Linda Frascarella
Running for school board in Howard County
Email: vote4frascarella@gmail.com
Website: vote4frascarella.com
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 3)?
62
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
I am retired and work seasonally as a tax preparer.
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
I have two master's degrees: An MBA from the University of Maryland and a master's in teaching from Johns Hopkins University. In addition, I have an advanced certificate in public policy from Northwestern University.
Why are you running for the school board?
I care, I’m qualified, I’m experienced and I’m committed. I believe that public education is the foundation of our democracy, and I have the time and skills to commit to this role.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I have the skills and experience necessary to succeed in this role. I’ve worked in finance creating and managing operating and capital budgets. I have a master’s in teaching and have worked in the school system. I spent over 17 years with Discovery Education developing science, math and social studies standards-based products for K-12 schools. I've been an active volunteer in Howard County since moving to the county in 1990. I've coached youth sports, served on the PTA, volunteered at the schools and have been on the board of the League of Women Voters and the Sierra Club. I'm a good listener and analytical, and I enjoy bringing people together to explore ideas.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
Academic performance. Our students can do better. To improve student academic performance, we need to focus on three basic inputs: curriculum, delivery of that curriculum and the environment in which it is delivered.
We need to staff our schools with the best teachers, administrators and assistants, and then we need to let the teachers teach. We need to give our students and staff the tools for learning, such as high-quality instructional material. We need to create a physical and emotional environment that is conducive to learning.
It goes without saying that we can’t do any of this without the appropriate funding.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
Since she is front and center in my mind right now, I will have to pick Dolly Parton. She overcame poverty to become a successful singer, songwriter and philanthropist. She was resilient, smart, funny and believed in the magic of public education. She tried to reduce high school dropout rates and her Imagination Library sent millions of books to those in need.
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, if fully implemented, will improve our educational system. Our school district is actively working to implement the mandates required by the Blueprint, such as adding pre-K classrooms, increasing teacher salaries, rewarding those who achieve certification and so much more. We will continue to face funding challenges, but it is the board’s job to work with the superintendent and school personnel to figure out the best path forward.
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?
The data from Howard County for 2025 shows 17% of all students were chronically absent, while pre-pandemic levels were at 11%. Absenteeism has been defined as one of the five focus areas of the Howard County Public School System 2024-2029 strategic plan. The Board of Education will continue working with the superintendent to improve efficiencies in the notification process (automating letters and improving attendance kiosks) while training teachers on motivational interviewing to help staff understand the causes of absenteeism.
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?
It's too soon for me to comment on this. The state of Maryland recently passed Senate Bill 720 requiring the state to set the AI policy and for each district to follow. The framework was published very recently, around June or July 2026.
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?
No, we do not have enough resources and personnel. After COVID-19 funding ran out, the Board of Education had to juggle the operating budget. For fiscal year 2027, the budget for the office of student well-being increased by almost 5% from fiscal year 2026. This increase shows that the current board is aware of our need for more resources and shows that we are on the right path.
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 have confidence that our experts -- school media specialists, librarians and educators -- are reselecting age-appropriate material for our school libraries. We have a process in place for community members to challenge books if they have a concern.
