Kansas Board Seat Goes to Jean Clifford

Ellis County and the fifth district gain a new board member who will shape state school policy, including whether recess stays a local decision.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Administration

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Jean Clifford, a Republican from Garden City, won the fifth district seat on the Kansas Board of Education in Tuesday's General Election, receiving 65,139 votes to Democrat Lorie Wood's 39,939. The district includes Ellis County, and Clifford will join four other newly elected board members.

Why it matters

The seat decides who speaks for Ellis County families on state education policy, from school calendars to recess rules that shape a child's school day. Clifford's win follows a recess mandate of 30 minutes per day that failed in the Legislature, leaving scheduling decisions with local districts.

Clifford received 65,139 votes to Wood's 39,939 in the fifth district race. Clifford is 75 years old, holds a master's degree in special education from Fort Hays State University, and is a retired Air Force judge advocate with 30 years of service.

The players

Jean Clifford

A Republican from Garden City, a retired Air Force judge advocate, and a former Kansas Board of Education member now elected to the fifth district seat.

Lorie Wood

A Democrat from Dresden who ran for the fifth district Kansas Board of Education seat and received 39,939 votes.

Cathy Hopkins

A Hays educator who defeated Clifford in the primary four years ago and did not seek reelection this year.

The details

Clifford is a certified Kansas teacher and former college instructor who previously served on the Kansas Board of Education before losing a primary reelection bid four years ago to Cathy Hopkins of Hays. Hopkins did not seek reelection this year, which opened the seat. Clifford says recess scheduling should remain a local decision, a position that connects to the Hays elementary schedule of two 15-minute recess sessions.

Four years ago: Clifford lost her primary reelection bid to Cathy Hopkins.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Clifford won the seat in the General Election.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: Clifford commented on her election win.

The Home Front

The recess debate sits within a broader Kansas question about how much authority state education policy should hold over local school calendars. Families in districts such as Hays USD 489 already operate under local recess schedules that differ from one district to the next.

If your child attends a Kansas public school, check with your local district about its current recess schedule, since state law does not set a minimum. Plan to attend or follow local board meetings if you want input on how the new board members will handle school calendar decisions.

The takeaway

Recess and school calendar decisions in Kansas are currently left to local districts, so the board seat matters most for families who want a voice in those choices. Keep your district's board meeting schedule on file so you can follow changes as the new members take their seats.