Sarasota County School Board District 5: Michelle Pozzie

Age: 50 

Current occupation: Media executive, marketing manager.

Sarasota County residency: 21 years. 

Describe, specifically, what you see as the primary role and functions of the school board?

I see our primary role as hiring and evaluating our superintendent, working to advance our strategic plan for the district, passing and maintaining our district budget, forming sound policy within the framework of state statutes, and leading our district to academic success from the administrative level. 

Why are you running for office? 

I've been actively engaged at the school district level long before I put my name on a ballot. As someone who is familiar with educational trends from the last two decades, and who has seen the work within the school choice environment we find ourselves in, I am uniquely qualified to make Sarasota County Schools the most competitive option for parents and families in our district. 

I understand that education is not one-size-fits-all, and my 25 years of experience instructing in the performing arts field with children ages 3 and up shows first-hand that my love for children and my passion for their learning is not just lip service — it's something I've dedicated my life to. 

The programs that I created, taught, managed, and directed were only successful when families and their children were happy with the services I provided. I've built strong educational programing before, and I've seen what it takes to earn the respect and trust of educators, students, and families. 

Have you ever run for public office before? If so, for what office?

Yes, Florida State House District 74 in 2024. 

Why are you the best candidate? 

I am uniquely qualified to understand that school choice in Florida is not about demonizing the parents who wish to exercise that right. It's about asking the question: Why would somebody choose a different option than our district schools?

My experience in guiding the educational career of my children, which included public school and other options, as well as my experience teaching, better suits me to get to the hears of the issue. I've been actively attending school board meetings for the last six years and have been very vocal about the issues our district has faced. My passion for this district didn't begin with an election. 

I am also the only one in my race who has experience working with state legislators in passing legislation that actually protects our young people. From strengthening our penal code with anti-grooming legislation, to working on the Parental Bill of Rights, and helping to make sure our school board members have Bill of Rights, I have been actively engaged in the legislative process. 

Sarasota County deserves a true fighter who is not afraid to speak up and make the changes necessary to keep our academics strong and our children safe. That is why I'm proud to say that I have earned the endorsement of State Representative Danny Nix, Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman, U.S. Congressman Greg Steube, and the Republican Party of Sarasota.

Do you have (or have ever) had any children in any public or private elementary, middle, or high school? If so, what school(s)?

Yes, my children have attended public school, charter school, homeschool, dual enrollment, and early college.

The schools included Cranberry Elementary School, Bayshore Elementary School in Bradenton, Imagine School North Port, State College of Florida, Southeastern University in Lakeland, and Full Sail University in Winter Park.

Educational choice allowed my son to achieve a bachelor's degree in business at age 20 and my daughter to receive a bachelor of arts at age 18. This is not because of anything magical I did — it's because choice works when you put the best interest of the student first. 

What are the top three issues facing Sarasota's public schools, and how should they be addressed? 

First, the biggest issue is earning the trust and respect of those who are not considering our district as an option, while making sure we keep the trust of those who feel underserved in our community. I believe that is a message that needs to be sent from day one when I am sworn in. Keeping our board meetings and board business strictly academically driven will help set the bar high in our district, and an open-door policy to teachers, staff, students, and their families will be a priority. 

Second, we have to close the achievement gap by making sure literacy is a top priority by utilizing only proven methods in teaching. In 2018, our district removed phonics-based reading initiatives. In doing so, we failed an entire decade of students. I will lead an initiative in the state of Florida to push our version of the Mississippi Miracle, which saw their state jump from 49th in the nation in education to the top 10 within six years. 

Third, we have to look at a line-item budget for our district. This is not to assume that there has been any wrongdoing, but rather to get a clear understanding of where our monstrous budget can be right-sized. I will continue to advocate for more pay for teachers, and I will uphold the policy our district passed this past year that does not allow instructional staff to be hired with temporary funds. That is part of the reason why we are seeing cuts now, because people were hired with temporary COVID funds from the federal government. We will never do that again in this district on my watch.

What grade would you give Superintendent Terry Connor—A to F—and why? 

I would give Superintendent Connor an A rating. First, his ability to be transparent and available to the public has been a breath of fresh air. Second, his knowledge of recent state legislative changes and how they affect the district level is impressive. His leadership in our district during the Schools of Hope issue was tremendous. I also agree with his vision for our five-year strategic plan, and I look forward to seeing those initiatives come to pass in our district.

What grade would you give the school board for managing the district's tax dollars—A to F—and why?

B.

What this current school board has done in managing district resources has been a heavy lift. A former board majority chose to hire instructional staff off temporary COVID dollars and made reckless decisions that forced many in our community to choose options besides our public schools. Enrollment trajectory also hasn't really panned out the way they thought. Those are all things that have been corrected recently, and we need to keep building on those wins to see this district succeed. 

What would you change to improve the district's fiscal managment?

For starters, I would make sure that the Audit Committee is meeting again. Our District Financial Audit Committee has not met in the last two years. I would like to make those meetings open to the public and even allow them to be streamed live like our school board meetings.

Second, we need to not be afraid to raise the questions that need to be asked. Back in 2021, as a private citizen, I was public and vocal in asking questions about what I considered as hemorrhaging budget. I considered it unsustainable and did many public interviews stating that. A person's conviction and knowledge are of no use if you don't have the leadership ability to ask the tough questions. I will be that leader for our district.

What would be your priorities if elected?

My priorities would be to make sure that our school board stays focused on academics and the things that touch a classroom. I will maintain order and respect in our school board meetings, as those meetings are a reflection  of how we value the taxpayers who fund them.

I will help support staff and teachers by making sure that we have a district-wide approach to how we handle absenteeism, behavior, conduct issues, and the overall culture of our schools. This means making sure our schools and classrooms are safe, free for children to learn and academically drive. 

I also want to leave our students feeling empowered as they transition into youn adulthood by broadening our trade programs and the life skills that our students learn. 

What is your position on the state's school choice law?

States in our nation that exercise school choice have a higher achievement in student learning. If our true mission is to serve students, then we have to call that a success. If our mission is to serve an industry, then we've lost focus on our mission. 

I support a parent's right to choose the course of their child's education. By staying focused on academics and our classrooms as a board member, I can work to make sure that our district schools are the number on choice in Sarasota County. 

How should the board's "public to be heard" part of the school board meetings be changed—or not changed at all? Why?

I'm a huge advocate of the First Amendment, and I will uphold it once elected. Just as we expect in our schools and classrooms, the code of conduct for board meetings will be strictly enforced.