Harrisonburg School Board Seats to Be Filled November 3
Voters will select three board members to guide district policy on technology and state reporting requirements.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Administration
Live Poll
Should school board members prioritize student screen time management over other educational support services?
Harrisonburg voters will elect three candidates to three Harrisonburg City School Board seats in the upcoming general election on November 3, 2026. Two current long-term board members are stepping down, creating vacancies that the incoming board will address alongside ongoing reviews of student technology use.
Why it matters
The outcome of this election will determine the leadership overseeing district policy as the school division navigates shifts in state reporting requirements. Specifically, the state has recently adjusted the period before English language learner scores are factored into division results from 11 semesters to just three.
Voters will select from three candidates to fill three open seats on the board. The election arrives as the division adapts to a new state mandate requiring English language learner performance to be counted in division results after only three semesters.
The players
Deb Fitzgerald
A candidate for the school board who previously served eight years on the board and nearly 10 years on the city planning commission.
Emma Phillips
The current chair of the Harrisonburg City School Board.
The details
Candidates are vying for positions vacated by two longtime board members who are not seeking reelection. The incoming board will oversee a division currently engaged in a review by a school task force focused on student screen time and technology use. This group is responsible for evaluating how digital tools impact daily classroom environments and learning outcomes for local families.
Timeline
The general election for the three school board seats occurs on November 3, 2026.
A division task force is scheduled to present its findings on student screen time in January 2027.
The Home Front
This election takes place as Harrisonburg City Public Schools adapt to stricter state accountability timelines for student performance metrics. The board will soon transition to new leadership while balancing these state reporting changes with local concerns regarding student digital engagement.
Local families should prepare for the November 3, 2026, election by reviewing candidate platforms regarding technology policy and classroom performance metrics. Parents interested in how student screen time rules are evolving should monitor for the task force report due in early 2027.
The takeaway
The upcoming school board transition marks a pivotal time for setting district policy on digital learning and state accountability. Residents should plan to cast their ballots on November 3 to select the leaders who will influence these instructional priorities for the next term.
What happens next
A division-wide task force is expected to present its formal findings regarding student screen time and technology usage in January 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about local school governance at Harrisonburg Administration.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Whsv.
Live Poll
Should school board members prioritize student screen time management over other educational support services?
