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.
Union School Board District 1 race focuses on declining enrollment, student proficiency and library books.
As Union County faces declining enrollment, low student proficiency rates and ongoing debates over library books, current chair holder Christopher Hodgson and challenger Calvin Peterson are competing for the District 1 seat on the Union County School Board.
Christopher Hodgson is running to retain his position on the school board. Hodgson has served on the school board since 2022.
Calvin Peterson, a physician assistant, said he decided to run because he believes he can make a difference. Peterson said his experience as a teacher and educator has shown him the current school board places too much emphasis on meeting state standards. While students may pass standardized tests, he says that does not necessarily mean they have mastered the material.
Declining Enrollment
Enrollment in Union County’s public schools has declined in recent years as more families have used state-funded school choice programs, including vouchers for private and charter schools.
Peterson said he believes enrollment has declined because students do not enjoy the courses and do not fully understand the curriculum. He said those challenges contribute to disciplinary issues and bullying. Peterson also said communication within the district needs improvement, arguing that the concerns raised by teachers and administrators are not always reaching district leaders, making it difficult to address curriculum based issues.
Hodgson did not respond to a request for comment, but during a March 10 Union County School Board workshop, board members discussed plans to merge sixth through eighth grades with the high school. Hodgson acknowledged concerns he had heard from community members about the plan.
“As the student increases to the eighth grade, [he or she could] possibly go to the high school for P.E. or band, or whatever the case may be,” Hodgson said. “But I said,’A sixth-grade student will have class with sixth graders at the middle school.’”
Student Proficiency
Student proficiency remains a concern all across Florida, including Union County.
The Union County School District’s 2022-27 Strategic Plan outlines goals for increasing student achievement. The plan aims for students to score at Level 3 or above in all subject areas and grade levels on the Florida Department of Education accountability system. Their strategy includes implementing high-quality Tier 1 instruction state standards, implementing the science of reading-based literacy practice and using student data to guide instructional decisions.
Peterson said core academics are important and that math, science, history and civics are slipping through the channels. He said that while we are encouraging students to pursue higher education, we need to make sure that we’re also producing students that can integrate into the workforce.
“If they don’t want to pursue higher education, then that’s where vocational education plays a role,” Peterson said. “My own heart of hearts tells me that it ought to be mandated.”
Peterson also said he would like schools to introduce more life skills courses, including cooking, personal finance, saving and investing.
Book Bans
As school districts across Florida continue to face debates over library books, Union County has become part of the statewide conversation about what books should be removed from libraries.
For the 2024-25 school year, Union County School District ranked second among Florida school districts for the number of books removed from school libraries, removing 500 titles.
Peterson believes that while there are some books that do not need to be in our school libraries, it should be a group decision.
“I think if there are individuals that have opposition to the particular material, that should be brought in front of the board,” Peterson said. “It should be discussed, and if there’s a valid reason to take it out of the library, to do so. I mean some things are age appropriate, and some aren’t.”
Hodgson has not publicly commented on his position regarding library book removals.
Early Voting is scheduled for Aug. 8-15 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Election Day is Aug. 18.
Valeria Havrylets is a third year journalism student at the University of Florida.
