School district news

This is an archive of Ballotpedia news articles about school districts and school board elections in America's largest school districts by enrollment.

## Article headlines[edit]

# Latest news[edit]

### More than 12 percentage point spike in contested November school board elections compared to 2016

By Mandy Gillip

Compared to past years, November 2017's elections saw a significant spike in contested school board races held by America's largest school districts by enrollment.

On Tuesday, 968 (86.04 percent) of the 1,125 candidates faced opposition. This continued a trend of increasing rates of contested school board elections since Ballotpedia's first full year of school board election coverage in 2014:

* 2014: 65.90 percent of school board candidates faced opposition in November and 32.57 percent ran unopposed over the year
* 2015: 71.68 percent of school board candidates faced opposition in November and 28.89 percent ran unopposed over the year
* 2016: 73.68 percent of school board candidates faced opposition in November and 26.32 percent ran unopposed over the year
* 2017: 86.04 percent of school board candidates faced opposition in November

In summary, the November 2017 election saw 12.36 percentage point increase in the rate of contested elections from November 2016 and an increase of 20.14 percentage points from November 2014.

Across 185 of America's largest school districts by enrollment, 629 school board seats were up for grabs in 18 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.

A possible factor affecting the spike in contested school board races in 2017 was a policy adopted in California, which led to the cancellation of over 80 percent of the elections scheduled in the state's largest school districts on November 7, 2017. These elections were moved to November 2018 and allowed the districts to comply with a 2015 voter participation law that required local election dates to coincide with statewide election dates by November 2022. This shift to even-year elections may have contributed to the increase in contested elections, as an average of about 25 percent of school board races were uncontested in California between 2014 and 2017.

Editor's note: Washington had 77 seats up for election in 34 districts, but that state's data is not included in the challenger and incumbent success rates table of this report. Because Washington is a vote-by-mail state, postal delays in ballot returns mean that election results may not be available for several weeks. Ballotpedia will report results for Washington state school districts once all ballots are counted and the general election winners have been determined.

### Control, funding, and policy at stake: outcomes of November 2017's top school board elections

By Mandy Gillip

School board elections occupy a unique place in the American political landscape, given their direct connection to the specific duty of educating students. The issues that matter in these elections are diverse and often hyper-local. However, the outcomes of some local school board elections each year can loom large at the state or even national level.

On Tuesday, 188 of America's 1,000 largest school districts by enrollment held elections. Four of these elections were identified by Ballotpedia as particularly noteworthy:

* Nearly a decade of battles over education policy experiments may have concluded with the outcome in Colorado's Douglas County School District.
* The largest school district in Texas, Houston ISD, is at risk of losing local control to the state government due to school performance issues.
* Meanwhile across the country, the second-largest district in New Jersey, Jersey City Public Schools, regained local control in 2017 after 28 years of state oversight.
* The entire board overseeing Atlanta Public Schools was on the ballot at a time when more than half of the district's funding is at risk due to county government decisions.

These districts illustrate the high stakes and complex nature of school board elections. Stay tuned for our second report at the end of this week, which will highlight statistics on school board elections held across the country.

* * *

### St. Joseph community debates school district culture change on eve of Proposition 1 vote

Support campaign logo

The website for the pro-levy group, the Committee To Move St. Joseph Forward, has a section responding to culture criticisms. It says, "Since the controversy that rocked our community, the St. Joseph School District has overhauled its administration and addressed the audit issues. In the time since, a tax levy wasn’t renewed, forcing the district to make budget cuts and dive deep into its reserves. While these new faces and many reforms will bring positive benefits to the district into the future, the negative impact on the budget must be addressed. The St. Joseph School District now ranks 85th out 88 Northwest Missouri school districts in funding, operating at a $7 million deficit annually. This is not sustainable."[1]

Pat Dillon, a pro-levy committee co-chair and the vice president of advocacy and government relations for Mosaic Life Care, acknowledged that St. Joseph residents had a good reason to be angry, but said that students shouldn’t be penalized for the past mistakes.

"All we do now is punish the teachers and punish the teachers and the kids and the community,” he said. “If you have a problem going forward, do it by going to the ballot box with your board members. Get the right board members you want to move forward. Don't punish the kids and teachers anymore."[2]

Levy supporter and former CFO Beau Musser

On November 5, former chief financial officer and district whistleblower Beau Musser announced his support for Proposition 1.[3] In a video posted by the pro-levy committee, Musser said, “I’m confident things are now being done the right way. Without properly funded schools, our ability to attract new businesses and quality teachers will only become harder. Worse yet, our children won’t get the quality education they deserve.”[4]

In 2014, Musser was falsely accused by the district of sexual misconduct and creating a hostile workplace. These allegations followed his discovery of improper business practices within the district as well as his assistance uncovering the unauthorized administrator stipends overseen by Dan Colgan and Superintendent Fred Czerwonka. He was put on paid administrative leave for seven months, and eventually sued the district for slander. The district and Musser reached a settlement in April 2015.

