State Board of Education District 5
- Election date
- Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Kansas State Board of Education District 5
The State Board of Education helps decide statewide standards, curriculum fights, accreditation, and major school policy. District 5 includes Hays and much of western Kansas. Kelly Ancar is now included as an official SOS-filed Republican candidate, while Cunningham and Wood remain clearly caveated as KPDC/source-record entries pending final-list recheck.
Board members influence what schools teach, how districts are judged, and what statewide education debates look like for years to come.
What Does This Job Actually Do?
The State Board of Education sets the standards for what Kansas kids learn in school. They approve curriculum frameworks, oversee school accreditation, hire the state education commissioner, and weigh in on statewide fights over textbooks, testing, and teaching standards. District 5 covers western Kansas including Hays. These board members serve four-year terms and their decisions affect every public school student in the region.
The Candidates (3)
Click any name to read the full sourced profile.
Republican· Candidate / challenger
Kelly Ancar
Small business owner; registered nurse
5Sources6Records0OnlineNonpartisan· Candidate / challenger
Lorie Wood
State Board of Education candidate / campaign-finance account holder
3Sources0Records2OnlineNonpartisan· Candidate / challenger
Michelle Cunningham
State Board of Education candidate / campaign-finance account holder
2Sources0Records0Online