School board

City of Portsmouth School Board

Vote for: 4
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 8
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The school board runs City of Portsmouth's public schools, hires the superintendent and adopts the school budget.

Candidates Compare by issue

Luis F. Padilla

No party listed

Warehouse lead, Givens Transportation

The gist

Opposes new taxes; proposes transparent school finances.
Proposes hands-on learning before screens.

More about Luis

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Opposes new taxes; proposes transparent school finances.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“Instead of asking families for more through additional taxes, we must demand transparent financial practices”
Proposes hands-on learning before screens.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“we should first focus on hands on learning and critical thinking skills before introducing screens”

Ingrid P. Whitaker

No party listed

Associate professor of sociology, Old Dominion University

The gist

Supports full city funding of the school budget.
Supports expanding career and technical education.
Supports limiting devices during instruction time.

More about Ingrid

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Supports full city funding of the school budget.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“The most pressing issue will be securing full funding for the needs of our schools from the city.”
Supports expanding career and technical education.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“I have been a consistent advocate of expanding our career and technical education programs.”
Supports limiting devices during instruction time.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“Access to these devices should be limited during instruction time.”

Denzel E. Glover

No party listed

Communications and public affairs consultant

The gist

Proposes making reading proficiency the top priority.
Supports limiting laptop use in kindergarten through second grade.
Proposes repairing School Board relations with City Council.

More about Denzel

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Proposes making reading proficiency the top priority.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“The most pressing issue will be improving student achievement, especially addressing our reading crisis.”
Supports limiting laptop use in kindergarten through second grade.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“I would support significantly limiting laptop use in kindergarten through second grade.”
Proposes repairing School Board relations with City Council.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“we must repair the relationship between the School Board and City Council”

Justin V. Randall-Jenkins

No party listed

CEO, Total Solutions Catering, Educational and Political Consultants

The gist

Proposes long-term school funding solutions with City Council.
Supports limiting cell phones during instruction.

More about Justin

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Proposes long-term school funding solutions with City Council.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“stronger collaboration with City Council to pursue long-term solutions instead of temporary fixes”
Supports limiting cell phones during instruction.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“Cell phones should be limited during instructional time, with reasonable exceptions for emergencies”

Quniana D. "Q" Futrell

No party listedIncumbent

Portsmouth School Board member; program administrator, Creative Learners Academy

The gist

Supports enforcing state limits on student cell phones.
Supports investments in early literacy and staff pay.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Quniana

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Supports enforcing state limits on student cell phones.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“I support clear, consistent enforcement of those expectations”
Supports investments in early literacy and staff pay.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“I have supported investments in early literacy, school safety, staff compensation, career and technical education, and student wellness”

Tamara L. Shewmake

No party listedIncumbent

Portsmouth School Board member; mental health services division head, Norfolk Community Services Board

The gist

Supports adequate funding for teacher pay and programs.
Supports the division's school-day cell phone limits.
Sponsored a mental health warm line for students and staff.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Tamara

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Supports adequate funding for teacher pay and programs.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“Proper funding directly impacts teachers' salaries and retention, access to technology and instructional resources”
Supports the division's school-day cell phone limits.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“limiting student cell phone use during the school day to before and after school”
Sponsored a mental health warm line for students and staff.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“I introduced "I'm Okay," which evolved into "Here to Help," a mental health warm line”

Cardell C. Patillo, Jr.

No party listedIncumbent

Portsmouth School Board member; executive director, Mile High Kids and Community Development

The gist

Proposes sustainable funding for aging school buildings.
Supports bell-to-bell phone limits with emergency contact options.
Led expansion of career education and early college.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Cardell

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Proposes sustainable funding for aging school buildings.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“The most pressing issue will be securing sustainable funding to meet the long-term needs of Portsmouth Public Schools.”
Supports bell-to-bell phone limits with emergency contact options.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“Our policies should include reliable ways for families and students to communicate when necessary while protecting instructional time.”
Led expansion of career education and early college.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“career and technical education opportunities have expanded significantly, early college allows students to earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree”

Melvin Cotton Jr.

No party listedIncumbent

Portsmouth School Board member; pastor, Mount Carmel Baptist Church

The gist

Supports offering PACE Center trades to all students.
Proposes planning for more schools as population grows.

More about Melvin

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Supports offering PACE Center trades to all students.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“I advocated for it to be an option for all PPS students and to offer credentials for every trade.”
Proposes planning for more schools as population grows.
Meet the candidates: Portsmouth School Board
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot (via Yahoo News) · yahoo.com
“we do anticipate a stronger need for more schools to accommodate our growing population”

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; 5 issues covered in this race.