Minnesota voters support the promise of public education for all students in 2024 school board elections
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CHRIS WILLIAMS
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ST. PAUL, Minnesota. Nov. 6, 2024 – Voters across Minnesota on Tuesday overwhelmingly supported candidates for their local school boards who promised to deliver public schools that are safe, welcoming and effective for all students and educators.
“Minnesotans trust their local educators, the people who know best where their local schools struggle and succeed, and voted for educator-endorsed candidates,” said Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota. “The task ahead is to turn that support for the mission of public schools into policies that address the educator shortage and deliver the quality of education our all our students deserve, with no exceptions.”
A preliminary analysis of election returns showed that candidates endorsed by their local unions of educators won nearly 75% of their races, with 70 wins in 95 races. A list of school board candidates endorsed by local unions of educators is available at https://www.edmnvotes.org/voter-guide.
Specht noted that more local unions collaborated with parents and community leaders than in the past to recruit, screen, endorse and campaign for school board candidates. Many local unions of educators produced and mailed multiple pieces of campaign literature advertising their endorsements to voters.
“The promise of public schools is under attack, but union-endorsed candidates stood up for our students’ freedom to read age-appropriate books, feel respected as their authentic selves, learn honest lessons about America and receive the attention and services they need to succeed, including for their mental health,” Specht said. “We’re happy to see that in most races, in most places, Minnesotans agreed again this year.”
Education Minnesota members also worked on 26 referendums to raise local taxes to support various functions of their local schools, including capital projects, buildings, operations and technology. A preliminary analysis shows voters approved just over half of the funding requests put to them, or about the same percentage as in 2023.
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
