Pinellas County Schools, Florida, elections (2024)
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Katie Blaxberg defeated Stacy Geier in the general election for one seat on the seven-member Pinellas County School Board in Florida on November 5, 2024.[1]
Pinellas County Schools is located in Pinellas County, Florida. The district served 93,702 students during the 2022-2023 school year. The elections for two other seats on the board were decided in the August 20, 2024, primary election, when candidates for each received a majority of votes cast. The filing deadline for this election was June 14, 2024.
Florida Politics' Janelle Irwin Taylor wrote the elections "came at a time when School Boards throughout the nation are being targeted in ways rarely seen in the past."[2] The group Moms for Liberty endorsed a candidate in this election, and two affiliated members sat on the Pinellas County School Board.[3] Moms for Liberty's website said they are "dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government."[4] Heading into the August primary, the school board consisted of a majority of non-Moms for Liberty affiliated members, but would have shifted to a majority of Moms for Liberty-affiliated candidates if at least two of their endorsed candidates won.[5] Of three candidates, two affiliated candidates lost in primaries, and one headed to a runoff.
In District 5, Katie Blaxberg and Stacy Geier ran for an open seat. Incumbent Carol Cook retired from public office. Geir was endorsed by Moms for Liberty and Blaxberg received the endorsement of primary opponent, Democrat Brad DeCorte.[6][7]
Geier was a businesswoman.[8] Geier's website said she wanted to "give parents back their rights through reducing the authority of un-elected bureaucrats," and "trim the budget of unnecessary spending to improve support for teachers."[9] Tampa Bay Times' Jeffrey S. Solochek wrote Geier "says her views align with Moms for Liberty, a group that has gained increasing influence over state and national education policy.[10] In addition to Moms for Liberty, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R) endorsed her campaign.[6]
Blaxberg was a teacher and former legislative aide to former state representative and Pinellas County Commissioner Christopher Latvala (R). Blaxberg's website said that she was "a proponent of school choice and understands that one size doesn’t fit every child. Ensuring access to resources, educating parents on the varieties of schools and educational opportunities available to them through the Pinellas County School District, in addition to making the process easier to navigate is a top priority."[11] The Times' Jeffrey S. Solochek wrote that Blaxberg "has taken a more expansive view of the parental rights movement, saying it’s important to increase involvement in schools and to not allow a 'small, very loud minority...take up all the air in the room.'"[10] Incumbent Carol Cook, primary challenger Brad DeCorte, and the local teachers union endorsed Blaxberg's campaign.[6]
In addition to Stacy Geier, Ron DeSantis endorsed Danielle Marolf and Erika Picard, both of whom challenged incumbents Laura Hine and Eileen Long, respectively, and lost in the primary.[12] DeSantis said he wanted to support candidates "who have pledged to serve with a focus on student success, parental rights, and curriculum transparency. We want the best for our children and I'm confident all 23 candidates will build upon the success we've had here in Florida."[13] In response, Pinellas Democratic Party chair Jennifer Griffith endorsed Hine and Long and said, "We’re ensuring we do not get someone supported by Moms for Liberty in our seat. Those school board members stood up for some serious stuff."[14]
Tens of thousands of elections took place in 2024 up and down the ballot, including for school board. Hall Pass, our weekly education newsletter, is your one-stop shop for helping you stay current on school board elections, education legislation, and the debates influencing state and local K-12 policies. Click here to subscribe today to get our next edition in your inbox on Wednesday.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Florida
Elections
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Candidates and results
District 1
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Pinellas County Schools school board District 1 At-large
Incumbent Laura Hine won election outright against Danielle Marolf in the primary for Pinellas County Schools school board District 1 At-large on August 20, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Laura Hine (Nonpartisan)  | 69.5 | 110,195 |
| Danielle Marolf (Nonpartisan) | 30.5 | 48,381 | ||
| Total votes: 158,576 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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District 4
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Pinellas County Schools school board District 4
Incumbent Eileen Long won election outright against Erika Picard in the primary for Pinellas County Schools school board District 4 on August 20, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Eileen Long (Nonpartisan) | 54.5 | 24,747 |
| Erika Picard (Nonpartisan) | 45.5 | 20,658 | ||
