North Lawrence School Board

What a school board does

A school board is the elected or appointed governing body of a public school corporation, the legal unit that runs a local school district ^{[1, 2]}. The board hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts policies, and approves the annual budget, while the superintendent and staff run schools day to day ^[3]. Most boards have five or seven members serving staggered four-year terms ^[3]. Starting in 2026, candidates may list a political party, run as independents, or list no affiliation on the ballot, and there is no primary for these seats ^{[2, 4]}.

Term

4 years, with elections staggered so part of the board is chosen every two years ^[3]

Elected

At the November general election (November 3, 2026, or November 2028 for some seats); depending on the local organization plan, members represent the whole school corporation (at large) or a district within it, and some boards are wholly or partly appointed ^[2]

Ballot label

Each candidate chooses a party label, 'Independent', or no affiliation, shown next to the name; no primary and no straight-ticket voting for these races ^{[2, 4]}

Pay

Set by board resolution: an annual amount of no more than 10% of the lowest starting teacher salary in the school corporation, plus a capped per diem ^[5]

On the 2026 ballot

632 races in 276 school corporations; 1,035 candidates, 197 races contested ^[6]

The job in full — what the Indiana Code puts in it, what it pays, and what to ask a candidate.

About North Lawrence Com Schools

• The district: North Lawrence Community Schools, based in Bedford, is the larger of Lawrence County's two school corporations ^{[24, 25]}. It runs Bedford North Lawrence High School, the North Lawrence Career Center, Bedford Middle School, five elementary schools (Dollens, Lincoln, Needmore, Parkview and Shawswick), Playful Pathways and Gateway Academy ^[24]. Bedford North Lawrence High School consolidated seven former high schools: Bedford, Tunnelton, Shawswick, Needmore, Fayetteville, Oolitic and Heltonville ^[26]. Federal data list 3,517 students in 2023–24 ^[27].
• Superintendent: the district's board page lists Kevin Yancey as superintendent ^[28]. A WBIW back-to-school story in August 2026 attributed the district's message to 'Superintendent Dr. Adam Hall' while captioning a photo of Yancey as superintendent; this guide could not confirm a change in leadership ^[29]. The board bought out the contract of former superintendent Ty Mungle by a 5–2 vote in January 2023, less than two weeks after four of the members now up for election took office ^{[30, 28]}.
• The board has seven members serving staggered four-year terms, with three elected in presidential election years and four two years later ^[31]. Current members are Adam Parsley (president), Kirsten Collier (vice president), Justin Sokeland (secretary), Dr. Wendy Miller, Jeremy Gilbert, Barb Miller and Scott King; the terms of Parsley, Collier, Barb Miller and King end December 31, 2026 ^[28]. Members are elected from numbered districts, and candidates file with signatures from registered voters in the school district where they live ^{[32, 33]}.
• Seats on the 2026 ballot: WBIW reported before the June 18 filing deadline that four seats were up, one each in Districts 1, 2, 3 and 5 ^{[25, 32]}. The state candidate list shows races only in Districts 2, 3 and 5, each electing one member, so this guide found no candidate on the ballot for District 1 ^[6]. In 2022, Adam P. Parsley filed in District 2 and Scott C. King in District 3 ^[33]. Parsley is not on the 2026 ballot, so Carson Boady (Republican) is unopposed for District 2; King (Republican) is unopposed for re-election in District 3; and in District 5, Barbara Miller (Nonpartisan) faces Zachary 'Zac' Crane (Republican) ^[6]. This guide did not confirm which of the two remaining 2022-elected members, Collier and Barb Miller, represents District 1 and which District 5.
• Budget and SEA 1: in an April 2025 statement after the property-tax law was signed, the board and administration said cuts would fall on the Operations Fund over the next three years, that the district's recent work on its finances left it 'perhaps better positioned than many school systems,' and that the superintendent would bring recommendations to the board with community input; increasing teacher pay was described as a primary board goal ^[34].
• Facilities: the same statement reported a facilities study begun in March 2025 to be completed by October 1, 2025, and listed roof replacements at Shawswick, Lincoln, Parkview, Needmore and BNL, HVAC and lighting work, and 12 new buses ^[34]. In July 2025 the district's building corporation met to approve a lease agreement and bond issue ^[35].
• Enrollment: the district reported a slight increase in 2024–25 after several years of decline, noting that the state-funded Education Fund depends on enrollment ^[34].
• Other 2025–2026 board business: the board held a public work session on a district strategic plan in August 2025, held a public meeting in November 2025 on a tentative contract with the teachers' association, and scheduled October 2026 sessions on extracurricular pay contracts with the North Lawrence Education Association ^{[36, 37, 38]}.
• Forums: this guide found no 2026 candidate forum, questionnaire or news profile for these races. The Times-Mail (Bedford) could not be accessed for this guide.

North Lawrence Community School Board, District 2

Unopposed

North Lawrence Community School Board, District 3

Unopposed

North Lawrence Community School Board, District 5

2 candidates

Key points

• The district: North Lawrence Community Schools, based in Bedford, is the larger of Lawrence County's two school corporations. (North Lawrence Community Schools)
• Enrollment: the district reported a slight increase in 2024–25 after several years of decline, noting that the state-funded Education Fund depends on enrollment. (WBIW)
• Superintendent: the district's board page lists Kevin Yancey as superintendent. (North Lawrence Community Schools)

Sources