Often not met.”

raised about $8,800 by the same time.

“We wanted to make sure we had a strong campaign to get my voice out there to reach as many people as possible,” she said.

Her supporters include philanthropist Barbara Hyde.

Education advocacy organization Tennesseans for Putting Students First also spent nearly $32,000 in July on advertising, mailers, canvassing and phone calls on McKissack’s behalf. The group also donated $5,000 directly to her campaign.

Scruggs is a former teacher who was featured on Ellen DeGeneres’ show for his motivational interactions with students.

He is now the site coordinator for the Whitehaven area for Agape Child and Family Services.

His real passion, he said, is mentoring students.

“I get the greatest joy in just getting them out into the community,” he said.

Scruggs said he’s been been involved with political campaigns before, but has never run himself.

“I’m running because the voice of the educator has always been silenced,” he said.

Caldwell, a financial adviser for Raymond James, is chairman of the board’s audit, budget and finance committee.

“I think it’s very important that the board understand the finances and that I’m able to continue the work to make our budget more transparent and to help the community understand what we’re spending money on and why,” he said.

While the board has had no turnover in the last few years, Caldwell said continuity and experience are important.

“I know how steep the learning curve is, and it’s important we have people who know how to do the work and have experience,” he said. “Because we are in a place where we need rapid improvement.”