Help Power Maddie’s Campaign for Strong Public Schools in Wake County

I’m a mom to two kids in the public school system and someone who believes our public schools are worth fighting for. Beyond my personal ties, I believe public schools are the foundation of a thriving community, giving every child the chance to succeed.

Help Power Maddie's Campaign for Strong Public Schools in Wake County

Maddie Segal is a mother of two children in the public school system.

Maddie Segal — Donate via ActBlue

That experience sparked a lifelong commitment to grassroots advocacy and protecting our most vulnerable communities. For the past six years, I have taken that fight to the national stage, working in federal nutrition policy to protect food access for millions.

Meet Maddie

Maddie Segal works in federal nutrition policy.

2026 North Carolina General Election

Students cannot learn if they are hungry, and ensuring every child has access to healthy food is a fundamental prerequisite for academic success. At a time when grocery prices are rising and household budgets are stretched incredibly thin, our families simply cannot afford another increase in school meal prices. I will champion policies that prioritize student health and eliminate lunch debt stigma by working toward universal free school meals. Because of my background, I also have concrete ideas to pilot right away that could streamline our school meal programs.

Campaign Priorities

Technology is a powerful tool when it enhances active learning and connects students to the world. I advocate for a balanced, evidence-based approach to technology in our classrooms. This means prioritizing hands-on, tactile learning (including physical books and writing) especially in the early grades where cognitive and motor development are critical. As a school board, we must also exercise strict fiscal responsibility by auditing our software spending to ensure we are investing in high-quality, proven interactive tools rather than low-value subscriptions that drain resources.

Wake County’s public schools are one of our community’s greatest cultural and economic strengths. I am committed to fighting for adequate, reliable funding so that every single public school student has access to an excellent education. I plan to leverage my advocacy background to partner with rural counties, which are the hardest hit by state-level underfunding.

Wake County’s public schools are one of our community’s greatest cultural and economic strengths. I am committed to fighting for adequate, reliable funding so that every single public school student has access to an excellent education. I plan to leverage my advocacy background to partner with rural counties, which are the hardest hit by state-level underfunding. Together, we can build a unified, statewide voice to advocate effectively at both the state and federal levels for the robust public school funding our children deserve.

Plans to work toward universal free school meals to prioritize student health and eliminate lunch-debt stigma.

Calls for auditing school software spending to prioritize proven interactive tools over low-value subscriptions.

Is committed to advocating for adequate, reliable public-school funding.

Plans to partner with rural counties to advocate for public-school funding at the state and federal levels.

- Plans to work toward universal free school meals to prioritize student health and eliminate lunch-debt stigma.
- Calls for auditing school software spending to prioritize proven interactive tools over low-value subscriptions.
- Is committed to advocating for adequate, reliable public-school funding.
- Plans to partner with rural counties to advocate for public-school funding at the state and federal levels.

School Facilities & Resources

True academic success and proactive school safety, including the prevention of gun violence, start with a nurturing, well-staffed environment. This means having full-time, dedicated mental health professionals on-site every day (not just one day a week) to support students in crisis. It means ensuring we have the support staff necessary to fully implement detailed IEPs for the kids who need them, while also keeping our AIG staff supported so advanced learners continue to thrive.

Supports staffing needed to implement individualized education programs and support academically gifted students.

- Supports staffing needed to implement individualized education programs and support academically gifted students.

Access to Education

Our public schools are only as strong as the educators in them, and we must treat our teachers like the highly skilled professionals they are. This starts by slashing redundant administrative burdens so teachers can focus on what they do best: teaching. We must actively fight for the competitive compensation, resources, and structural respect our educators deserve so we can recruit and retain the absolute best talent for our classrooms.

Calls for reducing administrative burdens so teachers can focus on teaching.

Advocates for competitive teacher compensation, resources, and respect to recruit and retain educators.

- Calls for reducing administrative burdens so teachers can focus on teaching.
- Advocates for competitive teacher compensation, resources, and respect to recruit and retain educators.

Teachers

Technology is a powerful tool when it enhances active learning and connects students to the world. I advocate for a balanced, evidence-based approach to technology in our classrooms. This means prioritizing hands-on, tactile learning (including physical books and writing) especially in the early grades where cognitive and motor development are critical.

As a school board, we must also exercise strict fiscal responsibility by auditing our software spending to ensure we are investing in high-quality, proven interactive tools rather than low-value subscriptions that drain resources. By establishing clear frameworks for emerging tools like AI, we can ensure technology is used to empower educators and prepare our students for a digital future without sacrificing the human elements of education.

Advocates for an evidence-based approach to classroom technology that prioritizes hands-on learning, physical books, and writing in early grades.

Supports clear frameworks for artificial intelligence tools in schools to support educators and prepare students for a digital future.

- Advocates for an evidence-based approach to classroom technology that prioritizes hands-on learning, physical books, and writing in early grades.
- Supports clear frameworks for artificial intelligence tools in schools to support educators and prepare students for a digital future.

School Curriculum

Supports full-time, on-site mental health professionals for students in crisis.

- Supports full-time, on-site mental health professionals for students in crisis.

Student Wellbeing

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Maddie Segal

Isaac Brickman

Walter Ley

Amita Gupta

Jacob Arthur

- 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