Okaloosa County School Board Chairman Linda Evanchyk will seek another term representing District 3.

• Evanchyk, who was first elected in 2018 and won re-election in 2022, said in an interview that she believes her background in the classroom and nearly eight years of board experience give her the tools to help the district navigate what she described as a period of change in public education.

“I feel like I still have something to offer, that I can be an active part of making the decisions and moving the district forward,” Evanchyk said. “There’s really a new idea and concept on public education and what education is with parent choice. I feel like with my experience coming from the classroom initially, now with finishing out almost eight years on the board, that gives me the background to help move us through this next time of changes in public education.”

Prior to joining the board, Evanchyk spent 38 years as an English and journalism teacher, including 33 at Choctawhatchee High School, where she also graduated in 1974. She retired in 2017 and launched her campaign the following year.

She was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 2010 and was twice named Florida Journalism Teacher of the Year. She currently serves as chairman of the school board, sits on the Okaloosa County Value Adjustment Board, represents the board on the Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation and is a Take Stock in Children mentor.

Evanchyk pointed to the district’s employee benefits overhaul as one of her proudest accomplishments. She said that when she first joined the board, the medical benefits package had increased 12% from the prior year. Since then, the district has moved to a self-insured model and recently opened a free medical clinic for employees, with plans to expand to additional locations throughout the county.

• “I am very proud that I was vocal about that and became involved in offering our employees those benefits,” she said.

She also cited her role in helping launch high school town hall meetings after the COVID-19 pandemic, an initiative she and Superintendent Marcus Chambers first brought to Baker School to hear directly from students. The town halls have since expanded, with Chambers now holding them countywide and other board members participating in their districts.

On the infrastructure front, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has generated more than $100 million in capital improvements across the district, funding secured entrances, new buildings, bus replacements and facility upgrades. 

“We made a promise to the public that we would do what we needed to do to fix our schools up. And we’re keeping that promise,” she said. “Promise made, promise kept.”

Among projects still ahead is the opening of Pineview School in Crestview, Okaloosa County’s first new school since 2008. The K-8 campus, funded through bonds, is scheduled to open for the 2026-27 school year. The school falls within Evanchyk’s District 3 boundaries.

• “I think it also shows our investment in public education to offer our students the top of the line, the best we can give them,” Evanchyk said of the new school.

The district is also contending with enrollment and funding pressures. Last year, enrollment fell 452 full-time equivalent students below projections, resulting in a $4 million funding shortfall. The number of students using the state’s Family Empowerment Scholarship grew from approximately 1,800 to 3,000 over the same period, and the district has asked state legislators to separate scholarship funding from the Florida Education Finance Program so it does not reduce public school allocations.

Evanchyk said she supports parental choice but considers the current funding model a problem.

“I’m all for a parent choosing the way they want to have their student educated. To me, that’s just basic understanding,” she said. “However, what’s been a challenge is the way that funding works.”

• She described the convergence of the scholarship growth, declining enrollment in South Okaloosa County due to shifting demographics and housing costs, and the resulting budget impact as a “perfect storm.”

Evanchyk said the Superintendent has cut $22 million from the district budget over the past year, eliminating district-level staff positions and redirecting funding toward classrooms.

On the workforce side, Evanchyk said the district is working to attract and retain employees across all job categories, including bus drivers, custodial staff and teachers. She said the district has limited control over salaries under the state’s funding model but has tried to make employment more attractive through benefits such as the employee clinic and affordable medical plans.

Despite the challenges, the district has maintained its “A” rating from the state and currently holds a 96% graduation rate. Evanchyk attributed that consistency to the work of teachers, staff and parents.

• “I would put Okaloosa County students up against any,” she said, noting that the board regularly recognizes students at meetings for state championships and academic awards. “It’s amazing what they do and continue to do.”

Asked what success would look like at the end of another term, Evanchyk said she wants the district’s facilities to reach a point where students and employees take pride in them daily, and for the district to remain the primary choice for families in Okaloosa County.

“We still have somewhere between 87 and 90% of the students still going to public schools in the state of Florida,” she said. “I think Okaloosa County will continue to be the main choice for students to attend. Nothing wrong if they don’t, but I just think that we will continue to meet those challenges.”

Evanchyk said she is grateful for the opportunity to serve and remains focused on students.

“I am honored to have been able to have this position for two terms and I will continue to do the best I can to make this district the best,” she said. “It’s all about students. I enjoy talking with students and getting their feedback on what’s going on. I hope that I will get continued support and be able to continue serving.”

More In 2026 Elections: U.S. Army veteran Mitch Reed announced his bid for the District 3 seat held by Evanchyk in August. In the District 1 race, Board Member Dr. Lamar White has announced he will not seek re-election. Former Okaloosa County Clerk of Courts JD Peacock announced his candidacy for the seat in January, followed by Jerry Buckman in early February. Cynthia West, a mental health professional who initially launched a campaign for District 3, shifted to District 1 in January.