Four seats on the seven-member Lee County School Board are up for grabs this year.
Candidates in Districts 1, 4, 5 and 6 are campaigning on platforms of fiscal transparency, teacher retention and parental rights as the district navigates a $92.4 million budget deficit and “strategic budget realignment” that has already resulted in notices for 457 staff contract non-renewals.
The School District of Lee County is home to more than 100,000 students at its 118 schools. It is the eighth-largest school district in Florida and the 27th-largest in the nation, according to the district’s 2024-25 impact report.
Meet the candidates:
District 1
District 1 covers the northwestern parts of the school district, including Sanibel, Pine Island and most of Cape Coral west of Del Prado Boulevard. Only voters residing within District 1 can vote for this race in the primary election Aug. 18, regardless of party affiliation.
Two candidates are competing for the District 1 seat, and voters will decide a winner in the primary election.
Schools within District 1 boundaries:
Meet the candidates running for the District 1 seat:
Sam Fisher (incumbent)
Sam Fisher, the District 1 incumbent and board vice chair, has raised $47,850, according to campaign finance records. Outside his work on the board, Fisher is an attorney and owns Cape Coral Pet Vet with his wife. He was endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022 and has since advocated for streamlining bureaucracy and identifying waste.
According to his campaign website, Fisher’s priorities if reelected are raising standards and putting learning first; strengthening safer schools and secure learning environments; respecting and partnering with parents; pushing for fiscal responsibility and accountability; preparing students for success and supporting strong teachers, stable classrooms and better outcomes.
“Four years ago, Lee County voters made it clear that they expected higher standards from their school system. They chose conservative leadership, demanded accountability and transparency, and called for a renewed focus on students, parents, and taxpayers. Sam Fisher has worked to honor that mandate,” Fisher’s campaign website reads.
Visit votesamfisher.com to learn more about Fisher and his campaign.
Jenn McDaigle
Jenn McDaigle, a candidate for District 1, has raised $6,304. McDaigle is a special needs mom with a background in corporate leadership and technology. She has noted concern that seven in 10 elementary students in Lee County cannot read at grade level.
According to her campaign website, McDaigle’s priorities if elected are building “future-ready schools” through the thoughtful use of technology and AI, supporting “the whole child” by protecting arts and experiential learning and encouraging “teachers planting roots” to improve retention and ensure educators can afford to live in the community they serve.
She said, “Every one of these is something a Lee County parent can see, feel, and hold me to. When I win, these outcomes get better. If they don’t, hold me accountable.”
Visit jennforeverychild.com to learn more about McDaigle and her campaign.
District 4
District 4 covers the northern parts of the school district, including parts of Cape Coral east of Del Prado Boulevard and parts of Fort Myers.
Only voters residing within District 4 can vote for this race in the primary election Aug. 18, regardless of party affiliation.
Four candidates are in the race for the District 4 seat. If a District 4 candidate does not win the majority of votes (50% plus one) in the primary election, the race will head to a runoff in the general election Nov. 3.
Schools within District 1 boundaries:
Meet the candidates running for the District 4 seat:
Tony Beougher
Tony Beougher, a candidate for District 4, has raised $47,660. A lifelong resident and father of six, Beougher says his background in business management provides the necessary experience to balance budgets and eliminate waste.
According to his campaign website, Beougher’s priorities, if elected, are maintaining parental rights and involvement, raising academic excellence, ensuring safe schools and orderly classrooms, guaranteeing fiscal responsibility, promoting support for teachers and supporting school choice and opportunity.
“Tony is running for the School Board to make sure every child in Lee County receives a quality education that prepares them for success in life,” his campaign website states. “He will fight to return our schools to the fundamentals, restore trust, and give parents the respect they deserve. His mission is clear: put students first, protect parental rights, and deliver strong conservative leadership for Lee County schools.”
Visit electtonyb.com to learn more about Beougher and his campaign.
