Janine Plavac
Janine Plavac, 73, is a registered nurse who taught in Alachua County public schools for 17 years, including as director of the Academy of Health Professions at Gainesville High School until 2021. She now teaches at Saint Francis Catholic Academy. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed her to the School Board of Alachua County's District 5 seat in April 2025; she is running for the open District 1 seat in 2026.
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Sources last checked 2026-09-18. Report an error ↗
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Taxes & spending Leans disagree· based on record
As a sitting board member Plavac joined a unanimous School Board of Alachua County vote on Sept. 15, 2026 adopting a $623 million FY2027 budget and a property tax rate of 6.3270 mills, about 5.38% above the rolled-back rate. On her campaign site she describes her fiscal approach as stewardship rather than tax cutting.
"ACPS needs to continue to be unrelenting stewards of the taxpayer's money"
No public position found on 6 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Property taxes, Education & school choice, Gender identity laws, Library and classroom materials, Teacher and staff pay, School safety approach. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Teaching methods and classroom autonomy — Plavac favors traditional instruction, including paper-based assessments and enforcement of the state's school phone restrictions, and says teachers should choose their own programs: 'Let them decide what programs work for them and their teaching environment.'
- Permanent superintendent and literacy — Plavac names hiring a permanent superintendent and raising literacy rates as her main priorities, and lists accountability, unity and progress as her top three issues.
- Superintendent contract and district borrowing — In a May 2026 op-ed, Plavac objected that Superintendent Kamela Patton's extended contract still includes a $2,000-a-month temporary housing allowance, questioned a $200 million borrowing resolution adopted before school-expansion costs were known, and said proceeding with redistricting without full financial details was a mistake.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- At the Sept. 15, 2026 board meeting Plavac pulled a personnel item from the consent agenda and asked whether the district conducts exit interviews, noting 68 instructional resignations in the backup document.
- Oct. 6, 2026: moved to amend a Citizens Field stadium motion to also build a stadium at Buchholz High School; the amendment and final motion passed 3-2, with Plavac in the majority. She said the district could borrow to build it. She also voted for the 5-0 purchase of Citizens Field from the City of Gainesville.
- Nov. 4, 2025: part of a unanimous board vote ratifying a teachers' contract with 3% across-the-board raises.