Matthew Cummings

Matthew Cummings is a member of the Virginia Beach City Public Schools, representing District 7. He assumed office on January 1, 2025. His current term ends on January 1, 2029.

Cummings ran for election to the Virginia Beach City Public Schools to represent District 7. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

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

Biography

Matthew Cummings earned a bachelor's degree from Johnson University in 2011 and a graduate degree from Eastern University in 2014.^[1]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, District 7

Matthew Cummings defeated Noah Moreland in the general election for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, District 7 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Matthew Cummings (Nonpartisan)	62.6	12,600
	Submit photo	Noah Moreland (Nonpartisan)	36.8	7,413
		Other/Write-in votes	0.6	125

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 20,138
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Cummings in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

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

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Matt is a dedicated parent with children attending Tallwood Global Language Academy and Salem Middle School. He holds a graduate degree in Urban Studies from Eastern University and has a strong background in public service, with a focus on building positive communities. Matt spent three years teaching ESL in Shanghai, China, followed by five years working in higher education with college access programs that supported first-generation college students. As a former Vice President at a vocational training school, he spent five years growing and scaling the student operations of a school that reskilled individuals from distribution centers and formerly incarcerated backgrounds, equipping them with tech skills to secure high-paying jobs in cybersecurity, software engineering, and UX design.

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?

I am passionate about vocational training and developing college alternative pathways. I spent over five years growing and scaling a vocational training program that served learners from non-traditional pathways across 40+ states. These programs included skill development in cybersecurity, software engineering, and UX design and equipped graduates to land jobs in top tier companies in as little as six to nine months of training. I believe we need to create a diverse range of post-high school pathways that offer affordable options for our youth to help them integrate into our regional workforce.
The nationwide shortage of teachers and staff in public education is a crisis. Ensuring our students come first requires focusing on retaining and recruiting staff, as they are essential to student success. If our city doesn't address this shortage, we’ll see larger classrooms that leads to further challenges. To tackle the teacher shortage, I propose stronger partnerships with local colleges and would explore scholarships to encourage graduates to return to Virginia Beach. I would further ensure our teacher pay is competitive within the region. As a parent with children at Salem Middle and Tallwood Global Languages Academy, I believe in the bright future of our schools with low student-to-staff ratios and a focus on retaining talent.
I also believe it’s time to get our School Board back to business and move past external organizations that advance political agendas. With my extensive experience in education, operations, and student interventions, I believe we can shift our focus from the agendas of a few and develop a structure that prioritizes students and their success both in and out of the classroom. A well functioning school board has members who believe in public education and bring to the table business and professional skills to enhance the organization.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am also passionate about corporate structure in promoting equitable environments. Equity, to me, means ensuring that everyone has access to the same opportunities, resources, and support tailored to their unique circumstances and needs. I have built inclusive-based learning environments that were backed by data, trained staff in diversity and inclusion best practices, developed clear avenues of reporting issues with transparency, measured sentiment and experience quarterly, and provided ongoing training and development. I think as a School Board we can adopt this approach in building a learning environment that helps all students and staff succeed in their goals.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

One essay that I have particularly enjoyed over time is Malcolm Gladwell's "Million Dollar Murray," which appeared in The New Yorker. In this essay, Gladwell follows the story of Murray, a homeless person, and examines the financial impact he has on taxpayers through his numerous ER visits, ambulance rides, and incarcerations. Gladwell makes a compelling argument that addressing the needs for housing and security proactively is more cost-effective than reacting to the consequences. He essentially asks whether, as a society, we want to be doctors who cure diseases or merely those who keep putting band-aids on the cuts.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was detasseling corn at the age of 13 with Pioneer over the summer. It involved sitting on the back of a tractor and plucking the tassels out of corn at five in the morning with a bunch of other folks. It was hot, sweaty, and not a lot of fun. I later went on to work in fast food and also served as a camp counselor for three summers.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky will always be one of my favorite books as it explores the depth of moral decisions, their consequences, and one's longing for community and care.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

Creating anti-bullying and inclusive environments is important for our student’s mental health and well-being. Our youth need to feel safe and welcomed in an environment that promotes their academic learning and social and emotional growth.

A 2023 report from the Surgeon General highlighted that social media is a major contributor to depression and anxiety among teenagers. Developing a curriculum focused on mental health and well-being, reducing screen time on devices, and exploring outdoor education opportunities will benefit our students.

Additionally, I would advocate for partnerships with local and telehealth agencies to meet the demand for mental health services. In my previous professional roles, I established partnerships with national telehealth organizations to address the rising demand for student mental health services, which directly impacted student retention and academic achievement.

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

I plan to attend events across the district so that I can see the diverse amount of kids throughout Virginia Beach District Seven. I would also like to hold quarterly open office hours in which parents can schedule time with me to talk about issues on their mind along with keeping an open line of communication through email and social media.

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

Virginia Beach City Public Schools, District 7

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 21, 2024

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 21, 2024

[1]

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Matthew Cummings

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, District 7

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

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Public Policy

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