York County School Division, Virginia, elections
| York County School Division |
|---|
 |
| District details |
| School board members: 5 |
| Students: 12,640 (2022-2023) |
| Schools: 19 (2022-2023) |
| Website: Link |
York County School Division is a school district in Virginia (York County). During the 2023 school year, 12,640 students attended one of the district's 19 schools.
This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.
Elections
Do you know of an individual or group that endorsed a candidate for a position on this board? Click here to let us know.
York County School Division, District 1
General election
General election for York County School Division, District 1
Mark J. Shafer ran in the general election for York County School Division, District 1 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | ||
 | Mark J. Shafer (Independent) | |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
York County School Division, District 2
General election
General election for York County School Division, District 2
Brett J. Higginbotham and Zoran Pajevic ran in the general election for York County School Division, District 2 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | ||
| Brett J. Higginbotham (Independent) | |
| Zoran Pajevic (Independent) | |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
York County School Division, District 3
General election
General election for York County School Division, District 3
Laurel M. Garrelts and Kimberly S. Goodwin ran in the general election for York County School Division, District 3 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | ||
| Laurel M. Garrelts (Independent) | |
| Kimberly S. Goodwin (Independent) | |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
York County School Division, District 4
General election
General election for York County School Division, District 4
James E. Richardson ran in the general election for York County School Division, District 4 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | ||
| James E. Richardson (Independent) | |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
York County School Division, District 5
General election
General election for York County School Division, District 5
Lynda J. Fairman and Sean P. Myatt ran in the general election for York County School Division, District 5 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | ||
| Lynda J. Fairman (Independent) | |
| Sean P. Myatt (Independent) | |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
York County School Division, District 2
General election
General election for York County School Division, District 2
Incumbent Michael Anderson won election in the general election for York County School Division, District 2 on November 7, 2017.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Michael Anderson (Nonpartisan) |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
York County School Division, District 4
General election
General election for York County School Division, District 4
Incumbent James Richardson won election in the general election for York County School Division, District 4 on November 8, 2016.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | James Richardson (Nonpartisan) |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
York County School Division, District 1
General election
General election for York County School Division, District 1
Incumbent Barbara Haywood won election in the general election for York County School Division, District 1 on November 3, 2015.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Barbara Haywood (Nonpartisan) |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
York County School Division, District 3
General election
General election for York County School Division, District 3
Incumbent Mark Medford won election in the general election for York County School Division, District 3 on November 3, 2015.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Medford (Nonpartisan) |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
York County School Division, District 5
General election
General election for York County School Division, District 5
Incumbent Robert George won election in the general election for York County School Division, District 5 on November 3, 2015.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Robert George (Nonpartisan) |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Election rules
Election dates and frequency
Most county boards of education have elections in odd-numbered years either every two years or every four years. As of 2022, elections in all but one county — Arlington County — were off-cycle from federal elections. They are held at the same time as the state's odd-year state legislative and gubernatorial elections. There are 91 county school districts in Virginia. The Arlington County School Board holds elections every year.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 15.2
The elections for most city and town school boards are held during even-numbered years and are on-cycle with federal elections. There are several cities that hold school board elections in odd-numbered years or annually. Details of city and town school board elections are largely set in local charters. There are 41 municipal school districts in Virginia.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1-57.3
Election system
School board members in Virginia are elected through nonpartisan general elections without primaries.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1. Education and Section 24.1. Elections
Party labels on the ballot
School board elections in Virginia are nonpartisan, which means party labels do not appear on the ballot for school board candidates. Virginia state law requires that school board candidates qualify for the ballot through the petition process for independent candidates. It does not allow school board candidates to qualify for the ballot as party nominees. This means that all school board candidates in Virginia are listed as independent in the secretary of state's official candidate list. On the ballot, the names of candidates are displayed without any party affiliation or additional disclosure of any kind. There is no route in state law for a school board candidate to be listed on the ballot with a party affiliation.
