Stephanie Sneed, CMS Board of Education District 4 candidate, answers questions
To help inform voters in the Nov. 4, 2025, election, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The Charlotte Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Stephanie Sneed
Age: 50
Campaign website or social media page: sneed4education.com Occupation: Attorney
Education: B.S. (Enviornmental Science concentration); graduate school courses (City and Regional planning concentration); and Juris Doctor
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought or held):
2017 - Board of Education (sought); 2019 - Board of Education (sought); 2022 - Board of Education (Elected)
Please list your highlights of civic involvement:
Chair & Vice Chair, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education; Chair & Education Committee Member, Black Political Caucus; Founding Member, West Side Education Think Tank; Girl Scout Leader; PTA & CMS Volunteer; Precinct Vice Chair; Legislative Chair, Jack & Jill, Inc.; CMS Bond Oversight; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
What are the most important issues in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools today, and how would you address them?
Key issues are student outcomes, teachers, engagement & legislation. Gains in reading/math must accelerate & every student must be enrolled, enlisted or employed in a living-wage career at graduation. I fought for this goal & will keep pressing to close gaps, uplift teachers & expand mental health. I will continue to use my relationships to affect legislation & demand Superintendent accountability for delivery of results & clear reporting. Our kids can’t wait; public education must be supported.
How can the district improve student performance, close achievement gaps and get schools off the state’s low-performing list? (There were 56 CMS campuses on the low-performing list during the 2023-24 school year and 32 in the 2024-25 school year):
The Board set bold 5-year goals in reading, math, and ensuring every graduate is enrolled, enlisted, or employed. The Superintendent must deliver a plan with results, and we demand accountability through clear reporting. To raise performance & close gaps, we must invest in achievement, strong teachers, real support for educators and mental health, and community partners. Reports show progress is on track to significant improvements, but we must not take our foot off the gas.
How should the school system handle decisions by the federal government that you may disagree with or that negatively affect the district? And how should the district communicate with the public about the effects of those decisions?
The focus must always be on students. No matter the federal decision, CMS must adapt so classrooms stay supported first. Communication must be clear, direct and repeated, from the Board to lawmakers; and to staff to families, showing the impact, our response, & our processes. We must use every tool including, meetings, trainings, written guidance, social media, press & direct communication as well as remind our community there is power in advocacy. There must be a commitment to student progress.
Teacher shortages remain a challenge across North Carolina and the nation. What do you believe CMS needs to do in order to attract teachers and keep experienced ones in the classroom?
The #1 thing we can do is ensure a highly qualified teacher is in every classroom. Teacher pay and support are urgent. NC ranks 43rd while housing costs soar. CMS acted: we pushed for higher pay, achieved increases the past 3 years with county supplements, and created a Recruitment & Retention division was created. CMS launched housing support, teacher-leader pathways, and training for new teachers and principals. The result: 99% fill rate, lower attrition, and 88% say their school is a good place to work. When we fight for teachers, we fight for kids.
What separates you from your opponents and makes you the best choice on November’s ballot?
What separates me from my opponents is proven leadership. I have delivered results, not promises. I am deeply connected across community, government, corporate, and grassroots arenas, bringing legal expertise in employment law and child protective services and the perspective of a CMS parent. My record shows I can execute a bold vision: every student graduates ready: employed, enrolled, or enlisted. Others talk change; I’ve led it and will keep delivering for our kids.
