Florida
Three Candidates Compete for Highlands County School Board Seat Amid Budget Pressures and School Choice Expansion
Highlands County School Board District 5 election overview The post Three candidates seek Highlands County School Board District 5 seat appeared first on The Florida Trib.
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Key points
- Three candidates are running for the open District 5 seat on the Highlands County School Board as the district faces an $11 million budget reduction.
- Districts across Florida continue responding to fiscal pressures caused by rising health insurance costs and expanding universal school choice options.
- Candidate Gary Brown leads fundraising efforts while emphasizing fiscal transparency, line-item spending reviews, and adaptation to school voucher growth.
NewsWK — According to a report first published by The Florida Trib, three candidates are competing for the open District 5 seat on the Highlands County School Board as the district navigates tightening fiscal constraints and the statewide expansion of school choice options.
The race features Gary Brown, Savannah Casto, and former state education board member Andy Tuck. The seat became vacant after former board member Nicole Radonski resigned upon learning her residence fell outside district boundaries. The winning candidate will help manage a newly approved $189 million tentative budget for the 2026-2027 school year, which represents an $11 million drop from the prior year’s tentative figure driven by declining enrollment and surging health care costs.
Fiscal Challenges and Spending Scrutiny
Rising employee health insurance costs have strained district reserves below state-mandated minimum thresholds, forcing administrators to transfer $8 million from reserve funds to cover insurance expenses. Earlier this year, district officials evaluated cutting 62 staff and teacher positions to save $3.9 million, though board members urged leadership to seek administrative savings without impacting classrooms.
Brown, a retired military veteran and director of operations and student affairs at Heartland Christian Academy, leads candidate fundraising with $9,700 collected. He calls for careful line-by-line spending audits before enacting cuts.
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“You’ve got to spread it out on the table, dig into it and figure out where the money’s going,” Brown told The Florida Trib.
Casto, a single mother supported by the Network for Public Education Action, emphasizes financial transparency and greater support for public school teachers, having raised $2,466. Tuck, who has raised $4,000 from family members, did not submit financial proposals or respond to interview requests from the outlet.
School Choice and Candidate Backgrounds
Florida’s 2023 universal school choice law, which allows families to direct state education funds toward private tuition or customized learning options, remains a central policy backdrop in the contest. Brown noted that public systems must compete by strengthening academic offerings.
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“Vouchers are here to stay,” Brown said, adding, “I think the future of education is changing.”
Casto advocates keeping public funds dedicated exclusively to traditional public schools and opposes further voucher expansion. Tuck previously voiced support for expanding school choice options, and his daughter, Rep. Kaylee Tuck, co-sponsored the 2023 universal choice legislation.
Tuck previously served on the Highlands County School Board and the Florida State Board of Education. He resigned from the state board in 2021 during a Department of Education investigation into a consulting firm he and another official formed to advise struggling school districts on charter conversions.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
Based on reporting by Reagan Bresnahan | University of Florida. originally published by The Florida Trib. Read the original story.
