Next week's election could bring some big changes to the Brevard County School Board.
Two of the School Board members are leaving, and a third member is fighting to maintain his position.
There are three seats open this year, and only one member, Andy Ziegler, is seeking re-election.
Ziegler represents District 5, which includes portions of Melbourne, West Melbourne and Palm Bay. He said this has been one of his toughest campaigns so far.
"Very brutal in the way I would describe it," Ziegler said, "because there have been a tremendous number of attacks on me — personally — for the decisions that the (School Board) has made."
One of the biggest issues in the District 5 race didn’t even happen within the district.
It was the School Board's decision to close three schools, including Gardendale Elementary School, which is located in Merritt Island.
Ziegler's opponent, Denise Coyle, is a stay-at-home mom and child advocate who said the decision to close the three schools instead of making other cuts led to a lot of distrust in the School Board.
"I have spoken to many of the parents," Coyle said. "I have seen the hurt and the disappointment and the lack of trust that we now have caused by closing those three schools."
Ziegler said closing the schools was one of the toughest decisions he has had to make in his six years on the School Board. But, he said, it was necessary to prevent cuts to art, music and other programs.
"I will continue to make all the difficult decisions to preserve the quality of education in Brevard County," Ziegler said.
Coyle said the School Board needs an overhaul. If elected, she said that would mean three new members would be joining the five-member board.
"With all of us pulling together — with sort of the same mission — we can make some extreme, positive change that will bring a better culture into our school district," Coyle said.
Voters will choose between proven experience and change in the District 5 that will impact education across the Space Coast.