2025 Virginia General Election

Robert E "Bob" Beard

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Walter Ley

Bob Beard Announces Campaign For School Board – Albemarle ...

Bob Beard has a bachelor of arts from Vanderbilt University and a master of arts from Georgetown University. He has lived in Ivy with his wife, Ellen, for more than twenty years. Their twin sons, Ryan and Wes, graduated from Western Albemarle High School after attending Ivy Elementary and Henley.

Bob is a real estate investor. He owns a small real estate investing company. He was previously a news anchor at CBS19 in Charlottesville and worked in public affairs as a spokesperson and science writer at the UVa Health System. Earlier in his career, he was a broadcast journalist in Washington, DC, working as a reporter at CNN, NBC News, WRC-TV, and Reuters.

Robert E. "Bob" Beard's campaign for the Albemarle County School Board Member, Samuel Miller District, is his first entry into politics. He is currently a member of the Albemarle Co. Equalization Board. He is also a current vice-chair of the Albemarle Democrats.

Believes "now is the time to act to make sure our students are always safe in our schools."

School Violence

Prioritizes improving literacy and math skills in elementary schools.

Supports providing resources and support for all students to be challenged in class, excel academically, and have access to arts, recess, and mental health services.

School Curriculum

Believes the majority of ACPS students attend schools that are at or surpassing 95% capacity and several are beyond 100% capacity.

School System Budget

- The school board runs the public school system, and it is entirely independent from the rest of the county government. 
- School board members work together to make school policy, set the budget, and appoint the superintendent to run the schools day to day. 
- Some school board members are elected by the entire city, while others represent specific districts. 
- School board members are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan elections.

Governs the county's public school system