Columbus School board Member and former President Christina Vera announced Tuesday that she would not be seeking reelection in November, with her term expiring at the end of the year.
In a statement, Vera said that her decision to not seek reelection allows her “to focus on personal priorities,” including time with family. Vera was first elected in 2021 and her four-year term expires at the end of 2025.
“Serving on the Board has been one of the most rewarding and humbling experiences of my life,” Vera said. “I am incredibly grateful for the trust the community has placed in me and for the privilege of working alongside dedicated colleagues to advocate for our students, families, and educators.”
The Columbus City Schools Board president Christina Vera speaks to the media after the vote on the Superintendent’s Community Facilities Task Force recommendation to close nine schools at Columbus City Schools Southland Center on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
Earlier this month, Vera announced she would not be seeking another term as board president, and Michael Cole was named president during a divided vote. Vera served one term as president in 2024.
Vera, who first joined the board in 2022, said the experience “has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”
“The foundation we’ve built together will continue to guide Columbus City Schools toward positive outcomes for our students and families,” Vera said. “I have every confidence that the district is in good hands and will continue to thrive.”
Vera oversaw school closure process, managed board controversies
In her time on the board, Vera helped the district navigate the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and worked to pass the district’s $100 million permanent improvement levy in 2023.
Vera was president in 2024 and oversaw the contentious school closing process. The board ultimately voted in December to close five buildings.
“Together, we’ve advanced the district’s realignment process, engaged in meaningful discussions about our community’s vision for Columbus City Schools, and made difficult but necessary decisions to benefit both current and future generations of students,” Vera said in a statement.
May 7, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus School Board president Christina Vera speaks during a meeting in which initial recomendations were made about closing schools in the district.
She also had to manage the fallout of controversy surrounding a leaked document related handling opposition school closures associated with Member Brandon Simmons, who a legal investigation said authored it. The document called for strategies like changing meeting times abruptly and exploiting racial divisions between the two district unions.
Under Vera’s leadership, the board conducted an independent legal investigation of the origin of the document and ultimately censured Simmons twice.
As she plans to depart the board, Vera said that student success has always been the “why” of her work in Columbus City Schools.
“(Students) have been at the heart of every decision I’ve made, and they will continue to inspire me as I move forward into the next chapter of my life,” Vera said.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus School board’s Christina Vera not seeking reelection in fall
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