# Howard County Board of Education (non-partisan) **In one sentence:** This is a countywide race to fill two of seven seats on the board that runs Howard County's public schools; the board sets policy, hires and evaluates the superintendent, and works out the school budget, and you can vote for up to 2 of the 3 candidates. ## The candidates ### Mark E. Covington - **Background:** Aged 63, from Columbia. A public school teacher, administrator, and principal from 1986–2017; later a professor at Loyola University Maryland. This is his first run for office [5][8]. - **Top stated priorities:** In a Q&A he called it "unacceptable" to balance budgets at the expense of students, and he backs continued work on post-high-school options [8]. His campaign site says he is "ready to serve every student, every teacher, and every HCPSS family" [4]. - **Record or experience relevant to this office:** Since 2025 he has served on the HCPSS Operating Budget Review Committee, the HCPSS Community Advisory Council (vice chair), and the Hickory Ridge Village Board (vice chair) [5]. ### Linda Frascarella - **Background:** Aged 62, from Ellicott City. A financial manager (17 years at GE, then Discovery Education) with a master's in teaching. Her three children attended Howard County schools [1][9]. - **Top stated priorities:** "Public education is the foundation of our democracy"; she offers her financial-management and analytical skills, and the experience of having worked for HCPSS [1][9]. - **Record or experience relevant to this office:** She has a teaching certificate and taught in HCPSS as a substitute [9]. In her campaign's own words, she has "worked for HCPSS and have a Masters in Teaching" [1]. ### Lanlan Xu - **Background:** Aged 49, from Clarksville. A health-policy expert (vice president at KNG Health) who held senior roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and advised a White House initiative on Asian American affairs [5][10]. - **Top stated priorities:** Decisions "driven by data, shaped by experience, and informed by the voices of our community," so every student has the support and resources to thrive [10]. - **Record or experience relevant to this office:** On the HCPSS Operating Budget Review Committee, she helped advance recommendations that restored cuts to media specialists, science/other paraeducators, and Multilingual Learner support [10]. ## Where they differ - **Funding stance.** Xu testified to the County Executive urging full funding of the school budget, arguing per-pupil funding has stagnated since FY2019 while special-education enrollment rose [10]. Covington says it is "unacceptable" to cut spending at students' expense [8]. Frascarella is described by her campaign as "appropriately funding our schools" [9]. - **Professional background.** Covington has spent a career inside public schools; Frascarella comes from finance and project management; Xu comes from health policy [5][8][10]. - **Local service track record.** Covington and Xu each already serve on HCPSS advisory/budget committees; Frascarella's ties to the schools are as a former HCPSS employee [1][5][10]. ## If you care most about... - **Hands-on school experience** -> Covington fits, because he has taught, led a school, and sat on HCPSS committees for years [5][8]. - **Budget and financial management** -> Frascarella fits, because her career is in financial management and she has a teaching degree [1][9]. - **Student support and data-driven policy** -> Xu fits, because she has pressed for full budget funding and protected student-facing staff [10]. - **How much money schools should get** -> Xu and Covington both argue for more, and Frascarella for "appropriate" funding; weigh that against your view of the tax burden [8][9][10]. ## What we could not verify - Frascarella did not answer The Banner's questionnaire, so her answers on specific issues are not found in sources checked [3]. - No sources checked record any candidate or group opposing or attacking another candidate in this race. - Ballotpedia lists an endorsement of Xu by a state delegate; the delegate's name was cut off and could not be confirmed [2]. ## Confidence **Medium.** Candidate facts, the ballot, and endorsements are well corroborated across official and non-partisan sources; but one candidate (Frascarella) skipped the main Q&A and the exact term lengths in 2026 are still unclear (see sources), so specifics beyond the basics are thinner. ## Sources 1. Linda Frascarella campaign site - vote4frascarella.com - https://vote4frascarella.com/ 2. Lanlan Xu - Ballotpedia - https://ballotpedia.org/Lanlan_Xu 3. Howard County Board of Education, 2026 Voter Guide - The Banner - https://www.thebanner.com/voter-guide/2026/howard-county/howard-county-board-of-education-CHCZBTRP7FEVHLES2N7Z535ZP4/ 4. Mark Covington for Board of Education - covingtonforboe.com - https://www.covingtonforboe.com/ 5. 2026 Voter Guide: Howard County Board of Education - The Baltimore Sun - https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/05/20/howard-county-board-of-education-candidates-2026-election 6. Howard sample ballot - Maryland State Board of Elections - https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2026/general_ballots/Howard.pdf 7. Howard County Board of Education - HCPSS - https://www.hcpss.org/board/ 8. 2026 Candidate Spotlight: Meet Mark Covington - Ellicott City Patch - https://patch.com/maryland/ellicottcity/2026-candidate-spotlight-meet-mark-covington 9. Linda Frascarella campaign site (background) - vote4frascarella.com - https://vote4frascarella.com/about/ 10. Dr. Lanlan Xu for Board of Education - lanlanxu.org - https://www.lanlanxu.org/ 11. Board of Education of Howard County testimony to the Maryland Senate - mgaleg.maryland.gov - https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/cmte_testimony/2025/eee/1L0P3lFNj4dNLeMS2yb_T1XCaTSOYNk9s.pdf 12. Endorsements by Howard County Education Association - Ballotpedia - https://ballotpedia.org/Endorsements_by_Howard_County_Education_Association 13. Howard County Public Schools, Maryland, elections (2026) - Ballotpedia - https://ballotpedia.org/Howard_County_Public_Schools,_Maryland,_elections_(2026)