This story is part of a statewide partnership of 27 nonpartisan newsrooms and universities working to help Florida voters make informed decisions in the 2026 school board elections. Learn more about the Florida Elections Reporting Partnership.
Although the candidates for the Citrus County School Board election have different professional experiences, both say student success and strengthening the schools are their top priorities.
Mike Mullen spent about 35 years working in public education, serving as a teacher, coach, principal and assistant superintendent before retiring. He said those experiences gave him firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing schools and inspired him to seek a seat on the board.
John Thrumston previously served as a Citrus County commissioner and said his years in public service have prepared him to serve in a new role. He said his campaign has focused on listening to parents, teachers and community members while identifying ways to strengthen public education.
Thrumston and Mullen are running for the District 3 seat in the August primary election. This race is nonpartisan, so the candidates appear on the ballot without party affiliations, allowing voters from any political party to vote for them.
Mullen started the process of running for the school board early this year after three years of retirement. Mullen said he has a passion for public education.
“I care a lot about what happens in our community,” he said.
After hearing the incumbent was retiring, Thrumston ran to take the open seat. With his wife being a retired school teacher, he hears a lot of the issues that go on in schools.
“I figured we need to, you know, do something about that so now’s the time,” he said.
Thrumston received endorsements by multiple faith leaders and Mullen by the Citrus County Chronicle.
Three of the challenges Mullen would like to address if elected to the school board are improving declining enrollment, improving the budget and expanding pre-K units.
Mullen aims to increase student engagement, innovate scheduling and raise pre-K enrollment. Doing this, he said, will lead to more funding as students stay in school.
Both candidates identified enrollment as a major concern but offered different solutions.
Thrumston said retaining students is critical but believes the district should first understand why families are leaving. He proposed creating an anonymous feedback system for parents and teachers to say why they are leaving without fear of repercussions.
Florida continues to face challenges with student reading achievement. Improving academic performance in Citrus County is a priority for both candidates.
Mullen said raising reading achievement should remain a central focus because literacy affects success across all subjects. He said that when he was a principal, he noticed students moving from middle school to high school were often not reading on grade level.
“It was very difficult at that level to get them caught back up,” Mullen said.
He said if elected he would invest in programs that help students build strong reading skills early.
Thrumston said expanding career and technical education could improve academic outcomes while preparing students for the workforce.
He said bringing back more trade education would provide additional career pathways for students whose goals extend beyond a traditional four-year college degree.
“We have to teach these kids how to work with their hands,” he said. “And how to be able to work and do things that AI can’t perform.”
Teacher recruitment and retention remains a challenge across Florida, and both candidates said supporting educators is essential.
Mullen said attracting and keeping qualified teachers will require competitive salaries. Making Citrus County an affordable place to live and work is also important.
“If we have affordable living and the teachers can make a decent salary, then I think the recruiting will take care of itself,” he said.
Thrumston said retaining teachers begins with listening to them and addressing student discipline issues.
“Teachers are leaving because they’re just overworked,” he said. “[I] don’t think it’s necessarily pay.”
He said schools should provide educators with the resources and assistance they need because he noticed some teachers end up having to create three to four different lesson plans to accommodate students. Student discipline issues can also contribute to teacher burnout.
Mullen emphasized his decades of experience inside the public education system, while Thrumston pointed to his leadership experience in local government and his focus on accountability and teacher support.
Citrus County voters will decide who represents District 3 on the school board when they cast their ballots on Aug. 18. Early voting begins on Aug. 7.
Sam Rislin is a student journalist at the University of Florida who can be reached by calling 941-545-2126.
