Harrisonburg elections · Candidate listing
Emma Phillips
Independent · Incumbent
Election day:
Background
Phillips is the incumbent Harrisonburg City School Board member seeking another term; the 2026 election coverage says she is finishing her first four-year term. She is also a parent of children in Harrisonburg public schools and served as board chair during 2025.
Sources: The Harrisonburg Citizen, “3 seats, 3 candidates: This fall’s city school board election…”, Rocktown Now, “New HCPS School Board Chair and Vice Chair elected for 2026”
What the candidate has said
Statements are attributed to the linked sources.
Teacher retention
Phillips identified teacher retention as an important issue for a second term. The article reports that she advocated for salary increases above state-budget allotments and helped advance paid parental leave for new-parent school staff.
The Harrisonburg Citizen, “3 seats, 3 candidates: This fall’s city school board election…” (2026 election coverage)Student inclusion
Phillips said she wants the district to continue celebrating its diversity and working to close achievement gaps, especially for English-language learners.
The Harrisonburg Citizen, “3 seats, 3 candidates: This fall’s city school board election…” (2026 election coverage)Career education
Phillips expressed interest in career and technical education as the district develops a technical and career center with community partners.
The Harrisonburg Citizen, “3 seats, 3 candidates: This fall’s city school board election…” (2026 election coverage)