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Sarah Smylie has a bachelor's degree in public policy from Brown University and a master's degree in public administration and non profit/public/organizational management from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Who's Running: Orange County County Commission and School ...

Sarah works as a talent strategy consultant. She previously worked as a director of talent strategy and acquisition and director of admissions for Teach For America, and as a public school teacher, institutional analyst, and independent consultant. 

Sarah currently serves as the County Board of Education for Orange County. She was first elected in 2018 and is serving her second term. 


OCS Board of Education expands lunch programs, approves extra ...

Voted to expand meal option services for low income areas to include additional elementary schools.

Supported additional pay supplements for Orange County Schools bus drivers.

Voted to remove student meal charge caps, allowing students to charge meals when funds were unavailable.

- Voted to expand meal option services for low income areas to include additional elementary schools.
- Supported additional pay supplements for Orange County Schools bus drivers.
- Voted to remove student meal charge caps, allowing students to charge meals when funds were unavailable.

School Facilities & Resources

As of January 2, 2026, Sarah Smylie’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Access to Education

Teachers

Orange County School Board votes to keep controversial LGBT ...

For Candidate Sarah Smylie on Issue school-curriculum:  
Opposes attempts to limit student access to books about people of color and LGBTQ perspectives.

Opposes attempts to limit student access to books about "people of color and LGBTQ perspectives."

- Opposes attempts to limit student access to books about "people of color and LGBTQ perspectives."

School Curriculum

Student Wellbeing

Facebook

Sarah Smylie

Voted to make changes to remove charge caps for students, which is when students do not have money for their meals and gain a negative balance. 

- Voted to expand meal option services for low income areas to include additional elementary schools.
- Supported additional pay supplements for Orange County Schools bus drivers.
- Voted to make changes to remove charge caps for students, which is when students do not have money for their meals and gain a negative balance. 

Sarah works as a talent strategy consultant. She previously worked as a public school teacher, managing director, institutional analyst, and independent consultant. 

Sarah Smylie currently serves as the County Board of Education for Orange County. She was first elected in 2018 and is serving her second term. 


As a board of education member, voted to expand meal option services for low income areas to include additional elementary schools.

Asa  board of education member, voted to pass additional pay supplements for Orange County Schools bus drivers.

As a board of education member, voted to make changes to remove charge caps for elementary and middle school students, which is when students do not have money for their meals and gain a negative balance. The change also included allowing high school students to charge a meal.

- As a board of education member, voted to expand meal option services for low income areas to include additional elementary schools.
- Asa  board of education member, voted to pass additional pay supplements for Orange County Schools bus drivers.
- As a board of education member, voted to make changes to remove charge caps for elementary and middle school students, which is when students do not have money for their meals and gain a negative balance. The change also included allowing high school students to charge a meal.

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. They create policies that establish standards, accountability and evaluation of essential operations of the school system.
- The Board of Education member hires a superintendent and can remove them when necessary. The superintendent assists the Board of Education in implementing the board’s policies. 
- The Board of Education is charged with deciding the school budget. This means they decide how to allocate money between different services, such as teacher pay, repairing school facilities, or access to technology.
- Board of Education members are elected every four years. 