The Wake County school board members are nine people, each elected from a numbered geographic district, who govern the Wake County Public School System. They set policy, approve a budget of more than $2.3 billion, hire the superintendent, and decide which school each student attends.1Wake County Public School System. School Board
Current Members by District
Each district elects its own representative, and voters can only vote in the race for the district where they live.
- District 1: Cheryl Caulfield
- District 2: Christina Gordon
- District 3: Wing Ng
- District 4: Toshiba Rice
- District 5: Lynn Edmonds
- District 6: Sam Hershey
- District 7: Chris Heagarty
- District 8: Jennifer Job
- District 9: Tyler Swanson
Contact information for each member is posted on the district’s website.
Chair and Vice Chair
Tyler Swanson serves as Board Chair. Sam Hershey serves as Vice Chair. They replaced Chris Heagarty and Swanson in those roles after each hit the two-consecutive-year maximum allowed for the positions.1Wake County Public School System. School Board The board chooses its own leaders every year. The chair runs meetings and sets the flow of business; the vice chair steps in when the chair is not available.
What the Board Does
North Carolina statute makes each county board of education a body corporate, which is what gives it authority to enter contracts, hold title to school property, buy and sell real estate, and sue or be sued on behalf of the district.2North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statute 115C-40 – Board a Body Corporate The board has general control and supervision over public schools in the county, subject to the State Board of Education, and a duty to give students the opportunity to receive a sound basic education.3North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statute 115C-47 – Powers and Duties Generally
Day to day, that authority shows up in a handful of concrete decisions.
The board hires the superintendent, currently Dr. Robert P. Taylor, and is the only body that can fire him. It evaluates his performance and decides whether to renew his contract. Every other district employee reports up through the superintendent, not to the board directly.
The board approves the annual operating budget. For the 2026–27 school year, the superintendent proposed a $2.3 billion budget that included a request of roughly $768 million from the Wake County Board of Commissioners.4Wake County Public School System. 2026-27 Board of Education’s Proposed Budget Teacher pay, instructional materials, facility upkeep, and transportation all get weighed against revenue from state, federal, and local sources.
The board approves the student assignment plan that determines the base school for every address in the county.5Wake County Public School System. Find Base School Assignment by Address It also approves new construction, major renovations, and decisions about closing or repurposing buildings. And it adopts a legislative agenda each year to press district priorities in Raleigh.6Wake County School District. School Board Approves 2026 Short Session Legislative Agenda to Strengthen Public Education
Recent Appointments and Vacancies
Several of the current members did not arrive by election. Toshiba Rice was appointed to the District 4 seat in February 2024. Christina Gordon took over District 2 in 2025. Jennifer Job was sworn in as the District 8 representative in December 2025.
When a seat opens mid-term, the remaining members appoint a replacement under G.S. 115C-37.7North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statute 115C-37 – Election of Board Members The board solicits applications from residents of the affected district, asks for proof of residence and voter registration there, and votes to pick one. No special election is triggered; the appointee serves until the seat’s next regularly scheduled election.
Elections, Terms, and Training
Wake County school board elections are nonpartisan, and no party appears next to any candidate’s name on the ballot.7North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statute 115C-37 – Election of Board Members To run, a candidate must be at least 21, a qualified voter, and not otherwise disqualified from public office. Anyone employed by the school district has to resign before taking a seat. Board policy also requires candidates to live in the district they seek to represent.
Members serve four-year staggered terms. The district returned to a staggered schedule starting in 2022, so roughly half the seats are on the ballot in each even-year November election. North Carolina does not impose term limits on school board members, and a member can run for re-election indefinitely as long as they still meet the qualifications.
After every election or appointment, a member has 12 months to complete at least two hours of ethics training covering conflicts of interest and standards of conduct in local government. Under G.S. 115C-50, members also complete at least 12 hours of continuing education every two years, and the ethics hours count toward that total. The training requirement resets after every election, so re-elected members go through it again.
Attending a Meeting or Contacting a Member
The board meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, generally at 5:30 p.m. at the district’s administrative offices.1Wake County Public School System. School Board The agenda is published in advance. To speak during public comment, sign up ahead of time through the district’s online portal; each speaker gets a limited window, usually a few minutes.
Between meetings, residents can email their district representative through the addresses listed on the school system’s website. One thing to keep in mind: correspondence sent to a board member through official channels becomes a public record under North Carolina law and is open to inspection.8North Carolina Department of Justice. North Carolina Open Government Guide