See law: Virginia Statutes Sections 22.1. Education and 24.1. Elections
Winning an election
School board candidates that receive the largest number of votes in the nonpartisan general election are elected to office.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1. Education and Section 24.1. Elections
Term length and staggering
The length of school board member terms depends on the terms of the members of the relevant county, city, or town governing body. As of 2022, most school districts (121 or 91.7%) had 4-year school board terms. Ten school districts had 3-year board member terms.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1. Education and Section 24.1. Elections
School board seat elections are either not staggered or staggered in a way that depends on the organization of the district and the relevant county, city, or town prior to the referendum establishing elected board members; special act; or local charter. State law has special provisions concerning the staggering of school board elections in Bath, Loudoun, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, and Rockbridge Counties.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1. Education and Section 24.1. Elections
Representation: at large vs. by sub-district
School members are elected at large, from sub-districts, or through a combination of the two.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1. Education and Section 24.1. Elections
Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates
School board candidates must file declarations of candidacy by 7:00 pm on the third Tuesday in June.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 24.1. Elections
School board candidates cannot circulate nominating petitions until after the first day of January of the year of the election.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 24.1. Elections
Newly elected school board members officially take office on the first day of January following their election.
Recall elections
- See also: States that allow school board recalls
Recall procedures
| State | Specific grounds required? | Signature requirement | Petition circulation time | When recalls can start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | Yes: neglect of duty, misuse of office, incompetence, and upon conviction of certain crimes[1] | 10% of votes cast in the last election for the office | No time limit | Recalls can start at any time |
Recall efforts
2024
An effort to recall Lynda Fairman from her position as the District 5 representative on the York County School Division school board in Virginia began in September 2024.[2]
Fairman was elected to a four-year term on the five-member board in November 2023.[2][3] She served as chair of the board from January 2024 until May 2024, when the board voted 3-2 to remove her from that leadership position.[4]
About the district
School board
The York County School Division consists of five members serving four-year terms. To find information about school board meetings, click here.
| Name | Seat | Year assumed office | Year term ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Shafer | District 1 | 2028 | |
| Kimberly Goodwin | District 3 | 2024 | 2028 |
| Lynda Fairman | District 5 | 2024 | 2028 |
| Zoran Pajevic | District 2 | 2024 | 2028 |
| James Richardson | District 4 | 2016 | 2028 |
Join the conversation about school board politics
District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[5]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $23,616,000 | $1,915 | 14% |
| Local: | $63,345,000 | $5,137 | 38% |
| State: | $78,025,000 | $6,328 | 47% |
| Total: | $164,986,000 | $13,381 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $167,048,000 | $13,548 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $150,096,000 | $12,173 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $92,015,000 | $7,462 | 55% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $16,786,000 | $1,361 | 10% |
| Administration: | $16,763,000 | $1,359 | 10% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $24,532,000 | $1,989 | 15% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $12,805,000 | $1,038 | |
| Construction: | $4,234,000 | $343 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $112,000 | $9 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $1,666,000 | $135 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[6][7]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 77 | 92 | 59 | 74 | >=80 | 75 | 80 |
| 2018-2019 | 92 | 96 | 83 | 90 | >=80 | 91 | 95 |
| 2016-2017 | 81 | 83 | 74 | 79 | >=80 | 80 | 83 |
| 2015-2016 | 89 | 95 | 79 | 87 | 60-79 | 87 | 91 |