### Major St. Joseph businesses provide support for school tax levy increase, opponents criticize tax abatements

* St. Joseph School District, Missouri
* Public education in Missouri
* Public pensions in Missouri

### St. Joseph tax levy opponent files ethics complaint against school district

* St. Joseph School District, Missouri
* Public education in Missouri
* Public pensions in Missouri

# 2017[edit]

* Wisconsin school districts: 2016 in review and a 2017 election preview
* Most incumbents see success in California and Alabama school board races
* Wisconsin school districts: 2017 elections review and district updates
* St. Joseph property tax levy on the November ballot in wake of district scandals, deficit spending
* A closer look at the St. Joseph School District property tax levy and district budget
* Understanding the sides in the St. Joseph schools property tax levy battle
* St. Joseph tax levy opponent files ethics complaint against school district
* Major St. Joseph businesses provide support for school tax levy increase, opponents criticize tax abatements
* St. Joseph community debates school district culture change on eve of Proposition 1 vote
* Control, funding, and policy at stake: outcomes of November 2017's top school board elections
* More than 12 percentage point spike in contested November school board elections compared to 2016

# 2016[edit]

* Wisconsin school districts: 2015 in review and a 2016 election preview
* 15 seats, 18 candidates and four civil rights investigations
* Wisconsin school board primaries set field for busy April election
* Incumbents tumble in Alabama school board primaries
* Special election in East Baton Rouge Parish School System fills District 4 school board seat
* March 15 Election Review: Local elections in North Carolina, Ohio, and Illinois
* Botched ballots and district turmoil: school board elections in MO and AK
* Voters infuse new blood, new money into Wisconsin school districts
* Quiet primaries, generals in Alabama, California, and South Dakota
* Wisconsin school districts: 2016 elections review and district updates
* Local control returns and incumbents dominate in New Jersey school board elections
* Maryland Local Election Review: Baltimore, school boards, and local courts
* May 3 Election Review: Local elections in California, Indiana, New York, and Virginia
* Dallas dominates field of low-contest Texas school board races
* Incumbents weather storm of policy debates to keep Tennessee school board seats
* Botched ballots and district turmoil: elections in MO and AK
* Sixty-three candidates for seven seats: an overview of November's top school board elections
* Incumbents see mixed success in November school district elections

# 2015[edit]

* Wisconsin school districts: 2014 in review and a 2015 election preview
* Rising competition for incumbents in Wisconsin's 2015 school board elections
* Secret tapes revealed, scathing audit expected in St. Joseph School District saga
* St. Joseph School District administrators placed on leave
* New Mexico school board elections attract numerous educators as candidates
* New faces to join all of New Mexico's largest school district boards
* Merely 16 candidates for 14 seats in Oklahoma school board elections
* St. Joseph School District rated "poor" in financial audit
* Criminal investigation called for in wake of St. Joseph School District audit
* Board votes to fire St. Joseph School District superintendent
* First openly gay official elected to Burbank school board, two candidates advance to April election
* Another firing, more fallout in St. Joseph School District
* Clean sweep for school board incumbents in Los Angeles and Kansas primaries
* Dan Colgan resigns seat on St. Joseph Board of Education
* Three newcomers win school board seats outright in Pasadena primary
* Ballotpedia publishes video report on St. Joseph School District scandal
* St. Joseph investigation widens; acting superintendent considers new job
* St. Joseph School District settles Musser lawsuit
* Common Core testing looms over St. Tammany's District 14 special election
* Cousin wins St. Tammany District 14 seat; 9% of voters participate
* Hot tub Gatorade, turnout in Peoria and the Wisconsin state budget; America's April 7 school board elections in review
* Musser lawsuit settlement released
* April school board elections in California and South Dakota see increase in voter turnout
* Baraka-backed "Children First Team" dominates Newark's school election
* Education experts weigh in on St. Joseph School District scandal
* Superintendent Czerwonka skips dismissal appeal, quits St. Joseph
* A blank ballot for the Billings school board, and a not-so-secret partisan battle in Lincoln
* Decreased success for school board incumbents in Texas; 1/3 defeated in largest districts
* Incumbents falter in Delaware school board elections; Sonja Cameron survives recall
* Embroiled incumbents see differing outcomes in May 19 school board elections across five states
* St. Joseph reacts to the school district scandal
* Incumbent & opt-out defeated; Rapid City school district's funding uncertain
* St. Joseph School District by the Numbers: Part I
* St. Joseph School District by the Numbers: Part II
* McClure edges out Assaad in Grapevine-Colleyville runoff
* Ripple effect from St. Joseph scandal felt across the district and state
* Colgan inflated compensation by tens of thousands of dollars while St. Joseph School District struggled
* Bellingham primary undecided: Washington August 4 school board results
* Newcomers and incumbents share the victories in Iowa's largest school district elections
* Dems advance just one Syracuse school board incumbent, all in Rochester
* In St. Joseph, Colgan's compensation goes under the microscope by PSRS
* Challenger upsets in Fort Smith, Ark., and Manchester, N.H., school elections
* Mixed Dem. nominee success in Conn. school primaries; recounts coming
* Incumbents victorious in Oct. 6 Alaska school board elections
* Exploring the Midland school system's poor academic performance
* The Clean Slate sweeps Jeffco: what happened in November's top school board elections
* Incumbency no guarantee of success in Nov. 3 school board elections
* The fall of Midland ISD's junior high schools
* Runoff elections for two Houston ISD incumbents on Saturday
* Incumbents victorious in Houston runoff

