Stacy McNish
Running for school board in Baltimore County District 7
Email: stacy.mcnish@yahoo.com
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 3)?
45
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
Service Coordination as service coordinator
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
B.S. in psychology from University of Phoenix
Why are you running for the school board?
I am running for the Baltimore County Board of Education because families in District 7 deserve stability, transparency and a school system that follows through on its commitments. My work in mental health, developmental disability services and community outreach has shown me how deeply school stability affects family stability. I want to bring a steady, solutions‑oriented approach to the board that strengthens early learning, improves communication with families and ensures consistent implementation of policies across all schools.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I have more than a decade of experience navigating complex public systems on behalf of vulnerable adults and families. As a certified work incentive counselor and service coordinator, I develop person‑centered plans, advocate for clients and coordinate services across agencies. This is work that mirrors the oversight, accountability, and systems‑level problem solving required of a school board member. I also have deep roots in District 7 as a Kenwood High School graduate, PTA parent and longtime community volunteer.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
The most important issue facing the Board of Education is restoring trust by addressing the everyday problems families and educators consistently raise: school safety and discipline, building conditions and a special education system that feels confusing and dismissive to many parents. These concerns are not isolated—they reflect deeper issues with consistency, communication and follow-through across the district.
Families in District 7 frequently tell me they are worried about the lack of meaningful consequences for violent or chronically disruptive behavior. Educators want clear expectations and support so classrooms remain safe and focused on learning. The board must ensure discipline policies are implemented consistently, that interventions are practical and that schools have the staffing and training needed to respond early and effectively.
Building conditions are another major concern. Aging facilities, maintenance delays and inconsistent communication about repairs undermine confidence. The board must strengthen oversight, improve transparency around timelines and ensure resources are directed to the schools with the greatest need.
Finally, many families navigating special education feel unheard. The system is complex, and communication is often unclear. The board can improve this by setting expectations for timely responses, strengthening parent engagement and ensuring that special education staffing and training match the needs of students.
If elected, my focus will be on steady, practical improvements: clearer communication, stronger oversight and consistent implementation of policies. When families see predictable follow-through, trust in the school system grows and students benefit.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I admire mostly non‑public leaders like teachers, social workers and the people who quietly strengthen communities every day. But if I had to choose a public figure, I admire leaders like Fred Rogers. He demonstrated that compassion, clarity and steadiness can transform how communities support children. His approach to communication with honest, calm and centered on human dignity, is a model for how I believe school systems should engage with families.
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, passed by the General Assembly in 2021, is a 10-year plan that includes increased funding to support early childhood education, higher teacher starting pay, college/career-readiness standards for high school graduates, and expanded services to multilingual and impoverished families, among other goals. Since the Blueprint's implementation, test scores have increased modestly in many parts of the state, but some school officials complain about the costs and administrative burdens placed on them by the Blueprint. Please tell us your views on the Blueprint and how it is affecting your school district.
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future sets strong goals for early childhood education, college and career readiness and expanded supports for families. I agree with the intent of the Blueprint, especially its focus on early learning, multilingual learners and students living in poverty, because these are areas where consistent investment can change long‑term outcomes. These are also specific needs for students living in my district.
At the same time, the implementation has been challenging for many districts, including Baltimore County. The requirements are complex, the reporting expectations are significant, and the timelines have created strain on both school‑based staff and central office. When systems are already stretched, new mandates can feel overwhelming. This can create the disfunction in the daily operations, even when the goals are positive.
In District 7, families and educators want to see the benefits of the Blueprint reach classrooms in a clear and measurable way. That means ensuring early childhood programs are staffed and supported, strengthening special education and multilingual services and improving communication so families understand how Blueprint changes affect their schools.
I believe the Blueprint can help students if the state continues to work collaboratively with districts to adjust expectations, provide clearer guidance and make sure funding formulas are sustainable. My focus is on translating the Blueprint’s intentions into real support for classrooms, not just compliance. When implementation is steady, transparent and realistic, students and educators benefit.
Chronic absenteeism has been a problem in many schools since the Covid-19 pandemic. How big of a problem is absenteeism in your school district, and what if anything can the Board of Education do about it?
Chronic absenteeism is a significant challenge in Baltimore County, including in District 7. The pandemic disrupted routines, family stability and students’ connection to school, and many families are still working to rebuild predictable attendance habits. Absenteeism is rarely about a single issue, it reflects transportation barriers, health needs, inconsistent communication and the stress many families face.
The Board of Education cannot solve absenteeism alone, but it can strengthen oversight, support school‑based attendance teams and ensure interventions are practical rather than punitive. Families need clear communication, early outreach and support that recognizes real‑world barriers such as work schedules and transportation gaps.
The Board also plays a role in ensuring schools feel safe, welcoming and stable. When students feel connected to their school community, attendance improves. My focus is on addressing absenteeism as a systems issue through consistency, communication and strong school‑family partnerships.
Are you satisfied with your school district's policy on AI use by students? If so, why? If not, what would you suggest to improve the AI policy?
Baltimore County Public Schools, like most districts, is still developing and refining its policies around student use of AI. I don’t believe the policy is fully clear or consistently communicated yet, and that’s an area where improvement is needed. AI can be a useful tool for learning, but students need guidance on when its use is appropriate, how to use it ethically and how to build their own critical thinking skills rather than relying on technology to do the work for them.
The Board of Education can help by ensuring the policy is clear, age‑appropriate and consistently implemented across schools. Families and educators should understand what is allowed, what isn’t and why. I would support a policy that encourages responsible use of AI for learning while maintaining strong expectations around academic integrity. Clear communication and practical guidance will help students benefit from new technology without undermining their own learning.
Youth mental health has been a growing concern for years now. Do you think your school district has the resources and personnel in place to deal with this issue adequately? If not, what would you suggest to improve the situation?
Youth mental health remains one of the most significant challenges facing Baltimore County, and while the district has dedicated staff and resources, they are not yet sufficient to meet the level of need we are seeing. Schools rely heavily on counselors, social workers and psychologists who are often responsible for large caseloads, making it difficult to provide consistent early‑intervention support. Many students also need services that extend beyond what schools can provide alone, such as community‑based therapy and crisis stabilization.
The Board of Education can strengthen this work by prioritizing staffing, expanding partnerships with community mental health providers and improving communication so families understand how to access support. I also believe in increasing school‑based prevention efforts, including trauma‑informed practices and stronger coordination between mental health staff and educators. Addressing youth mental health requires steady, collaborative systems, not isolated programs. That is where the board can make a meaningful impact.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries? If so, what kind of books should be removed, and who should make those decisions?
I believe school libraries should offer diverse, age‑appropriate materials and that book removal should be rare and based on clear, professional criteria. In general, books should only be removed if they are truly inappropriate for a specific age group. For example, materials that are developmentally unsuitable for younger students. Or if they clearly violate established selection standards.
Decisions should not be made by individuals acting alone. They should follow a transparent process that includes trained librarians, educators and administrators, with opportunities for parents to raise concerns respectfully. Professional judgment is essential, because librarians are trained to evaluate educational value, developmental appropriateness and the needs of all students.
The board’s role is to ensure the process is clear, consistent and fair, protecting both parental voice and students’ access to information. Balanced, transparent procedures help maintain trust and keep politics out of the library.