| Total votes: 45,405 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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District 5
General election
General election for Pinellas County Schools school board District 5
Katie Blaxberg defeated Stacy Geier in the general election for Pinellas County Schools school board District 5 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Katie Blaxberg (Nonpartisan) | 52.1 | 49,272 | |
| Stacy Geier (Nonpartisan) | 47.9 | 45,366 | ||
| Total votes: 94,638 | |||
| = 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 Pinellas County Schools school board District 5
Stacy Geier and Katie Blaxberg defeated Brad S. DeCorte in the primary for Pinellas County Schools school board District 5 on August 20, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Stacy Geier (Nonpartisan) | 37.2 | 12,835 | |
| ✔ | Katie Blaxberg (Nonpartisan) | 34.5 | 11,925 | |
| Brad S. DeCorte (Nonpartisan) | 28.3 | 9,756 | ||
| Total votes: 34,516 | |||
| = 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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Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Florida elections, 2024
August 20, 2024
- United States Senate election in Florida, 2024
- Florida's 12th Congressional District election, 2024
- Florida's 13th Congressional District election, 2024
- Florida's 14th Congressional District election, 2024
- Florida's 16th Congressional District election, 2024
- Florida State Senate elections, 2024
- Florida House of Representatives elections, 2024
- City elections in St. Petersburg, Florida (2024)
- Hillsborough County Public Schools, Florida, elections (2024)
- Pasco County Schools, Florida, elections (2024)
- Municipal elections in Pinellas County, Florida (2024)
- Municipal elections in Hillsborough County, Florida (2024)
- Pinellas County, Florida, Tax Exemptions for New Businesses and Businesses Expansions Expected to Generate Jobs Referendum (August 2024)
November 5, 2024
- United States Senate election in Florida, 2024
- Florida's 12th Congressional District election, 2024
- Florida's 13th Congressional District election, 2024
- Florida's 14th Congressional District election, 2024
- Florida's 16th Congressional District election, 2024
- Florida State Senate elections, 2024
- Florida House of Representatives elections, 2024
- Florida Supreme Court elections, 2024
- Florida intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
- Florida Amendment 1, Partisan School Board Elections Amendment (2024)
- Florida Amendment 2, Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment (2024)
- Florida Amendment 3, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2024)
- Florida Amendment 4, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024)
- Florida Amendment 5, Annual Inflation Adjustment for Homestead Property Tax Exemption Value Amendment (2024)
- Florida Amendment 6, Repeal of Public Financing for Statewide Campaigns Amendment (2024)
- City elections in St. Petersburg, Florida (2024)
- Hillsborough County Public Schools, Florida, elections (2024)
- Pasco County Schools, Florida, elections (2024)
- Municipal elections in Pinellas County, Florida (2024)
- Municipal elections in Hillsborough County, Florida (2024)
- Hillsborough County, Florida, Referendum 1, Community Investment Half-Cent Sales Tax Renewal Measure (November 2024)
- Hillsborough County, Florida, Referendum 2, School District Tax Levy Measure (November 2024)
- Pinellas County, Florida, Charter Amendment 1, Term Limits for County Commissioners Measure (November 2024)
- Pinellas County, Florida, Charter Amendment 2, Initiative Process Changes Measure (November 2024)
- Pinellas County, Florida, Charter Amendment 3, Reduce Signature Requirement for Charter Amendment Initiative Petitions Measure (November 2024)
- Pinellas County, Florida, Charter Amendment 4, Appointment and Removal of County Attorney by County Attorney Oversight Committee Measure (November 2024)
- Pinellas County, Florida, Charter Amendment 5, Requiring Ballot Questions to be Voted on During Even-Year General Elections Measure (November 2024)
- Pinellas County, Florida, Charter Amendment 6, Charter Amendment Publication Requirements Measure (November 2024)
- Pinellas County, Florida, Charter Amendment 7, Remove Obsolete Language and Gender References from County Charter Measure (November 2024)
- Pinellas County, Florida, Pinellas County School District Millage Increase Measure (November 2024)
Candidate comparison
Candidate profiles
District 5
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Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Blaxberg received a bachelor's degree in Biomedical Science from the University of Florida. She previously worked as a legislative aide to Pinellas County Commission member Christopher Latvala and worked for various charitable organizations.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Pinellas County Schools school board District 5 in 2024.
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Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Geier was a small-business owner whose business provided in-home care to seniors.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Pinellas County Schools school board District 5 in 2024.
