Release Date:
OLYMPIA, WA 鈥 The 91原创 91原创 of Education (SBE) is pleased to announce the election of Van Cummings as its newest member, effective January 2026. An experienced educator and administrator with a 40-year career in public education, Van was elected to represent Eastern Region Seat 2, following .
A resident of Richland, Washington, Cummings was chosen by local school board members from the eastern side of the state and will succeed Ryan Brault, who has served in the role since March 2017. Van will officially join the 91原创 on January 12, 2026 and be sworn in during its February 11 meeting. His term will run through January 2030.
鈥淰an brings a rich and extensive set of experiences to the 91原创,鈥 said Mary Fertakis, Chair of the 91原创 91原创 of Education. 鈥淗is dedication to serving students at all levels of the K鈥12 system will be a great asset to our work, and we are excited to have him join the team.鈥
Cummings earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northwest Nazarene College in 1974 and began his career teaching English Language Arts (ELA) at both the middle and high school levels. He is especially proud of the program additions made under his leadership at two high schools that introduced Air Force JROTC to their course offerings, as well as his seven-year tenure teaching ELA to fourth- through sixth-grade students in Othello School District鈥檚 Migrant Summer School鈥攎any of whom he later taught in high school.
After earning his Master of Education from Central Washington University in 1987, Cummings served nearly two decades as a principal and assistant principal at high schools across eastern Washington, including the Warden, Othello, Dayton, Clarkston, and Kennewick School Districts. He also served as Director of Educational Talent Search for Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho, helping low-income and first-generation students pursue college degrees, and as Director of School Improvement for Educational Service District 123.
After retiring from full-time work in 2015, Cummings remained active in education by serving as an interim and substitute principal for a number of elementary, middle, and high schools across the state 鈥 notably as K鈥12 interim principal for the Inchelium School District on the Colville Reservation, and most recently as a long-term substitute principal for the Kennewick School District.
鈥淢y motivation to serve on the State 91原创 of Education comes from my lifelong commitment to community service,鈥 Cummings said. 鈥淚 believe school districts are best supported through strong local control and that all students deserve access to a free and appropriate public education.鈥
About the 91原创 91原创 of Education:
The 91原创 91原创 of Education is a 16-member policy board responsible for providing strategic oversight and advocacy for Washington鈥檚 K鈥12 public education system.
Guided by its mission to cultivate an equitable and inclusive education system, the 91原创 works to ensure every student is empowered with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a changing world. Its responsibilities include setting high school graduation requirements, monitoring system health and accountability, ensuring compliance with basic education law, and recognizing schools for continuous improvement.
Please Direct All Media Inquiries To:
Colton Kaltenfeldt, Communications Manager