Tyra Janet Bennett
Running for school board in Prince George's County District 6
Email: tyrabennettforboe@gmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/TyraBennett4BOE
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 3)?
24
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
Education advocate; home health aide/Certified Nursing Assistant; licensed Geriatric Nursing Assistant employer
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
Prince George's Community College, nursing-related certificate/program completion in 2025-26
Why are you running for the school board?
I believe students deserve an education system that sees their potential, supports their needs and gives them a real opportunity to succeed.
I was raised and educated in Prince George’s County, so my connection to our schools is truly personal. As the founder of the District 6 Literacy & Learning Lab, I have worked directly with students and families. I have seen the challenges students face and what can happen when they receive consistent support.
I am also running because I believe the people making decisions about our schools need to listen to the people experiencing those decisions every day: students, families, educators and staff. I want to help strengthen that connection and make sure District 6 has a voice in the decisions that shape our schools.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I believe my experience working directly with students, families and community members gives me an important perspective to bring to the board. Through the District 6 Literacy & Learning Lab, I had the honor of creating opportunities for students to receive free academic support.
My work as a golf teacher has also taught me how to communicate with our youth, meet students where they are and use instruction to build life skills. My healthcare experience has strengthened my sense of responsibility, patience and service.
Most importantly, I am willing to show up and do the work. I have advocated for education issues in Annapolis, worked directly with families in my community and invested my own time and resources into supporting students.
I would bring a community-centered perspective to the board, while remaining focused on student outcomes, transparency and accountability.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
One of the most important challenges facing Prince George’s County Public Schools is making sure our resources are translating into stronger outcomes for students. We are asking families and educators to navigate academic challenges, staffing needs, transportation issues and financial pressures at the same time.
If elected, I would focus on making sure the board has a clear understanding of where resources are going and what results they are producing. That means greater transparency in budgeting, closer attention to foundational literacy and math and targeted support for schools and students who need it most.
I also believe the board needs to listen closely to educators, families and students when evaluating whether a program or investment is working. Good intentions are not enough. We should be able to identify the goal, measure progress and make adjustments when something is not producing the intended results.
My approach would be to protect the resources that directly support students while asking difficult but necessary questions about spending, implementation and outcomes.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
A public leader I admire is Freeman Hrabowski III, the former president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. I admire his commitment to education, particularly his belief that students from different backgrounds can achieve at high levels when they are given the right support and opportunities.
His work in math, science and STEM education also stands out to me because I believe strongly in helping students build strong academic foundations. During his leadership, UMBC became recognized for its approach to student achievement and increasing opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM.
What I appreciate most is that his work demonstrates the importance of having high expectations while also making sure students have the support needed to meet them. That is something I hope to carry into my own work in education and public service.
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.
I believe the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is helping Maryland move toward a stronger and more equitable public education system. I have participated in Blueprint advocacy events and met the families, educators, advocates and community members engaged in conversations about how we invest in our schools.
I especially support the Blueprint’s focus on early childhood education, improving academic outcomes, expanding opportunities for students and addressing longstanding inequities in education. These investments are important because students should not have to depend on their ZIP code to determine the quality of education and opportunities available to them.
At the same time, I believe implementation and accountability are critical. We need to make sure funding reaches the areas where students need it most and that we are measuring whether programs are actually improving outcomes. As a board member, I would work to support the goals of the Blueprint while also asking thoughtful questions about implementation, spending and student results. I believe we can be both supportive of the Blueprint and committed to making sure it delivers for Maryland students.
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 serious issue because students cannot benefit from instruction they are not present to receive. I believe the board should focus on understanding why students are missing school rather than treating every attendance problem the same way.
Schools should identify attendance concerns early and work with families to address barriers such as transportation, health, housing instability, academic struggles or disengagement. Attendance data should also be used to identify patterns by school, grade level and student population so resources can be directed where they are needed.
I would support stronger communication with families, earlier interventions and partnerships with community organizations that can help address barriers outside the classroom. Improving attendance should ultimately be about helping students feel connected to their schools and giving families the support they need to get their children there consistently.
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?
I believe AI is becoming increasingly common, but students still need to develop their own ability to read, write, think critically, solve problems and complete work independently.
Students should understand the difference between using technology as a learning aid and having technology complete their work for them. I would also want the district to be extremely careful about student privacy and the collection of student data.
The policy should continue to be reviewed as the technology changes. I would rather see Prince George's County Public Schools move carefully and intentionally than rush to adopt technology simply because it is new.
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?
Prince George's County Public Schools has made mental health resources available to students, including school counselors, mental health clinicians and community-based services. The larger question is whether students can access those resources when they need them.
Students should not have to reach a crisis before someone recognizes that they need help. I would like to see earlier identification of concerns, stronger communication with families, and a clear process for connecting students with appropriate services.
I would also look at staffing levels and wait times to determine whether schools have enough capacity to meet the needs they are seeing. Mental health should be treated as part of a student’s overall ability to learn and succeed, while also recognizing that schools cannot solve every mental health issue alone. Strong partnerships with families and qualified community providers are important.
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?
Yes, there are circumstances when a book may be inappropriate for a school library, particularly when it does not meet established standards for the age and developmental level of the students it is intended to serve. Parents should have opportunities to raise concerns about materials and understand the process for having those concerns reviewed. I would support a transparent review process involving qualified library professionals, educators, administrators, parents and community voices.
