras to our campuses to enhance our existing security measures.

How should book challenges and library removals be handled? We began an intensive removal of banned books in 2023. Our librarians went through the entire school library system to ensure all books in our classrooms and libraries were appropriate. Now, if a community member would like to challenge a book, we have a link available on our district website. We are in compliance with state law and will remain that way.

What outside organizations or endorsements are supporting your campaign? I have received the support of The Ocala Marion County Association of Realtors®.

If elected, what policy would you try to pass in your first year? During my first term, a passion project for me that was not supported by the majority of the board was implementing a School Chaplain policy. At the time, only 2 board members agreed with me that implementing this policy would be beneficial for our schools. I would like to revisit this policy during our next policy review and reignite the conversation.

I will also have a continued focus to fiercely advocate for the building of something NEW on the north end of town, in District 5, where I live. I have not been able to earn the support of 2 other board members on this topic consistently and that will be a focus for me during this next year.