About the district
District map
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[15]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $220,667,000 | $2,312 | 18% |
| Local: | $685,385,000 | $7,181 | 57% |
| State: | $303,018,000 | $3,175 | 25% |
| Total: | $1,209,070,000 | $12,668 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $1,324,994,000 | $13,882 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $1,105,427,000 | $11,581 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $648,294,000 | $6,792 | 49% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $130,004,000 | $1,362 | 10% |
| Administration: | $108,984,000 | $1,141 | 8% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $218,145,000 | $2,285 | 16% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $183,496,000 | $1,922 | |
| Construction: | $145,240,000 | $1,521 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $30,917,000 | $323 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $5,154,000 | $53 |
Teacher salaries
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
| Year | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023[16] | $50,568 | $68,138 |
| 2020-2021[17] | $47,500 | |
| 2019-2020[18] | $45,000 | |
| 2018-2019[19] | $43,809 | |
| 2017-2018[20] | $43,000 | |
| 2016-2017[21] | $41,155 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[22]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 51 | 68 | 25 | 45 | 40-44 | 52 | 61 |
| 2018-2019 | 56 | 75 | 30 | 50 | 50-54 | 58 | 66 |
| 2017-2018 | 56 | 75 | 29 | 50 | 45-49 | 58 | 66 |
| 2016-2017 | 55 | 74 | 29 | 48 | 55-59 | 57 | 63 |
| 2015-2016 | 52 | 70 | 26 | 45 | 45-49 | 54 | 61 |
| 2014-2015 | 51 | 70 | 26 | 44 | 45-49 | 60 | |
| 2013-2014 | 53 | 72 | 25 | 45 | 45-49 | 62 | |
| 2012-2013 | 52 | 71 | 24 | 45 | 45-49 | 62 | |
| 2011-2012 | 51 | 70 | 23 | 42 | 45-49 | 60 | |
| 2010-2011 | 64 | 79 | 36 | 57 | 60-64 | 73 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 51 | 66 | 26 | 44 | 45-49 | 55 | 61 |
| 2018-2019 | 54 | 68 | 28 | 46 | 50-54 | 57 | 64 |
| 2017-2018 | 51 | 66 | 26 | 42 | 55-59 | 55 | 62 |
| 2016-2017 | 51 | 64 | 27 | 42 | 45-49 | 54 | 61 |
| 2015-2016 | 51 | 64 | 24 | 41 | 45-49 | 54 | 60 |
| 2014-2015 | 52 | 67 | 26 | 43 | 50-54 | 61 | |
| 2013-2014 | 56 | 67 | 28 | 47 | 45-49 | 66 | |
| 2012-2013 | 56 | 67 | 28 | 48 | 50-54 | 66 | |
| 2011-2012 | 56 | 66 | 27 | 48 | 50-54 | 65 | |
| 2010-2011 | 61 | 70 | 35 | 55 | 55-59 | 70 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 92 | 97 | 86 | 93 | >=80 | 90-94 | 93 |
| 2018-2019 | 88 | 94 | 81 | 87 | 60-79 | 90-94 | 91 |
| 2017-2018 | 86 | 96 | 76 | 85 | >=80 | 84 | 89 |
| 2016-2017 | 83 | 91 | 69 | 81 | >=80 | 80-84 | 87 |
| 2015-2016 | 80 | 87 | 66 | 75 | 80-89 | 75-79 | 85 |
| 2014-2015 | 78 | 87 | 65 | 75 | 70-79 | 75-79 | 82 |
| 2013-2014 | 76 | 87 | 61 | 71 | 60-79 | 81 | |
| 2012-2013 | 72 | 86 | 56 | 63 | 60-79 | 77 | |
| 2011-2012 | 72 | 83 | 55 | 60 | 60-69 | 77 | |
| 2010-2011 | 65 | 77 | 47 | 56 | 40-59 | 71 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 91,021 | -2.9 |
| 2022-2023 | 93,702 | -1.9 |
| 2021-2022 | 95,446 | -0.7 |
| 2020-2021 | 96,068 | -3.9 |
| 2019-2020 | 99,772 | -1.2 |
| 2018-2019 | 100,948 | -0.9 |
| 2017-2018 | 101,824 | -1.1 |
| 2016-2017 | 102,905 | -0.6 |
| 2015-2016 | 103,495 | -0.3 |
| 2014-2015 | 103,774 | 0.3 |
| 2013-2014 | 103,411 | -0.2 |
| 2012-2013 | 103,590 | -0.2 |
| 2011-2012 | 103,776 | -0.2 |
| 2010-2011 | 104,001 | -1.2 |
| 2009-2010 | 105,238 | -0.8 |
| 2008-2009 | 106,061 | -1.7 |
| 2007-2008 | 107,892 | -1.9 |
| 2006-2007 | 109,915 | -2.1 |
| 2005-2006 | 112,174 | -1.3 |
| 2004-2005 | 113,651 | -0.8 |
| 2003-2004 | 114,510 | -0.2 |
| 2002-2003 | 114,772 | 0.2 |
| 2001-2002 | 114,583 | 1.4 |
| 2000-2001 | 113,027 | 1.1 |
| 1999-2000 | 111,793 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Pinellas County Schools (%) | Florida K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.0 | 2.9 |
| Black | 19.1 | 20.9 |
| Hispanic | 20.4 | 37.2 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Two or More Races | 5.7 | 4.2 |
| White | 50.3 | 34.4 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
As of the 2023-2024 school year, Pinellas County Schools had 5,643.73 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 16.13.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 21.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 326.00 |
