# Howard County Board of Education (non-partisan)  
**In one sentence:** This office sets education policy, hires the school superintendent, and approves the district budget. Voters can select up to 2 candidates.  

## The candidates  
### Mark E. Covington  
**Background:** 63-year-old retired public school educator with 30+ years in classrooms and administrative roles. Served on the Howard County Public School System Community Advisory Council (Vice Chair) and Operating Budget Review Committee.  
**Top stated priorities:** Fully fund schools, recruit/retain educators, create inclusive schools, and close opportunity gaps.  
**Record or experience relevant to this office:** Led efforts to raise graduation rates and secure school funding. Advocated for teacher support and mental health resources.  

### Linda Frascarella  
**Background:** 57-year-old financial manager with an MBA and MAT. Worked for GE and Discovery Education. Served on the Howard County Public School System’s PTA, League of Women Voters, and Homeowners Association.  
**Top stated priorities:** Ensure schools are fully funded, address equity gaps, and improve transparency in decision-making.  
**Record or experience relevant to this office:** Led school-based initiatives and community engagement efforts. Focused on balancing budgets while prioritizing student needs.  

### Lanlan Xu  
**Background:** 49-year-old policy director with PhDs in Public Policy and German Literature. Previously worked at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans. Serves on Howard County’s AAPI Commission.  
**Top stated priorities:** Support student well-being, ensure transparent budgeting, and expand career pathways.  
**Record or experience relevant to this office:** Advocated for health policy reforms and community collaboration in education.  

## Where they differ  
1. **Funding approach:** Covington emphasizes "fully funding" schools to avoid cuts, while Frascarella and Xu focus on equitable resource allocation and long-term planning.  
2. **Teacher support:** Covington highlights recruitment and retention, while Xu stresses empowering educators through resources and voice.  
3. **Community engagement:** Xu prioritizes collaboration across families, educators, and stakeholders, whereas Frascarella emphasizes transparency in decision-making.  

## If you care most about...  
- **Fully funded schools** -> FOR Covington (prioritizes avoiding cuts) and Xu (advocates for stable budgets).  
- **Teacher retention** -> FOR Covington (focuses on tangible support) and Frascarella (emphasizes financial stability).  
- **Equity in education** -> FOR Frascarella (addresses systemic gaps) and Xu (promises data-driven strategies).  

## Who supports and who opposes  
**Supporters:**  
- Covington: Howard County Education Association, Howard Progressive Project, Gun Sense Voter.  
- Frascarella: Sierra Club, Moms Demand Action, Columbia Democratic Club.  
- Xu: State Del. Chao Wu (D), Howard County Education Association, Sierra Club.  

**Opposition:** Not found in sources checked.  

## What we could not verify  
- Specific details on how each candidate would address classroom size or facility repairs.  
- Concrete plans for integrating career pathways into curriculum.  

## Confidence  
**High** – Information from official candidate websites, local news profiles, and Ballotpedia surveys.  

## Sources  
[1] Mark Covington campaign site: https://www.covingtonforboe.com/  
[2] The Banner voter guide: https://www.thebanner.com/voter-guide/2026/howard-county/  
[3] Ballotpedia candidate profiles: https://ballotpedia.org/Mark_Covington, https://ballotpedia.org/Linda_Frascarella, https://ballotpedia.org/Lanlan_Xu  
[4] Linda Frascarella campaign site: https://vote4frascarella.com/  
[5] Lanlan Xu campaign site: https://www.lanlanxu.org/