Sharon Benson
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2025 - Present
2029
0
Sharon Benson is an at-large member of the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board in Arizona. She assumed office on January 1, 2025. Her current term ends on January 1, 2029.
Benson ran for election for an at-large seat of the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board in Arizona. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Benson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Sharon Benson was born in Oregon. She earned a high school diploma from Westwood High School, a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University in 1987, and a graduate degree from Arizona State University in 1992. Her career experience includes working as an educator and small business owner.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Mesa Public Schools, Arizona, elections (2024)
General election
General election for Mesa Public Schools Governing Board At-large (3 seats)
Sharon Benson, incumbent Courtney Davis, and Lacy Halm Chaffee defeated Josh Chilton and Ed Steele in the general election for Mesa Public Schools Governing Board At-large on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Sharon Benson (Nonpartisan)  | 21.2 | 86,393 | |
| ✔ |  | Courtney Davis (Nonpartisan) | 21.1 | 85,863 |
| ✔ |  | Lacy Halm Chaffee (Nonpartisan) | 20.2 | 82,377 |
 | Josh Chilton (Nonpartisan) | 19.1 | 77,783 | |
 | Ed Steele (Nonpartisan) | 18.1 | 73,499 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 1,235 | ||
| Total votes: 407,150 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Danny Zachary (Nonpartisan)
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Benson in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Sharon Benson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Benson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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My name is Sharon Benson and I’d be delighted to tell you about myself. I am a woman of faith, a wife, a mother of four, and a grandmother of one. I have lived within the boundaries of the Mesa Public School (MPS) district for over 50 years. I am a graduate of Mesa Schools, as were three of my children, and my granddaughter is currently a student in the district.
I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology, and a Masters of Elementary Education; both from Arizona State University. I began my teaching career as a fifth grade teacher for four years after which I began working for MPS as a Gifted and Talented educator for eleven years. I am a recent retiree of MPS and am spending my time caring for my family and working to continue caring for MPS students as a potential MPS school board member.
I have always been actively involved in the educational space, including those times when I was not publicly employed, but worked from home. I was a PTO President, classroom helper, Cheer Booster Club member, and a consistent provider of materials and supplies to my local schools.I am also active in my church, currently teaching in the pre-teen arena; now that’s fun! I have been actively attending and speaking at Mesa School Board meetings since 2020, bringing issues and concerns into the public space.
My husband and I have run a successful family-owned air conditioning business since 1999, and prior to this, I worked in the banking industry.- I am a strong proponent of parental empowerment and transparency. Parents are the primary, and most important educators of their children. Schools should partner with parents to provide the best educational environment possible. This happens best when parents trust that schools are completely transparent. Parents have the right to know everything about their children’s experiences when they are on school campuses, or involved in school activities. Arizona has a strong history of school choice. Our district provides some excellent options for parents to access for their children when the neighborhood school doesn't meet their child's educational needs. Because I support parents, I can and do, support parental school choice.
- The public school system's primary purpose is to educate students so that they are able to be responsible American citizens. Academic standards are set by the state in order to achieve this purpose. The 2023 report card showed that 68% of Mesa students are not meeting standards in Math, and 62% are not meeting standards in Reading and Language Arts, and many students are graduating without knowledge of American civics. This has not alway been the case. According to Public School Review, in 2011 over 65% of Mesa students were proficient in Math, and 80% were proficient in Reading and Language Arts. As a board member, I will work alongside my fellow board members to reverse this alarming trend.
- Mesa is facing declining enrollment, which has a direct impact on the budget. Fiscal responsibility and transparency are absolute musts. The average per pupil spending in Mesa for fiscal year 2023 was $15,526, and yet student achievement has remained stagnant at best. The average salary for teachers in Mesa for fiscal year 2025 is $66,608, while average median total household income of Mesa residents in 2022 was $73,766. The board must take a fiscally conservative approach, and spend taxpayer money responsibly. Cost cutting measures which have the least negative impact on student learning must be the priority.
I am also passionate about promoting American civic responsibilities. I am also passionate about defeating D.I.E. initiatives, and returning meritocracy and individual responsibility to their proper places. America was built upon merit and hard work, we must encourage and promote those high ranking values.
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.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Mesa Public Schools Governing Board At-large |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 11, 2024
