Dana Schallheim

Dana Schallheim is a member of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education in Maryland, representing District 5. She assumed office on December 3, 2018. Her current term ends on December 4, 2028.

Schallheim ran for re-election to the Anne Arundel County Board of Education to represent District 5 in Maryland. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Schallheim completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Dana Schallheim earned a bachelor's degree from Western Washington University in 1998 and a graduate degree from the University of Brighton, England in 2002. ^[1]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5

Incumbent Dana Schallheim defeated LaToya Nkongolo in the general election for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Dana Schallheim (Nonpartisan)	60.7	26,293
	LaToya Nkongolo (Nonpartisan)	38.5	16,664
	Other/Write-in votes	0.8	356

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,313
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5

Incumbent Dana Schallheim and LaToya Nkongolo defeated Tareque Farruk in the primary for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5 on May 14, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dana Schallheim (Nonpartisan)	64.0	9,699
✔		LaToya Nkongolo (Nonpartisan)	25.4	3,853
	Submit photo	Tareque Farruk (Nonpartisan)	10.6	1,612

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 15,164
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Schallheim in this election.

2018

General election

General election for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5

Dana Schallheim defeated incumbent Terry Gilleland in the general election for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dana Schallheim (Nonpartisan)	51.8	15,575
	Submit photo	Terry Gilleland (Nonpartisan)	47.6	14,321
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	164

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 30,060
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5

Dana Schallheim and incumbent Terry Gilleland defeated Vincent Goldsmith and Uju Elliffe in the primary for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5 on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dana Schallheim (Nonpartisan)	40.2	4,395
✔	Submit photo	Terry Gilleland (Nonpartisan)	35.0	3,818
	Submit photo	Vincent Goldsmith (Nonpartisan)	17.0	1,856
	Submit photo	Uju Elliffe (Nonpartisan)	7.8	853

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,922
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Dana Schallheim completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Schallheim's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a teacher-endorsed, public school parent with an MBA and have served on the Board for the last 5.5 years, chairing multiple committees, I work with billion-dollar budgets, served through a global pandemic, a national superintendent search, a transportation shortage, new school start times, & the passage of the Blueprint. I have fought against regressive policies aimed to marginalize underrepresented student groups such as the failed flag ban. I easily have championed the most policy changes from bullying, bias & special education to protecting LGTBQIA+ & those with food allergies. I fervently support music, arts, & technical education, our military families & supporting mental health. Improving early childhood literacy, expanding mental health counseling, fighting censorship & extremist policies, & implementing the Blueprint with fidelity are my goals in a second term.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

First elected in 2018, I am teacher-endorsed and serve all students.
Over the past 5 years I've expanded courses for students, implemented new math and reading curriculum, and lobbied successfully for our JROTC programs to become magnets with transportation,
I've worked feverishly to make AACPS a more inclusive school system where everyone feels a sense of belonging to that they can grow and succeed. My goal is that every student is prepared for life after graduation regardless if that's college, a career, a trade, or service in the military.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about ensuring public education is fully funded. That can't occur without the full federal funding of IDEA. I am personally interested in any policy that removes barriers to access and closes opportunity and achievement gaps while challenging all students to reach their fullest potential.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, honesty, transparency, and accountability are all important characteristics. I pride myself on always being accessible to my constituents and am often on the phone at night and on weekends. This includes being responsive and willing to engage with constituents online. I know that as an elected official all aspects of my life are under a microscope and so I lead my life honestly and openly without so much as a speeding ticket to my name. I am never afraid to stand up for what I believe is right and take votes, even when they are difficult or controversial, with the students at the center of every decision I make.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Members of The Board of Education of Anne Arundel County have a legislative, executive, and quasi-judicial role. We develop and pass policy, serve as the Superintendent's boss and the head of the school system, and adjudicate appeals. We pass budgets in excess of $1.7B annually, are responsible for evaluating the Superintendent, and approve contracts. This position is multi-faceted.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Leaving the school system in better shape than how I found it. This includes teachers who are paid a living wage, a diverse workforce, curriculum and programs that meet the needs of all students, and opportunities for internships/apprenticeships for every senior prior to graduation.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

Members of The Board of Education of Anne Arundel County have a legislative, executive, and quasi-judicial role We develop and pass policy, serve as the Superintendent's boss and the head of the school system, and adjudicate appeals. We pass budgets in excess of $1.7B annually, are responsible for evaluating the Superintendent, and approve contracts. This position is multi-faceted.

Who are your constituents?

The voters and residents of Anne Arundel County including the 84,000 students I serve as well as the 15,000 or so employees.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

From the development of the school calendar which is an instructional tool, to passing policy, to the recruitment and retention of teachers and staff, my goal is that every child see themselves in the classroom and are properly equipped to pursue their dreams after graduation.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

My door is always open and my constituents know that. I serve all students in AACPS. From involving the community at Board meetings, to ensuring that every perspective is represented in the development of our new strategic plan, hearing from a wide variety of stakeholders has always been important to me.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Endorsements

Teachers' Association of AA Co (TAAAC)
Secretaries and Assistants Association of AA Co (SAAAAC)
Comptroller Brooke Lierman
County Executive Steuart Pittman
Senators Pam Beidle, Sarah Elfreth, and Dawn Gile
Delegates Heather Bagnall, Ben Barnes, Sandy Bartlett, Mark Chang, Shaneka Henson, Dana Jones, Mary Lehman, Joseline Pena-Melnyk, Andrew Pruski, and Gary Simmons
Clerk of the Circuit Court Scott Poyer
Board of Education Member Joanna Tobin
County Councilwoman Lisa Rodvien
Democratic Central Committee Member Conor Curran
Fmr. Board of Education Student Members Josie Urrea, Drake Smith, Bunmi Omisore, and Zach Mcgrath
Former MD Democratic Party Chair Susan Turnbull
Former Delegate Alice Cain
LGBTQ Victory Fund

LPAC

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

My open door policy is well known throughout the communities I serve. Additionally, I support school initiatives to reach and engage with more parents including multi-lingual social media accounts aimed at interacting with a variety of cultural groups and expanding volunteer and mentorship opportunities within our schools. A successful student has engaged parents/guardians

What are your preferred strategies for faculty, staff, and administration recruitment?

Our excellent teachers require better pay. Over the last five years I have substantially increased teacher pay & restructured salary scales which moved us from 19th to 4th for new teacher salary in MD, supported “grow our own” programs to encourage our students to pursue careers in teaching & recruitment efforts nationally & internationally, career ladders that incentivize teachers to stay in the classroom, & student schedules that increased planning time for all elementary school educators.
This year we’ve seen a 13% increase in our applicant pool, with the largest class of teachers of color our district has had in years. We’ve filled dozens of vacancies in our teaching staff. Additionally, we’ve improved our outreach, recruiting candidates at 70 job recruitment fairs during the 22-23 school year in 11 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and the HBCU national virtual job fair, partnering with nearly 30 colleges and universities.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I am accountable to the voters of Anne Arundel County. The AACPS budget is 53% of the county's budget. As a fiscal conservative, I am very much concerned with the efficient and equitable spending of taxpayer money. The budget is a statement of values and every effective school board member must serve with the highest level of transparency and accountability.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5

Officeholder

Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 10, 2024

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 10, 2024

[1]

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Dana Schallheim

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5

Endorsements

2018

General election

General election for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, District 5

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

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