Elections

Learn more about how federal, state, and local elections affect schools
Democrat Jay Jones speaks on stage at an election night watch party for Democrat Abigail Spanberger after Jones was declared the winner of the Virginia attorney general's race Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Richmond, Va.
Democrat Jay Jones speaks on stage after he was declared the winner of the Virginia attorney general's race Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Richmond, Va. As attorney general, Jones could join multistate coalitions of Democratic state attorneys general suing the Trump administration over its education policies.
AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough
States 4 Education-Related Takeaways From This Week's Elections
How results from Tuesday could affect K-12 schools, and the trajectory of Trump's education policies.
Brooke Schultz, November 5, 2025
5 min read
Houston ISD's appointed school board votes on the "District of Innovation" status during their monthly work session meeting at HISD Central Office on Sept. 7, 2023 in Houston.
Houston's appointed school board takes a vote during a meeting on Sept. 7, 2023 in the district's central office. A number of studies from recent years have answered questions about school boards' makeup, how competitive board elections are, whether conflict is on the rise, and more.
Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via AP
School & District Management What the Research Says About School Boards: How Much Conflict Really Is There?
Plus, how competitive are board elections? How much do teachers' union endorsements matter?
7 min read
A man walks to submit his ballot for the 2021 school board elections at Canyon Lake Senior Center Tuesday morning in Rapid City.
A man walks to submit his ballot for the 2021 school board elections at Canyon Lake Senior Center on June 8, 2021 in Rapid City. New research shows that incumbents in local school board races run for reelection in uncontested races most of the time.
Grace Pritchett/Rapid City Journal via AP
School & District Management Few School Board Races Are Competitive. Here’s Why
Most school board turnover is caused by incumbent members resigning.
3 min read
Image of a leader replacing FA"KE" with FA"CT"
Diki Prayogo/iStock/Getty
Budget & Finance How This District Headed Off Misinformation About Its School Bond Campaign
School bonds are hot-button issues for districts—and ripe for misinformation campaigns.
Evie Blad, June 18, 2025
5 min read
Photograph of a person in jeans walking on a sidewalk and passing a yellow and black voting place sign in the grass.
E+
School Choice & Charters What the Research Says How School Choice Complicates District Bond Elections
Families who transfer children out of their residential districts may be less likely to vote in bond elections, researchers find.
Evie Blad, May 30, 2025
3 min read
Bipartisan concept of parties joining together in action.
Collage with iStock/Getty
States Opinion Voters Have a Message for Lawmakers About Education: Stop the Blame
Education policy can feel more partisan than ever, but there are a few things most voters agree on.
Bob Wise & Javaid Siddiqi, February 20, 2025
5 min read
This combination of photos shows Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris during an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris participate in the ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Sept. 10, 2024. Supporters of both candidates say that they didn't hear enough about education during the election.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal A Divided Electorate Agrees on One Thing: Education Didn’t Get Enough Airtime
A newly released poll finds voters wanted to hear more.
Alyson Klein, January 24, 2025
1 min read
A woman looks at a hand held device on a train in New Jersey.
Black students—as young as middle schoolers—have received racists texts invoking slavery in the wake of the presidential election. Educators say they're starting to see inflammatory campaign rhetoric make its way into classrooms.
Jenny Kane/AP
Student Well-Being & Movement School Leaders Confront Racist Texts, Harmful Rhetoric After Divisive Election
Educators say inflammatory rhetoric from the campaign trail has made its way into schools.
Brooke Schultz, November 13, 2024
7 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Policy & Politics Opinion Trump's Win Is a Wake-Up Call for Educators. Here's Why
Following the election, those in and around K-12 should reflect shared values and turn down the heat.
Rick Hess, November 12, 2024
12 min read
Hands reach out to each other. Handshake.
Alona Horkova/iStock + Education Week
Federal Opinion A Reminder to America: We Still Agree on More Than We Don’t
In the wake of the election, the education sector has important work ahead to bridge our political differences.
Katy Anthes, November 11, 2024
4 min read
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump greets Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center on Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump greets Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center on Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Evan Vucci/AP
Student Well-Being & Movement Schools Are Eerily Quiet About the Election Results, Educators Say
Teachers say students' reactions to Trump's win are much more muted than in 2016.
Olina Banerji, November 7, 2024
6 min read
Photo collage of U.S. currency and stock market trading graph.
Getty
Budget & Finance Don't Forget About Money for Schools: How Public Education Fared at the Polls
Voters approved billions for school construction bonds in California—but rejected more than $4 billion in bond spending in Houston.
Mark Lieberman, November 6, 2024
5 min read
Photo illustration of school building and check boxes.
Education Week + Getty
School Choice & Charters Voters Rejected Private School Choice. A Trump Administration May Push It Anyway
Pro-school choice initiatives failed in Colorado, Kentucky, and Nebraska.
Mark Lieberman, November 6, 2024
6 min read
Image of a board room.
Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week (Images: DigitalVision Vectors; E+; iStock/Getty)
States In Deep-Red Florida, Voters Reject Partisan School Board Races
Florida voters rejected a constitutional amendment to make school board races partisan.
Evie Blad, November 6, 2024
2 min read