Debbie Jordan (incumbent)
Debbie Jordan, the District 4 incumbent, has raised $21,686. She’s a small business owner of a hospitality management company called Nina Rose Events and has served on the board since 2018.
Jordan has recently voiced frustration regarding transparency in district operations, particularly concerning the district’s proposed plan to “co-locate” Buckingham Exceptional Student Center, a specialized school for children with medical needs, to Royal Palm Exceptional Center, a campus currently serving students with behavioral challenges. The plan did not require a formal board vote.
“Being a school board member is more than just a title. It is a commitment to the community, the students, and the future,” Jordan wrote on her campaign website. “Our campaign focuses on fostering community engagement and active participation in local schools. Together, we can create an enriching environment where every child’s potential is realized.”
Visit debbiejordan2026.com to learn more about Jordan and her campaign.
Gisele “GiGi” Gentile
Gisele “Gigi” Gentile, a retired special education teacher running for District 4, has raised $9,993. Gentile says her personal experience sitting at a student’s desk and being “counted out” led her to a career championing children who learn differently.
“That is why I am running for Lee County School Board – District 4,” her campaign website states. “Because I have sat at those desks. I know what it feels like to be counted out — and I know what one encouraging adult can change. Every child in this district deserves a champion who understands their journey from the inside.”
According to her campaign website, Gentile’s priorities, if elected, are strengthening early literacy by supporting phonics-based reading programs and ensuring struggling students receive tutoring; improving parental rights and transparency by making curriculum more accessible and hosting community input events; improving school safety and mental health by working with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and increasing access to mental health support; supporting teachers by advocating for competitive pay, reducing administrative burdens and ensuring proper funding.
Visit gigi4schoolboard.com to learn more about Gentile and her campaign.
Carl Baxter
Carl Baxter is running for District 4, framing his candidacy as a grassroots effort for the people rather than special interests. He has raised $2,650. Baxter is a Howard University graduate and guest teacher.
According to his campaign website, Baxter’s priorities, if elected, are to ensure total parent inclusion, champion safety and mental health programs, ensure fiscal responsibility, reestablish equity and inclusion initiatives, foster community collaboration by forming regional parent-teacher advisory councils, and rebuild the nutritional focus.
“I’ve seen the rot and decay of many up close and personal: career politicians who talk tough when in Tallahassee or Washington but when home then fold like chairs when we need them most. They protect themselves, their donors, and their power-but NEVER US,” Baxter wrote on his campaign website.
Visit www.votecarl.com to learn more about Baxter and his campaign.
District 5
District 5 covers the northeastern parts of the school district, mostly encompassing the area north of State Road 82, including Alva, Lehigh Acres and Buckingham.
Three candidates are in the race for the District 5 seat. If a District 5 candidate does not win the majority of votes (50% plus one) in the primary election, the race will head to a runoff in the general election Nov. 3.
Only voters residing within District 5 can vote for this race in the primary election Aug. 18, regardless of party affiliation.
Schools within District 5 boundaries:
Meet the candidates running for the District 5 seat:
Armor Persons (incumbent)
Armor Persons, the incumbent for District 5 and current board chair, has raised $49,219 for his reelection bid. Persons is a Lee County native whose family has been in local schools for six generations.
He’s spent the current term focusing on a “deliberate and responsible approach” to the district’s budget gap, which he attributes to inflation and declining student enrollment.
“As a small business owner, Armor also knows the importance of protecting the taxpayers’ hard-earned money. He will ensure that the nearly 2 billion dollar budget is not only fair and transparent, but that every dollar goes towards best serving our students rather than inflating the bureaucracy,” his campaign website states. It continues, “He knows that the greatest voice in education policies affecting our children is that of the parent. He is committed to empowering parents and ensuring they are a part of all decisions and policies involving their children’s education.”
Visit armorpersons.com to learn more about Persons and his campaign.
