Three candidates vie for Clay County School Board District 5 seat in August primary

Three candidates are competing for the Clay County School Board District 5 seat in an election that could be decided in the Aug. 18 primary — or extend into a November runoff if no one captures more than half the vote. Incumbent Ashley Gilhousen, who has served on the board since 2014, faces challenges from Gerald Beasley, a longtime district locksmith, and Veronica Powell-Faison, a Navy veteran and stay-at-home mother.

The nonpartisan race will appear on the primary ballot for all Clay County voters. Under Florida election law, if a candidate receives more than 50 percent of votes cast in the primary, they win outright; otherwise, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election in November.

What's happening

The Clay County School Board governs one of Northeast Florida's fastest-growing districts. The board sets policy, approves budgets, hires the superintendent, and oversees facilities planning as the county continues to add thousands of residents annually along growth corridors such as the First Coast Expressway and Blanding Boulevard.

District 5 encompasses the eastern portion of Clay County. The race is part of a statewide initiative by the Florida Elections Reporting Partnership, a collaboration of 27 nonpartisan newsrooms and universities covering school board elections across Florida in 2026.

News4JAX, a partner in the reporting project, sent questionnaires to all three candidates asking about their backgrounds and priorities. All three responded, though Beasley declined to provide his age or family information.

The candidates and their priorities

Ashley Gilhousen, 41, is a registered nurse and director of programs at Seamark Ranch, a residential treatment facility for children. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Florida and has served three terms on the school board, winning elections in 2014, 2018, and 2022. She lives with her husband Adam and three sons.

Gilhousen identified financial sustainability, employee recruitment and retention, and maintaining academic excellence during continued growth as the top issues. She emphasized the district faces "significant budget constraints driven by inflation and uncertainty in state funding" — a challenge confronting school districts statewide as property-insurance costs, transportation expenses, and workforce salary pressures collide with per-student funding formulas set by the state legislature.

"We must continue making strategic, fiscally responsible decisions that protect classrooms, prioritize student learning, and maximize every taxpayer dollar," Gilhousen wrote. She highlighted her decade of institutional knowledge and professional background in nursing and education as assets, noting her work at Seamark Ranch gives her "firsthand insight into the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs of children and families."

Gerald Beasley works as a locksmith for Clay County District Schools, a position he has held for more than 14 years. He holds an associate's degree and describes himself as having "very little" political experience. He did not provide his age or information about his family.

Beasley cited student safety and security, ensuring every student receives "the best education possible," and the district budget as his top concerns. He emphasized his unique vantage point as a support-services employee who works in "every building, every office and every classroom" across the district.

"During the years of my employment with the school district there has never been anyone on the school board from the support or operations side," Beasley wrote. "It is astounding how much money funnels through this side of the district. I want to know where and how it is really being spent. I see things I don't agree with."

Beasley said his top priority if elected would be promoting Career and Technical Education programs, which he believes are underutilized. "The problem I am seeing is the students are not being properly motivated to look past high school and are not engaging in these programs during their high school years," he wrote, adding that he has spoken with former students who regret not taking advantage of CTE offerings.

Veronica Powell-Faison, 42, is a Navy veteran who served 10.5 years on active duty before leaving the service in 2012. Since then, she has been a stay-at-home mother and full-time caregiver for her mother. She holds an Associate in Science in General Studies from City University of Seattle and a Bachelor's in Business Administration with a major in Management from Strayer University, graduating summa cum laude. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Business Administration from Western Governors University. She and her husband Carlos have five children ranging in age from 13 to 28, and two granddaughters.

Powell-Faison has no prior political experience. She identified student safety, teacher pay and retention, and curriculum transparency and accountability as the district's three most pressing issues. She emphasized a collaborative approach: "If elected I will approach every issue with an open mind, a willingness to listen, and a commitment to collaboration. My goal is not to represent one group or one viewpoint, but to serve all students, families, teachers, and all taxpayers across Clay County."

She told the questionnaire she hopes to be remembered "for helping to retain our teachers, for keeping students safe and engaged in a curriculum that benefits their future selves, while remaining as transparent and accountable as possible."

What this means for Clay County families

Clay County Schools has grown rapidly as the county's population has surged — the district routinely opens new schools to keep pace with residential development along the First Coast Expressway loop and in western neighborhoods near Middleburg and Green Cove Springs. The district serves more than 40,000 students and is known regionally for strong academic performance, though it faces the same financial pressures as districts across Florida.

School board races directly affect families because board members set tax rates within state-imposed caps, decide where new schools are built, and establish policies on everything from school safety protocols to instructional materials. In Florida, school boards have become flashpoints for debates over curriculum content, library books, and how schools address social issues — though none of the three Clay County candidates emphasized culture-war themes in their responses.

The budget issue all three candidates mentioned is pressing. Florida's per-student funding formula is set by the legislature, and local districts have limited authority to raise additional revenue beyond property-tax millage rates capped by state law. Clay County's strong property-value growth provides some cushion, but personnel costs — salaries and benefits for teachers, bus drivers, and support staff — typically consume 80 to 85 percent of school budgets, leaving little flexibility when costs rise faster than revenue.

Teacher retention, which two candidates highlighted, has become a statewide challenge. Florida ranks near the bottom nationally in average teacher pay, and districts compete with each other and with private employers for qualified staff. School boards set local salary schedules within the constraints of state funding, and teacher turnover directly affects classroom continuity and student outcomes.

Beasley's emphasis on Career and Technical Education reflects a priority Florida policymakers have promoted in recent years. CTE programs — which range from welding and HVAC to nursing and IT certifications — allow students to earn industry credentials while still in high school, potentially leading directly to jobs without a four-year college degree. Clay County, like most Florida districts, offers CTE programs at its high schools, but participation varies and districts must balance CTE investments against core academic programming.

What happens next

The primary election is Aug. 18. All registered Clay County voters may vote in this race because it is nonpartisan — party registration does not restrict the ballot. Early voting dates and polling locations are set by the Clay County Supervisor of Elections; voters can check their registration status and find their precinct at the supervisor's website.

If one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, they win the seat outright and take office after the results are certified. If no candidate clears 50 percent, the top two vote-getters advance to the Nov. 3 general election, when turnout is typically higher because statewide and federal races are also on the ballot.

School board members in Florida serve four-year terms. District 5 is one of five single-member districts in Clay County; the other four seats are not on the ballot this cycle. Board members receive a modest stipend set by state law — typically a few hundred dollars per month — and the position is part-time, though members attend multiple meetings and workshops each month.

Candidate forums and interviews, including video profiles produced by News4JAX, are available at news4jax.com. The Florida Elections Reporting Partnership also provides nonpartisan voter guides and election coverage at floridatrib.org.

The outcome will help determine how Clay County Schools navigates the next four years of growth, budget pressures, and policy debates in a region where new subdivisions and commercial development continue to reshape communities. Whoever wins will join a board managing one of the largest and most consequential public-sector operations in Northeast Florida — a district whose decisions affect tens of thousands of families and shape the county's economic future by preparing the workforce of the next generation.