| Elementary: | 2,024.67 |
| Secondary: | 2,233.00 |
| Total: | 5,643.73 |
Pinellas County Schools employed 81.00 district administrators and 350.00 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 81.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 299.68 |
| School Administrators: | 350.00 |
| School Administrative Support: | 697.73 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 1,321.65 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 97.33 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 229.80 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 71.80 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 129.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 120.00 |
| Library/Media Support: | 8.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 1,223.48 |
| Other Support Services: | 2,512.55 |
Schools
What was at stake?
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About the district
- See also: Pinellas County Schools, Florida
Pinellas County Schools is located in Pinellas County, Florida. The district served 93,702 students during the 2022-2023 school year.[23]
2024 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:
- Illinois' 7th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Democratic primary)
- Mayoral election in Las Vegas, Nevada 2024 (June 11 primary election)
- State attorney election in Orange County, Florida (2024)
See also
| Pinellas County Schools | Florida | School Boards |
|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Pinellas OKs school property tax measure; GOP extends hold on commission," November 6, 2024
- ↑ Florida Politics, "Moms for Liberty candidates seek conservative majority on Pinellas School Board, must get through opposition," August 19, 2024
- ↑ Sun Coast News, "Pinellas teachers challenge 2 school board members tied to Moms for Liberty," June 29, 2023
- ↑ Moms for Liberty, "About," accessed October 31, 2024
- ↑ Tampa Bay Newspapers. "Conservative activists seek to flip Pinellas County School Board," January 16, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Tampa Bay Times, "Moderate, conservative forces square off in Pinellas school board race," September 21, 2024
- ↑ Florida Politics, "Katie Blaxberg faces criticism for once being a Democrat, but her reason is hauntingly familiar for too many women," May 13, 2024
- ↑ Stacy Geier 2024 campaign website, "About," accessed October 28, 2024
- ↑ Stacy Geier 2024 campaign website, "Platform," accessed October 28, 2024
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Tampa Bay Times, "Here’s one Pinellas school board race that’s already turning ugly," October 13, 2024
- ↑ Katie Blaxberg 2024 campaign website, "About," accessed October 28, 2024
- ↑ Politico, "DeSantis takeover of Florida school boards has big setback," August 20, 2024
- ↑ X, "Ron DeSantis on July 19, 2024" accessed October 29, 2024
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedWUFT - ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ Pinellas County Schools, "PERFORMANCE INSTRUCTIONAL SALARY SCHEDULE (Probationary and Annual Contract Instructional Staff) 2022/2023 School Year," accessed February 6, 2024
- ↑ Pinellas County Schools, "Peformance Instructional Salary Schedule (Probationary and Annual Contract Instructional Staff) 2020/2021 School Year," accessed July 8, 2021
- ↑ Pinellas County Schools, "Peformance Instructional Salary Schedule (Probationary and Annual Contract Instructional Staff) 2019/2020 School Year," accessed July 8, 2021
- ↑ Pinellas County Schools, "Peformance Instructional Salary Schedule (Probationary and Annual Contract Instructional Staff) 2018/2019 School Year," accessed July 8, 2021
- ↑ Pinellas County Schools, "Peformance Instructional Salary Schedule (Probationary and Annual Contract Instructional Staff) 2017/2018 School Year," accessed July 8, 2021
- ↑ Pinellas County Schools, "Peformance Instructional Salary Schedule (Probationary and Annual Contract Instructional Staff) 2016/2017 School Year," accessed July 8, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Local Education Agency (School District) Universe Survey Data," accessed June 26, 2024
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