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Chris Young earned a bachelor's degree from East Carolina University.

Chris Young
Chief Technology Officer
chrisyoung@ccs.k12.nc.us

Technology | Cumberland County Schools

Chris currently works as a chief technology officer.

Meet the Technology Team | Cumberland County Schools

2026 North Carolina General Election

I’ve learned that successful solutions are rarely one-size-fits-all. Every community has unique needs, and every decision deserves to be evaluated on its own merits. I would rely on objective information, including enrollment trends, building condition, educational adequacy, transportation, operating costs, and long-term sustainability to guide every decision.
Community engagement is just as important as the data. Before significant decisions are made, families, employees, and community members deserve meaningful opportunities to understand the facts, ask questions and share their perspectives.

Why Chris Young Is Running for Cumberland School Board

If elected, my focus will be on ensuring every student has access to the best possible learning environment. Sometimes that means investing in existing schools. Other times it requires making difficult decisions that position the district for long-term success. Every taxpayer dollar should be invested wisely, transparently and with a long-term focus on student success. Good stewardship means making decisions that are not only right for today, but sustainable for the next generation of students.

Cumberland County Schools currently has several schools identified by the state as low-performing. What role should the Board of Education play in improving student outcomes at those schools? What strategies would you prioritize?

Every child deserves the opportunity to attend a school where they can succeed, regardless of their ZIP code. Improving student outcomes at our lowest-performing schools must remain one of the district’s highest priorities.

Every child deserves the opportunity to attend a school where they can succeed, regardless of their ZIP code. Improving student outcomes at our lowest-performing schools must remain one of the district’s highest priorities.
Improving student outcomes begins with setting clear expectations, aligning resources with student needs, and holding district leadership accountable for measurable progress. Success requires more than identifying challenges. It requires consistently measuring results, asking difficult questions, and being willing to adjust strategies when they aren’t producing the outcomes our students deserve.

Improving student outcomes begins with setting clear expectations, aligning resources with student needs, and holding district leadership accountable for measurable progress. Success requires more than identifying challenges. It requires consistently measuring results, asking difficult questions, and being willing to adjust strategies when they aren’t producing the outcomes our students deserve.
Improvement efforts should be guided by student performance data, strengthened school leadership, recruiting and retaining outstanding teachers and staff, targeted academic interventions, and meaningful partnerships with families and the community.

Would use enrollment, building-condition, transportation, cost and sustainability data to guide school-system decisions.

Prioritizes improving low-performing schools through clear expectations, resource alignment, measurable accountability, academic interventions and family-community partnerships.

- Would use enrollment, building-condition, transportation, cost and sustainability data to guide school-system decisions.
- Prioritizes improving low-performing schools through clear expectations, resource alignment, measurable accountability, academic interventions and family-community partnerships.

School Facilities & Resources

Throughout my career with Cumberland County Schools, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside our Exceptional Children teachers, instructional assistants, therapists, psychologists, related service providers, and school leaders. I’ve seen firsthand the dedication they bring to supporting students and families every day. Supporting children with disabilities begins with supporting these professionals by ensuring they have the staffing, training, resources and leadership they need to succeed.
Just as important is building trust with families.

The Board should regularly review staffing, compliance, student outcomes, and service delivery to ensure district leadership has the resources, accountability, and support necessary to continually strengthen special education services. Meeting legal requirements is the foundation, but our goal should always be to create an environment where families feel informed, respected, supported, and confident that their children are receiving the best education and services we can provide.

What are your views on year-round schools? What factors would you consider when making decisions about expanding or maintaining year-round calendars?

I don’t believe there is a single school calendar that is right for every community. Our district is diverse, and what works well for one school or community may not be the best fit for another. Having worked with schools across Cumberland County, I’ve learned that successful solutions are rarely one-size-fits-all.

When considering year-round schools, I would evaluate student achievement, enrollment demand, facility capacity, transportation, staffing, operational costs, and input from families, employees and the community.
I don’t believe we should maintain or change a calendar simply because it’s always been that way. We should be willing to evaluate every model honestly and adjust when the data supports doing so. Calendar decisions can also play an important role in managing facility capacity and supporting long-term growth, so those operational considerations should be part of the conversation as well.

Supports strengthening special-education services through staffing, training, resources, family trust and regular board oversight of services and outcomes.

Believes school calendars should reflect each community's needs rather than follow a single districtwide model.

- Supports strengthening special-education services through staffing, training, resources, family trust and regular board oversight of services and outcomes.
- Believes school calendars should reflect each community's needs rather than follow a single districtwide model.

Access to Education

The Board should foster a culture that values teamwork, collaboration, and mutual respect because every employee contributes to creating a positive learning environment. Recruiting great employees is important, but retaining them is even more important. The Board should focus on making Cumberland County Schools a place where talented people want to build long, rewarding careers.

That means advocating for competitive compensation whenever possible, prioritizing safe and well-equipped schools, supporting professional growth, recognizing excellence, and ensuring employees have the resources they need to be successful.
Retention is about more than compensation. It’s about creating a workplace where employees feel respected, supported and proud to serve. People are more likely to remain with an organization when they know their voices matter, when they’re included in conversations that affect their work and when they feel trusted to do what they do best work.

Throughout my career with Cumberland County Schools, I’ve learned that when we invest in our employees, they invest in our students. Strong schools are built by people who feel empowered to do their best work, and the Board should help foster a culture that attracts outstanding employees and inspires them to stay. Students thrive when employees thrive. Investing in the people who serve our schools is one of the best investments we can make in the future of our students.

Advocates for retaining school employees through competitive compensation, safe and equipped schools, professional growth, resources, collaboration and employee input.

- Advocates for retaining school employees through competitive compensation, safe and equipped schools, professional growth, resources, collaboration and employee input.

Teachers

As of September 2, 2026, Chris Young did not have a website or any information online.

School Curriculum

Student Wellbeing

Chris Young

As of September 2, 2026, Chris Young’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

Bradley Williams

Broxie P. Pone

Bryan Moore

Carol Stubbs

Demetrius Stocks

Franklin Matthew Crockett

Jacquelyn Brown

Johnathaun Lee

Karelle Ward

Keith Byrd

Quincei Lovejoy

Rebecca (Becky) West

Robyn Chadwick

Theodore Lee Miller

Tom Hatch

- 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. 

Member of the board that governs your county's public school system