# 2014[edit]

* 2014 school board elections start quietly in Oklahoma
* Oklahoma school board elections see low turnout, most uncontested
* Peoria protest vote boosts withdrawn school board candidate over incumbent
* School board elections in Alaska and Wisconsin spark debates over budgets, academic performance
* More than 100 candidates running in California, Missouri and South Dakota school board elections
* Incumbents dominate school board elections in Alaska, Wisconsin
* Incumbents fare well in Missouri, South Dakota and California school board elections
* Brawling in Newark headlines New Jersey school board elections
* Slates, incumbents prevail in New Jersey school board elections
* 90 candidates seek 38 seats in first round of May school board elections
* Incumbents falter in early May elections, governing majority shifts in Buffalo
* Texas school board elections draw large number of challengers
* 33 school board seats up for grabs in Delaware and West Virginia
* Dallas race undecided, 16 incumbents defeated in Texas school board elections
* Incumbents fare well in low-turnout Delaware and West Virginia school board races
* Flurry of school board elections heading to ballots in Georgia, New York
* Nine incumbents unseated, seven districts to hold runoffs in Georgia and New York elections
* Quiet elections on June 3 mean good odds for school board incumbents in Alabama, California and South Dakota
* June 3 school board elections: Rivas gets revenge in Twin Rivers, primaries determine winners in Alabama and incumbents run unopposed in South Dakota
* Ethics claims, growing pains define school board races in Nevada and North Dakota
* Challengers surprise school board incumbents in South Carolina, swipe open seats in North Dakota and show strength in Nevada
* Dallas runoff school board election could be close in Texas
* School board primaries in Maryland and Utah reveal tensions over ethics, Common Core
* Dallas school board runoff turns into David versus Goliath battle, Foreman beats well-funded Whatley for District 6 seat
* Voters in Maryland, Utah give thumbs up to incumbents in school board primaries
* Stipend scandal erupts in St. Joseph, Missouri
* Newcomers win three-quarters of school board seats in Georgia runoff elections
* FBI narrows probe in St. Joseph stipend scandal
* Fourteen incumbents unseated in Tennessee school board elections
* Former U.S. Vice President's endorsement not enough in Minnesota school board election
* Back to school in Missouri: With some teachers carrying guns
* Florida and Alabama elections lead to runoffs, school boards to welcome newcomers
* Seven candidates tangle for three seats on Boise school board
* Former state legislator and both incumbents win by big margins in Boise school board race
* Arkansas school board elections largely unopposed
* Arkansas school board challengers unseat three incumbents
* Huntsville runoff, Alaskan general school board elections on Tuesday
* Incumbents dominate in two Alaska school board elections, Alabama runoff decided
* Voter backlash down the ballot: Incumbency advantage drops in November's hottest school board races
* School board election wrap-up: Did the Republican wave extend down the ballot
* St. Joseph school board rescinds CFO suspension
* Lingering Louisiana school board races to be decided in Dec. 6 runoff
* Few surprises in Louisiana school board general elections
* Austin ISD heads to runoff for three seats
* St. Joseph school board CFO deals with $2M shortfall, emotional return
* Big spending leads to big win for Pace in Austin ISD runoffs

# 2013[edit]

* School board election wrap-up: Incumbents re-elected overwhelmingly in November 5 elections
* School board elections review: Voters opt for experience over new blood in nation's largest school districts
* Colorado school board elections focus on Amendment 66, school reform
* $810 million bond measure divides Wake County school board candidates
* Alaska school board elections emphasize technology
* Alaska school board elections see majority of candidates unopposed
* Arkansas school board elections to address school safety, choice
* Decreased enrollment, school closures, and state takeover influencing Birmingham City School Board Elections
* Financial policies, education standards at stake in November school board elections
* Four incumbents ousted in Alabama school board elections
* Iowa school board elections focus on overcoming challenges
* California March 5 elections are less than a day away: school board, local measures and mayoral elections
* California school board elections draw over 200 candidates
* Los Angeles Unified School District election attracts fierce competition; heads to the ballot in less than 5 days
* Low voter turnout in Arkansas school board elections
* Newcomers win majority of school board elections in Iowa
* Pennsylvania school boards to see large turnover
* Struggling schools, PAC money influencing Tuscaloosa school board election
* Texas school board candidates concentrate on funding, maintaining accountability
* Wake County School Board voters elect Democratic majority, approve $810 million construction bond

## See also[edit]

* School board elections portal

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Committee to Move St. Joseph Forward, "Home," accessed November 6, 2017
2. ↑ St. Joe Channel, "SJSD Tax Levy Campaign Urging Voters to "Move Forward"," October 11, 2017
3. ↑ St. Joseph News-Press, "Former school district executive endorses Prop 1," November 5, 2017
4. ↑ Facebook, "Move St Joseph Forward," November 5, 2017