| 2014-2015 | 88 | 96 | 76 | 84 | 60-79 | 87 | 90 |
| 2013-2014 | 81 | 93 | 68 | 78 | 60-79 | 81 | 84 |
| 2012-2013 | 80 | 91 | 66 | 80 | 60-79 | 79 | 82 |
| 2011-2012 | 79 | 90 | 64 | 74 | 60-79 | 78 | 81 |
| 2010-2011 | 93 | 97 | 85 | 92 | >=80 | 94 | 94 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 87 | 92 | 75 | 84 | >=50 | 86 | 90 |
| 2018-2019 | 88 | 90 | 78 | 85 | >=80 | 87 | 91 |
| 2017-2018 | 90 | 92 | 78 | 87 | >=80 | 91 | 93 |
| 2016-2017 | 89 | 93 | 78 | 87 | >=50 | 89 | 91 |
| 2015-2016 | 88 | 92 | 76 | 86 | 60-79 | 89 | 91 |
| 2014-2015 | 87 | 92 | 77 | 84 | 60-79 | 88 | 89 |
| 2013-2014 | 80 | 86 | 64 | 76 | >=50 | 81 | 83 |
| 2012-2013 | 82 | 90 | 67 | 79 | >=80 | 84 | 84 |
| 2011-2012 | 93 | 96 | 87 | 92 | >=80 | 95 | 95 |
| 2010-2011 | 93 | 95 | 84 | 94 | >=80 | 94 | 95 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 95 | >=95 | 90-94 | >=95 | PS | >=95 | 94 |
| 2018-2019 | 95 | >=90 | >=95 | 85-89 | PS | 90-94 | 96 |
| 2017-2018 | 95 | >=95 | 90-94 | >=95 | >=95 | 95 | |
| 2016-2017 | 94 | >=95 | 85-89 | 90-94 | PS | 90-94 | 96 |
| 2015-2016 | 95 | >=95 | >=95 | 90-94 | 95 | ||
| 2014-2015 | 93 | >=90 | 85-89 | 80-84 | 94 | ||
| 2013-2014 | 92 | >=90 | 85-89 | 90-94 | 93 | ||
| 2012-2013 | 92 | >=90 | 80-84 | 85-89 | 93 | ||
| 2011-2012 | 91 | >=90 | 80-84 | 85-89 | 92 | ||
| 2010-2011 | 91 | 80-84 | >=90 | 92 |
Students
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[8]
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 12,640 | 0.7 |
| 2021-2022 | 12,554 | 1.8 |
| 2020-2021 | 12,330 | -5.3 |
| 2019-2020 | 12,978 | 1.8 |
| 2018-2019 | 12,750 | 1.4 |
| 2017-2018 | 12,576 | -0.8 |
| 2016-2017 | 12,682 | -0.1 |
| 2015-2016 | 12,699 | 0.0 |
| 2014-2015 | 12,695 | 1.8 |
| 2013-2014 | 12,471 | 0.4 |
| 2012-2013 | 12,421 | -1.0 |
| 2011-2012 | 12,547 | -0.6 |
| 2010-2011 | 12,619 | -0.8 |
| 2009-2010 | 12,721 | -1.4 |
| 2008-2009 | 12,893 | 0.4 |
| 2007-2008 | 12,836 | 1.3 |
| 2006-2007 | 12,670 | -1.3 |
| 2005-2006 | 12,833 | 3.7 |
| 2004-2005 | 12,363 | -0.4 |
| 2003-2004 | 12,417 | 4.0 |
| 2002-2003 | 11,921 | -0.2 |
| 2001-2002 | 11,942 | 1.6 |
| 2000-2001 | 11,756 | 1.0 |
| 1999-2000 | 11,642 | 0.0 |
| RACE | York County School Division (%) | Virginia K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 6.0 | 7.5 |
| Black | 13.1 | 21.6 |
| Hispanic | 12.6 | 18.7 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Two or More Races | 11.4 | 6.7 |
| White | 56.3 | 45.0 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[9]
As of the 2022-2023 school year, York County School Division had 935.00 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 13.52.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 16.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 44.00 |
| Elementary: | 245.00 |
| Secondary: | 630.00 |
| Total: | 935.00 |
York County School Division employed 53.00 district administrators and 48.00 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 53.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 52.00 |
| School Administrators: | 48.00 |
| School Administrative Support: | 48.00 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 271.00 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 105.00 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 42.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 18.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 24.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 0.00 |
| Library/Media Support: | 26.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 62.00 |
| Other Support Services: | 247.00 |
Schools
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[10]
About school boards
Education legislation in Virginia
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| School Boards | Education Policy | Local Politics | Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Code of Virginia, "§ 24.2-233. (Effective until January 1, 2024) Removal of elected and certain appointed officers by courts," accessed July 29, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wavy.com, "Recall petition seeks to oust controversial York County School Board member," September 23, 2024
- ↑ York County School Division, "School Board," accessed September 25, 2024
- ↑ Wavy.com, "York County School Board removes controversial right-wing board chair," May 28, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ To protect student privacy, percentages were reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five (5) or fewer students were included in a data set, the data was replaced by "PS."
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
| |||||
