Like four years ago, the Richmond School Board will experience some turnover this election with three open seats. And four incumbents are facing challengers. That makes it a total of seven of the nine seats that could host a new repesentative.

That prospect is a bit disturbing because, in the past eight months marked by upheaval with COVID-19, some continuity would be better. Richmond Public Schools is going through one of the toughest times yet. The coronavirus forced the shutdown of schools in mid-March. Students, families, teachers and administrators have had to adjust to virtual learning since schools opened for the fall semester.

And with a new spike in coronavirus cases sweeping the nation and starting to show in Virginia, there is great uncertainty whether and when schools will reopen for in-person learning in 2021.

This puts an even greater need and burden for leadership on Richmond’s next School Board.

RPS has long struggled with the tough, chronic problems of student absenteeism and dropouts that have given the city some of the worst records among school districts in the state. We have a low student achievement rate, as measured by Standards of Learning tests, and a low graduation rate, with too many students not completing high school in four years.

The coronavirus only threatens to make Richmond’s education gaps wider, critical problems the next School Board must have the skills and abilities to help our school system address.

We are endorsing five incumbents who we believe have the vision and tenacity to help RPS through this rocky time: Liz B. Doerr, 1st District; J. Scott Barlow, 2nd District; Jonathan M. Young, 4th District; Cheryl L. Burke, 7th District; and Dawn C. Page, 8th District. We believe Ms. Burke, Ms. Page and Mr. Young, in particular, work hard and are well qualified to help RPS through this troubling time.

We also endorse candidates Sabrina J. Gross, 3rd District; Decardra L. Jackson, 5th District; and Shonda M. Harris-Muhammed, 6th District, because we believe they have the knowledge and experience to help shape a positive direction for RPS, particularly during the next 12 months.

Ms. Gross, who holds a law degree, is a coordinator for complaints and special projects for the state Department of Education’s Office of Dispute Resolution and Administrative Services. This also includes special education complaints. Dr. Jackson is the STEM coordinator with Petersburg Public Schools and a former assistant principal and director of assessment, literacy and research for RPS. Ms. Harris-Muhammed is an assistant principal with Franklin City Public Schools and a former member of the Richmond School Board. We believe they know what’s needed in Richmond and how to help RPS get there.

Nicole Jones, who is unopposed for the open 9th District seat, also has our endorsement