Carline Saintilus
Carline Saintilus, an entrepreneur and title agent, is running for the District 5 seat and has raised $17,945. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and the eldest daughter of Haitian immigrants. She also holds an MBA in Organizational Leadership.
Saintilus’s priorities include elevating people over politics, preparing students for life after graduation, ensuring open and accountable leadership, supporting teachers and families, equipping students for the future and restoring trust and responsibility. She also noted the importance of student safety, pointing to thousands of students in District 5 waiting before sunrise at bus stops that lack sidewalks, proper lighting or safe crossing areas.
“I will work tirelessly to strengthen our local schools, support educators, restore the community’s trust, and expand opportunities for our emerging leaders. My vision is clear: a stronger, more united Lee County where families thrive, communities grow, and leadership listens,” her campaign website reads.
Visit votesaintilussbd5.com to learn more about Saintilus and her campaign.
Crystal Johnson
Crystal Johnson is running for District 5 and has raised $2,334. Her campaign focuses on restoring confidence in the district for students and parents.
She is a lifelong resident of Fort Myers and a mother of four children who all attended Lee County schools. Johnson has also worked as a paraprofessional and parent involvement specialist.
“I am someone who has had many conversations with families, students and educators about what is and what is not working in our schools,” Johnson said in a video posted to her Facebook page. “I understand the concerns of the parents. I am not tied to any political party, which means my decisions will be based on what’s right for students and not political agendas. I believe in accountability, transparency and making sure we put students first.”
District 6
Because the District 6 seat is elected at-large, the District 6 school board member’s jurisdiction covers the entire school district.
All Lee County voters can vote for this race in the primary election Aug. 18, regardless of party affiliation. Two candidates are in the race for the District 6 seat. Voters will decide a winner in the primary election.
Meet the candidates running for the District 6 seat:
Jada Langford-Fleming (incumbent)
Jada Langford-Fleming, the District 6 incumbent, has raised $61,885. She is a seventh-generation Floridian and a former teacher with 20 years of experience. She has coached and mentored student athletes for more than 25 years and has her own physical fitness training business.
Langford-Fleming says she’s focused on fiscal responsibility, parental rights and student achievement. She said she’ll put students first by keeping academics at the forefront and removing political distractions from classrooms, her campaign website states. If reelected, her priorities include strengthening school safety through the Guardian Program, managing taxpayer funds with discipline and ensuring families have a voice in district policy.
“Those experiences, as a teacher, coach, business owner, and mother, led Jada to stand with parents and families who felt ignored by district leadership and to run for the Lee County School Board,” her campaign website states. “Voters elected her as part of a new conservative direction for Lee County Schools, one centered on fiscal responsibility, respect for parents and taxpayers, safe and disciplined learning environments, and a renewed focus on student achievement.”
Visit votejada.com to learn more about Langford-Fleming and her campaign.
India Palencia
India Palencia, a Lee County mom and community advocate, is running for District 6 and has raised $35,211. She’s proposed a full forensic audit of the district to identify waste and redirect every penny where she believes it matters most: “on our kids.”
Her platform also focuses on improving student safety by expanding access to mental‑health professionals, reading coaches and behavioral support staff. Palencia has advocated for transparent leadership and increased engagement with families.
“I’m not a career politician. I’m someone who believes our school board should reflect the heart of our community. Together, we can make sure every decision puts students, educators, and families first,” her campaign website states.
Visit palenciaforus.com to learn more about Palencia and her campaign.
Mickenzie Hannon is a watchdog reporter for The News-Press and Naples Daily News, covering Collier and Lee counties. Contact her at 239-435-3423 or mhannon@gannett.com.
Follow The News-Press & Naples Daily News throughout the Election 2026 campaign season, including Q&As with candidates running in key Southwest Florida races coming soon.
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This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Who’s running for Lee County School Board? Meet the candidates
Reporting by Mickenzie Hannon, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mickenzie Hannon, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
