School board

Board of Education Member, Baltimore City

At Large

Vote for: 2
Candidates: 4
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A board of education member helps set policy, approve the budget and hire the superintendent of the county's public schools.

Candidates Compare by issue

Jamar Day

No party listed

Former teacher; State of Maryland employee · Baltimore City

The gist

Supports a moratorium on all city school closures
Supports more elected seats on the city school board
Proposes scrutiny of high-level administrative salaries
Supports target of under 35% chronic absenteeism
Supports prioritizing full school rebuilds over piecemeal repairs

More about Jamar

View sources (1)

Supports a moratorium on all city school closures
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“Within my first 100 days, I would push for a moratorium on all school closures until the Board can demonstrate a clear, community-informed plan”
Supports more elected seats on the city school board
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“I support expanding the number of elected school board commissioners in Baltimore City.”
Proposes scrutiny of high-level administrative salaries
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“I would scrutinize high-level administrative salaries and redundant or outdated programs and positions that no longer serve students directly.”
Supports target of under 35% chronic absenteeism
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“I would advocate for a target of reducing chronic absenteeism to below 35%”
Supports prioritizing full school rebuilds over piecemeal repairs
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“I would prioritize full rebuilds.”

Domonique A. Flowers

No party listed

Attorney; adjunct professor · Baltimore City

The gist

Supports school closures only as a last resort
Supports protecting after-school program funding
Proposes a life-skills pilot program for rising seniors
Supports aiming for a 15% chronic absenteeism rate
Supports mixing school rebuilds with repairs case by case

More about Domonique

View sources (1)

Supports school closures only as a last resort
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“The idea of closing schools should only occur as a last-ditch effort”
Supports protecting after-school program funding
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“It is also essential that we protect funds earmarked towards after school programs”
Proposes a life-skills pilot program for rising seniors
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“This initiative would serve as a priority for me to at least create a pilot program for rising seniors”
Supports aiming for a 15% chronic absenteeism rate
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“shoot for a 15% absenteeism rate by the next year”
Supports mixing school rebuilds with repairs case by case
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“I believe that the best approach to restoring the aging school infrastructure is to employ a hybrid model”

Ashley Ash Esposito

No party listedIncumbent

Executive director, Baltimore Unity Hall · Violetville, Baltimore

The gist

Supported a moratorium on school closures to right-size district
Opposes book bans; signed United Against Book Bans pledge
Led school board's cellphone and personal device policy work
Supports high-dosage tutoring and universal early screening
Supports directing Blueprint dollars to the largest gaps

More about Ashley

View sources (1)

Supported a moratorium on school closures to right-size district
Baltimore City Board of Education: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner voter guide · thebanner.com
“I called for a moratorium on school closures because I believe we need to determine how to right-size our district”
Opposes book bans; signed United Against Book Bans pledge
Baltimore City Board of Education: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner voter guide · thebanner.com
“I proudly took the pledge from United Against Book Bans.”
Led school board's cellphone and personal device policy work
Baltimore City Board of Education: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner voter guide · thebanner.com
“I was the Policy Committee Chair when we worked on the cell phone/personal device policy.”
Supports high-dosage tutoring and universal early screening
Baltimore City Board of Education: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner voter guide · thebanner.com
“What I know works: high-dosage tutoring, universal early screening so we catch kids who are struggling before they fall too far behind”
Supports directing Blueprint dollars to the largest gaps
Baltimore City Board of Education: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner voter guide · thebanner.com
“My work on the board has focused on ensuring the Blueprint dollars go where the gaps are biggest.”

Kwame Jamal Kenyatta-Bey

No party listedIncumbent

Teacher · Baltimore City

The gist

Supports advancing the board's Fine and Performing Arts Policy
Proposes tracking graduates three and five years out
Supports cutting chronic absenteeism to 35% by 2027
Supports reviewing contracts and consultants for results
Supports protecting special education and multilingual learner services

More about Kwame

View sources (1)

Supports advancing the board's Fine and Performing Arts Policy
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“I would also continue advancing the Fine and Performing Arts Policy, which I helped push into codified Board policy.”
Proposes tracking graduates three and five years out
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“One of the most important measures I want to help develop is a three- and five-year post-graduation success measure.”
Supports cutting chronic absenteeism to 35% by 2027
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“I would set a goal of reducing chronic absenteeism to 35% or lower by the end of the 2026–27 school year”
Supports reviewing contracts and consultants for results
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“I would closely examine acquisitions, contracts, consultants, technology, and other major expenditures to determine whether they are producing the results”
Supports protecting special education and multilingual learner services
Who is running for Baltimore City Board of Education in the 2026 election?
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun / Capital Gazette voter guide · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“I would protect direct student opportunities—classroom instruction, special education, MLL services, arts, career and technical education, counseling”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 4 issues covered in this race.