This story is part of a statewide partnership of more than 30 nonpartisan newsrooms and universities working to help Florida voters make informed decisions in the 2026 elections. Learn more about the Florida Elections Reporting Partnership at floridaelections.org.

As Hamilton County schools address limited resources and low academic performance, voters will choose between a two-term school board member and a retired educator with 29 years of classroom experience.

Incumbent Sammy McCoy and Menieca Mathis Kennedy are the only candidates in the District 5 race, to be decided on Aug. 18. The winner will serve a district making academic gains and also facing the common challenges Florida’s rural schools have to overcome, such as limited resources and achievement gaps.

Sammy McCoy, 61, owns McCoy Land Services, Inc., and is a two-term board member representing District 5. He has not made public comments about his campaign and has not responded to numerous attempts by The Florida Trib to comment for this story.

Menieca Mathis Kennedy, 60, is a retired elementary school teacher and math coach in the Hamilton County School District. She serves on the Operation Round Up board for the Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative and is a member of the Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce.

Kennedy’s campaign finance report shows she raised $4,771.95, including $1,700 of her own money. She spent $3,813.90, has $958.05 on hand, and her largest expense was signs.

Kennedy declined to comment for this story, but a May 14 Facebook post outlines some of her campaign priorities.

“I am committed to strengthening academic achievement, supporting teachers, maintaining responsible stewardship of district resources, and ensuring that every decision made reflects what is best for Hamilton County’s children — both today and for generations to come,” Kennedy wrote.

Academic improvements but work ahead

Hamilton County Schools recently celebrated record academic growth. On July 1, the district shared Florida’s 2025-26 School Accountability Grades on its Facebook page.

Florida’s grading system awards accountability points to schools and districts based on up to 12 components, including students’ state assessment results, learning gains, graduation rates, and college and career readiness. The total points determine a grade from A to F.

District Superintendent Lee Wetherington-Zamora declined several interview requests from The Trib, but addressed the district’s academic achievements in a July 1 Facebook post.

Wetherington-Zamora said the district earned 679 accountability points, just three points short of a B grade. The elementary school earned its first B (454 points), while the high school received 606 points for a C and a 93 percent graduation rate.

Despite some gains, Hamilton County remains among the lowest-scoring districts in North Florida, and Wetherington-Zamora called for continued work toward an A rating for the district. “While we celebrate these milestones, we also remain focused on building momentum as we strive for even greater success,” Wetherington-Zamora wrote in the post.

Annie Pinello is the Hamilton County Schools coordinator of exceptional student education. She also is a member of The Institute for Small and Rural Districts, which supports 54 small districts statewide, including Hamilton County. Their work supports exceptional student education, compliance with state and federal rules, and addressing chronic absenteeism.

She said the prevalence of homeschooling and long-term truancy issues can affect academic performance, in her district and others like it. Pinello said the county does not have public transit for students who don’t live close to school and whose parents cannot drive them.

“So, you’re kind of playing catch up from the get go, teaching vocabulary and the phonics piece. And then when you layer on top of that truancy and kids that don’t come to school and they’re missing key instruction in kindergarten first and second grades,” she said. “Then the gap doesn’t ever close. It kind of just, kind of stays the same or it gets wider, because they’re not in school to learn how to read.”

Limited resources create their own challenges

Kennedy uses her position as a Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative Operation Round Up board member to help local teachers secure classroom resources.

The cooperative, a member-owned, not-for-profit electric provider serving four Florida counties, allows members to choose to round up their monthly bills to fund classroom grants for local teachers. Kennedy helps review and approve grant applications to ensure projects directly benefit students.

“Through this program [SVEC’s Operation Round Up], more than $765,000 has been awarded to area teachers to enhance classroom instruction and provide valuable resources for students,” Kennedy said in her Facebook post on May 14. “My service reflects my strong commitment to supporting educators and ensuring that resources are used wisely to directly benefit classrooms.”

Still, many of Hamilton County’s biggest issues are common in small, rural districts across Florida. Alissa Hingson, project administrator for the ISRD, said small and rural districts must meet the same requirements as large ones, but with fewer students and smaller budgets.

“They still need specialized personnel, transportation systems, professional development, and compliance supports, but they cannot spread those costs across as many students as larger districts can,” Hingson said.

Many families are struggling financially, which impacts the way they and their children experience the public school system, Pinello said.

“When school gets out at three, parents are working till five, maybe seven. The kid is a latchkey kid, going home. They’re taking care of themselves and siblings until the parents arrive, or they’re going to multiple family homes. We have a lot of families that are considered homeless under the McKinney-Vento definition, just because the economy’s bad,” she said, referring to the McKinney-Vento Act, which defines homeless students as those without a stable, adequate nighttime residence.

Resources are especially limited in rural areas like Hamilton County, where many supports must be outsourced, making it difficult for schools to help every student in need. Hingson said collaboration is the best way for small and rural districts to make the most of limited resources. 

“By working together through organizations like ISRD, other IDEA state-funded projects and educational consortiums, districts can share expertise, participate in joint professional learning, develop common resources, and learn from one another’s successes and challenges. Collaboration helps districts maximize limited resources and provides access to support that might otherwise be difficult for a single small district to sustain independently,” Hingson said.

Questions of transparency

The Florida Commission on Ethics is a state agency that investigates complaints and enforces ethical standards of conduct for public officials and employees, including school board members. 

Commission members reviewed an appeal from Hamilton County School Board member Sammy McCoy, who submitted his 2022 disclosure form 237 days past the deadline, even after accounting for a grace period and an extension.

In his appeal, McCoy argued that he did not receive commission notices because his official school board email had not worked properly for two years. He further explained that he was very busy with recovery work in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, which struck Florida on August 30, 2023.

As the owner of a land-clearing business, McCoy said he was occupied with storm cleanup through December 2023, with his final FEMA invoice issued on Oct. 6, 2023. The commission found his circumstances unusual and waived the late fee.

Lynn Blais, spokesperson for the Florida Commission on Ethics, said annual disclosure of assets, liabilities, and sources of income is meant to promote transparency among public officials. “The reason for it is just that the public can kind of have a glimpse into their elected officials and where their interests lie,” Blais said.

She noted that state law requires public officials to maintain an accurate email address for filing notifications. “The burden is on the filer to make sure we have a way to reach them,” Blais said.

A decision about leadership

Hingson said the district’s current realities require board members who understand governance and collaboration.

“School board members are responsible for governance and oversight decisions that affect students, staff and taxpayers,” she said. “Generally speaking, voters should look for candidates who demonstrate a commitment to students, an understanding of public education, ethical leadership and the ability to work collaboratively with district staff, families and community members.”

Regardless of who wins, the next District 5 representative will help oversee the district’s academic momentum while serving one of Florida’s smallest rural communities.

“My lifelong connection to this community and its schools has given me a strong understanding of the important role education plays in shaping families and strengthening our community,” Kennedy said in her May 14 Facebook post.