Ron Long is one of three candidates running for the District 4 seat on the Flagler School Board. He faces the incumbent candidate Christy Chong, as well as former School Board member Trevor Tucker.
The 2026 primary election is on Tuesday, August 18. Flagler County voters will be able to vote for the District 1, District 2, and District 4 seats. School Board races are nonpartisan and open to all county voters.
The District 4 race will appear on the primary ballot. If one of the three candidates receives at least one vote over 50.0%, they will win the election then and there. If none do, the top two candidates will advance to a runoff election on November 3.
Other Candidate Interviews
Flagler County Commission:
Flagler School Board:
Palm Coast City Council:
Interview Criteria
- The object of the interview is not to grill the candidate, nor to give them softballs. Ideally, in their answers the candidates provide to voters a useful insight into their ideology, their priorities, and their knowledgeability and preparedness for office.
- These questions are sent to each declared candidate in Flagler County’s local elections. All candidates running for the same office received the same exact questions.
- The only edits made are for spelling, formatting and basic grammar (i.e., ‘their’ when it should be ‘there’). Censorship of profanity may also be applied if it were applicable. Otherwise, answers are presented in their full form as the candidate provides them.
- Answers are subject to fact-checking if they contain information that’s blatantly misleading or untrue (misrepresenting factually verifiable information, misquoting a statistic, etc). Clarifications will be added underneath the candidate’s answer if applicable. The answers will still be presented as given even if a fact-check or clarification is needed.
Candidate Interview
Date of Birth:
Hometown: “I’m a Florida native who has called Flagler County home for nearly 25 years.”
Career/Educational Resume: “My wife, Rebecca, and I raised our three children here, all graduates of Flagler County public schools. My 30-plus-year career in construction taught me how to manage budgets, meet deadlines, and solve problems. As Vice Chair of the Flagler County Planning and Development Advisory Board, I’ve gained valuable experience listening to our community, working with others, and making responsible decisions.”
1) Order these three groups according to how strongly you feel a School Board member is tasked with serving them: students, teachers, and parents.
1. Students
2. Parents
3. Teachers
“A School Board member’s ultimate responsibility is to ensure students receive a safe, effective, and high-quality education. Parents are their children’s primary advocates and should have a strong voice in their education. Teachers are essential to student success and deserve the support, resources, and respect needed to do their jobs effectively. Serving all three groups is interconnected, but student success must remain the Board’s central focus.
“There is also a fourth group that must never be overlooked: the taxpayers. They provide the resources that make public education possible and deserve transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of every dollar entrusted to the School District.”
2) Describe any career experience you have in which you directly worked in or with the public education system. If none applies, explain how any other experience you have would directly apply to the education aspects of School Board duties.
“I have not worked professionally in the public education system, but I bring more than 30 years of experience in construction, where I managed budgets, schedules, projects, and people while solving problems and being accountable for results. As Vice Chair of the Flagler County Planning and Development Advisory Board, I’ve also learned to evaluate complex issues, listen to the community, work collaboratively, and make decisions that serve the public.
“Just as importantly, I have raised three children, all of whom graduated from the public school system. As a parent, I experienced firsthand every stage of their education; from Pre-K through high school graduation, giving me a personal understanding of the opportunities, challenges, and expectations families have throughout a child’s educational journey.
“I believe those professional and personal experiences directly apply to the responsibilities of a School Board member.”
3) How would you assess the School Board’s productivity and decorum over the past two years?
“I believe the School Board’s decorum and productivity have declined significantly over the past two years. Since Derek Barrs left the Board to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the division on the Board has become increasingly difficult to ignore.
“We have seen Board members unable to make time for legislative days, important Florida School Boards Association training, or even an additional 30 minutes during a workshop to work through policy details, while a nine-hour meeting to decide the Vice Chair position was a hill worth dying on.
“I have served on boards, and I understand how important it is for members to work together, disagree respectfully, and ultimately move forward. The School Board needs to put aside personal and political differences and get back to the business of serving students, supporting teachers, and being accountable to taxpayers.”
4) In recent years the School Board has navigated multiple issues which became political lightning rods. How does an effective School Board member remain focused on students when the situation attracts mass political attention from the county and beyond?
“An effective School Board member must be willing to separate the political noise from the responsibility of governing. That starts with listening to parents, teachers, and the community, understanding the facts, following state law, and keeping the focus on what is best for students.
“Not every controversial issue requires the School Board to become the center of a political debate. When the Legislature has established the policy, our responsibility is to implement it effectively and move on to the issues we can control; student achievement, teacher support, school safety, fiscal responsibility, and preparing students for their future.
“I believe a School Board member should provide steady leadership, not add to the noise.”
5) Florida passed universal school choice in 2023. As someone who hopes to be a leader within the school district, do you believe Flagler Schools is the best choice available to parents? Why or why not?
“I believe parents should have the right to choose the education that best fits their child. Competition breeds excellence, and universal school choice is now part of Florida’s education landscape and is not going away.
“That means Flagler Schools must become a better partner with parents and work every day to earn their confidence. For some students, that may mean Flagler Schools. For others, it may be private school, homeschool, or a combination of options.
“My goal is not to make every student fit one system. It is to make sure every Flagler County student has access to the best education possible; and that Flagler Schools is one of the best choices available.”
6) On a similar note, educators and other faculty may view Flagler Schools as one option among several other school districts. What will you advocate for to make Flagler Schools a more attractive place to work?
“We need to make Flagler Schools a place where good educators want to work, want to stay, and can build a career. That starts with competitive compensation and benefits, but it also means giving teachers and staff the resources, training, and support they need to be successful.
“We also need to create a culture of value—one that promotes from within, maintains our institutional brain trust, and recognizes the knowledge and experience of the people who have dedicated their careers to Flagler Schools. We should invest in those employees and make sure they know they are valued for more than just a number on a staffing chart.
“I would also advocate for reducing unnecessary administrative burdens and giving teachers a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their classrooms. If we want to compete for the best educators, we need to make Flagler Schools a place where people feel valued, supported, respected, and see a future for themselves.”
7) Are there any new or underutilized revenue streams you can name that Flagler Schools might tap into to support its budget? If so, expand upon your proposal for implementation.
“Before looking for new revenue streams, the School Board must ensure we are being responsible stewards of the dollars we already receive. However, there are opportunities to be more creative in how we support our schools.
“Flagler Schools should expand partnerships with local businesses, community organizations, and industry leaders to create opportunities for sponsorships, career and technical education programs, internships, and workforce development initiatives. We should also be more aggressive in pursuing available state and federal grants that align with our priorities, including school safety, technology, workforce training, and early learning.
“I also believe we should explore ways to better engage our alumni and community partners who have a vested interest in the success of Flagler students. A strong public-private partnership model can provide additional resources without placing the entire burden on taxpayers.
“The goal should not simply be finding more money; it should be maximizing every dollar we have and building partnerships that directly benefit students, teachers, and our community.”
8) How would you define a successful working relationship between the School Board and the superintendent?
“A successful relationship starts with understanding and respecting the boundaries of the two roles. The Superintendent is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the district, while the School Board’s responsibility is to set policy, provide oversight, and ensure the Superintendent has the resources necessary to succeed.
“LaShakia Moore is an incredible asset to Flagler Schools. She understands how to identify what our schools need and, importantly, how to get those needs addressed. The Board should support her, hold her accountable, and work collaboratively with her to shape policies that best serve our students.
“One of our most important responsibilities should be creating an environment where strong leadership can succeed. We should do everything within our role to retain Mrs. Moore and give her the support and resources she needs to continue moving Flagler Schools forward.”
