Daria Datnoff
No party listed
The gist
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Home
School board
Board of Education, Asheville City Schools
- Vote for
- 4
- Term
- 4 years
- Candidates
- 6
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
What this office does: A board of education member helps set policy, the budget and the superintendent's direction for Asheville City Schools.
Nonpartisan.
Daniel Shetley
No party listed
Asheville City Schools parent
The gist
- Supports trimming central office spending before cutting teachers
- Proposes incentives for employees to earn bus-driver licenses
- Supports letting staff raise concerns without fear of consequences
More about Daniel
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Supports trimming central office spending before cutting teachers
Asheville City Board of Education candidates tackle achievement gap and enrollment issues at recent forumNews coverage · Mountain Xpress · Aug 21, 2026 · web.archive.org
“We need to be able to look at where we can trim, and the central office has plenty to trim.”
Proposes incentives for employees to earn bus-driver licenses
Candidates for Asheville Board of Education share their stances on collaborative funding, staff morale and environmental issuesCandidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Apr 22, 2026 · web.archive.org
“one practical option would be to offer incentives for current ACS employees to obtain a CDL license.”
Supports letting staff raise concerns without fear of consequences
Candidates for Asheville Board of Education share their stances on collaborative funding, staff morale and environmental issuesCandidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Apr 22, 2026 · web.archive.org
“employees need the freedom to share opinions, frustrations, concerns and new ideas without fear of consequences.”
Gordon Grant
No party listed
Retired principal
The gist
- Proposes summer school for students not reading by third grade
- Supports enrichment programs to compete with charter schools
- Proposes a recruitment campaign for school bus drivers
More about Gordon
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Proposes summer school for students not reading by third grade
Asheville City Board of Education candidates tackle achievement gap and enrollment issues at recent forumNews coverage · Mountain Xpress · Aug 21, 2026 · web.archive.org
“If students aren’t learning it by third grade, the district should look at sending them to summer school or camp to boost their understanding.”
Supports enrichment programs to compete with charter schools
Asheville City Board of Education candidates tackle achievement gap and enrollment issues at recent forumNews coverage · Mountain Xpress · Aug 21, 2026 · web.archive.org
“I want to compete with them and say that we can offer everything that you’re getting with an innovative school”
Proposes a recruitment campaign for school bus drivers
Candidates for Asheville Board of Education share their stances on collaborative funding, staff morale and environmental issuesCandidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Apr 22, 2026 · web.archive.org
“I believe we should do a recruitment campaign, touting the short, regular hours and the benefits.”
Liza English-Kelly
No party listedIncumbent
Former teacher
The gist
- Opposes favoring central office staffing over school staffing
- Supports protecting the district's distinctive programs
- Opposed closing Montford North Star and the middle school orchestra
More about Liza
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Opposes favoring central office staffing over school staffing
Asheville City Board of Education candidates tackle achievement gap and enrollment issues at recent forumNews coverage · Mountain Xpress · Aug 21, 2026 · web.archive.org
“continuing to uphold and value central office full staffing over our schools being fully staffed really contributes to a negative sense of belonging”
Supports protecting the district's distinctive programs
Asheville City Board of Education candidates tackle achievement gap and enrollment issues at recent forumNews coverage · Mountain Xpress · Aug 21, 2026 · web.archive.org
“to fight for all of the unique and successful programs that Asheville has to offer”
Opposed closing Montford North Star and the middle school orchestra
Asheville City Board of Education candidates tackle achievement gap and enrollment issues at recent forumNews coverage · Mountain Xpress · Aug 21, 2026 · web.archive.org
“she noted her opposition to the closure of Montford North Star Academy and the recent elimination of the orchestra program at Asheville Middle School”
Sarah Thornburg
No party listedIncumbent
Attorney, McGuire, Wood & Bissette
The gist
- Supports the three-year county school funding formula
- Supports monthly 'meet, confer, collaborate' sessions with educators
- Pledges continued work to close the district's achievement gap
More about Sarah
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Supports the three-year county school funding formula
Candidates for Asheville Board of Education share their stances on collaborative funding, staff morale and environmental issuesCandidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Apr 22, 2026 · web.archive.org
“The new funding strategy brings predictability and stability to a budget process that otherwise lacks much of either.”
Supports monthly 'meet, confer, collaborate' sessions with educators
Candidates for Asheville Board of Education share their stances on collaborative funding, staff morale and environmental issuesCandidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Apr 22, 2026 · web.archive.org
“To continue to work with the Asheville City Association of Educators (ACAE) through the formal process of “Meet, confer and collaborate” established in 2025.”
Pledges continued work to close the district's achievement gap
Asheville City Board of Education candidates tackle achievement gap and enrollment issues at recent forumNews coverage · Mountain Xpress · Aug 21, 2026 · web.archive.org
“said she is running to continue the work the board started, notably closing the achievement gap between the district’s Black and white students.”
Rebecca Strimer
No party listedIncumbent
Social worker
The gist
- Supports pressing the General Assembly to fund schools
- Supports making the achievement gap the district's top priority
- Supports teaching climate change science in schools
More about Rebecca
View sources (2)
Supports pressing the General Assembly to fund schools
Candidates for Asheville Board of Education share their stances on collaborative funding, staff morale and environmental issuesCandidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Apr 22, 2026 · web.archive.org
“Equally important is the need to collaborate with the County Commission and other groups to pressure the General Assembly.”
Supports making the achievement gap the district's top priority
Asheville City Board of Education candidates tackle achievement gap and enrollment issues at recent forumNews coverage · Mountain Xpress · Aug 21, 2026 · web.archive.org
“Strimer called the achievement gap “the number one most important thing” Asheville City Schools needs to address.”
Supports teaching climate change science in schools
Candidates for Asheville Board of Education share their stances on collaborative funding, staff morale and environmental issuesCandidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Apr 22, 2026 · web.archive.org
“It’s more important than ever that students learn and understand the reality of climate change and the evidence-based strategies to address it.”
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; 2 issues covered in this race.