Elections

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Election Guide

Illustration of voting.
Election Guide 2022: Results on the Issues and Races Affecting K-12
Education was at the heart of some of the most contentious issues on voters' minds as they weigh candidates from governor to local school board.
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LAUDISENO/iStock/Getty and EdWeek
Budget & Finance Districts Proposed a Surge in Borrowing Last Year. Here's How Voters Responded
Voters approved a majority of bond elections for districts last year—but hundreds of proposed bonds failed to gain traction.
Mark Lieberman, June 7, 2023
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4 min read
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during convocation at Liberty University, in Lynchburg, Va., on April 14, 2023.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during convocation at Liberty University, in Lynchburg, Va., on April 14, 2023.
Paige Dingler/The News & Advance via AP
Federal Ron DeSantis Is Running for President. What Will That Mean for K-12 Schools?
DeSantis has solidified himself as a force on school policy. His campaign will likely influence the role education plays in the election.
Libby Stanford, May 24, 2023
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6 min read
Photo of U.S. flag in classroom.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
States More States Consider Partisan School Board Races as Education Debates Intensify
Most states don't allow party labels in school board races. With education debates cleaving down party lines, there's a push to change that.
Evie Blad, April 27, 2023
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5 min read
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill to expand school vouchers across Florida during a press conference at Christopher Columbus High School on March 27, 2023, in Miami.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill to expand school choice programs during a press conference at Christopher Columbus High School, a private Catholic school, on March 27, 2023, in Miami.
Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP
Federal What Educators Should Get Used to Hearing on the Campaign Trail in 2024
More Republicans are announcing their intentions to run in the 2024 presidential election. They have a lot to say about schools.
Libby Stanford, April 7, 2023
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7 min read
Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson celebrates with supporters after defeating Paul Vallas in the mayoral runoff election on April 4, 2023, in Chicago.
Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson celebrates with supporters after defeating Paul Vallas in the mayoral runoff election on April 4, 2023, in Chicago.
Paul Beaty/AP
School & District Management What the Election of Chicago's New Mayor Says About the Political Power of Teachers' Unions
Brandon Johnson, a former middle school teacher and teachers' union organizer, won the race for mayor of Chicago on Tuesday.
Libby Stanford, April 5, 2023
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6 min read
Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas speaks at his election night event in Chicago, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. Mayor Lori Lightfoot conceded defeat Tuesday night, ending her efforts for a second term and setting the stage for Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson to run against former Chicago Public Schools CEO Vallas for Chicago mayor.
Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas speaks at his election night event in Chicago, on Feb. 28, 2023. Mayor Lori Lightfoot conceded defeat, ending her efforts for a second term. Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, a former teacher, will compete against Vallas, a former schools chief in the city.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
Policy & Politics Chicago's Next Mayor Will Be a Former Educator
Former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas and former teacher Brandon Johnson will face off in an April runoff.
Libby Stanford, March 1, 2023
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6 min read
Wed., January 11, 2023, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
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Equity & Diversity Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: Equity & the Shifting Policy Landscape: What You Need to Know
As newly elected officials take their seats, the EdWeek newsroom has been examining the policy horizon. Join the discussion with Peter DeWitt. 
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January 11, 2023
People fill out ballots to vote at Benjamin Banneker Middle School during Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Silver Spring, Md.
People fill out ballots to vote at Benjamin Banneker Middle School on Nov. 8 in Silver Spring, Md.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Federal What Education Issues Did Voters Care About Most? Hint: It Was Not Critical Race Theory
An NEA poll shows voters' education priorities in the midterm elections.
Libby Stanford, December 20, 2022
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5 min read
Protesters gather outside the Moms for Liberty National Summit, July 15, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. Republican groups that sought to get hundreds of “parents’ rights” activists elected to local school boards largely fell short in Tuesday’s elections. The push has been boosted by Republican groups including the 1776 Project PAC, but just a third of its roughly 50 candidates won.
Protesters gather outside the Moms for Liberty National Summit, in Tampa, Fla., in July.
Lauren Witte/Tampa Bay Times via AP
School & District Management Conservative Advocates Vow Continued Push for School Board Seats Despite Middling Midterms
Groups like Moms for Liberty failed to ignite a wave of local school board takeovers but still plan to invest in such races.
Libby Stanford, November 16, 2022
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6 min read
Ben Wigginton contemplates his votes at the Braddock Heights Community Center in Braddock Heights, Md., on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
Ben Wigginton contemplates his vote at a community center in Braddock Heights, Md., on Nov. 8.
Ric Dugan/The Frederick News-Post via AP
Social Studies What the Research Says Elections Depend on Young Voters. Can Civics Tests Drive Up Their Turnout?
New research suggests that states' efforts to require civics testing for high school students largely fell flat.
Sarah D. Sparks, November 10, 2022
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3 min read
Image of students in line for a school meal.
Lisa Rathke/AP
States Colorado Voters Say Yes to Universal Free School Meals. Will Other States Follow?
Universal free school meal policies may be gaining momentum among states now that federal funding has lapsed.
Arianna Prothero, November 9, 2022
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2 min read
The entrance to Burlington High School in Burlington, Vt., on Sept. 19, 2022. The school has been closed due to the discovery of high levels of PCBs.
Burlington High School in Burlington, Vt., was closed after the discovery of high levels of PCBs.
Luke Awtry for Education Week
Budget & Finance Students Displaced by PCBs to Get New High School as a Bond Measure Passes
Demolition begins soon on the old high school in Burlington, Vt., shut down in 2020 after harmful levels of a toxic chemical were found.
Mark Lieberman, November 9, 2022
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3 min read
"I Voted" stickers sit in a pile at the Fairview Recreation Center in North Minneapolis.
"I Voted" stickers sit in a pile at the Fairview Recreation Center in North Minneapolis during the midterm elections on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP
States Educators Weigh K-12 Impact From an Unpredictable Election
Many of the most contentious issues in the 2022 midterms resonate most at the local level.
Libby Stanford, November 9, 2022
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6 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Policy & Politics Opinion What Do the Midterms Mean for Education?
The midterms will have big implications for schools and schooling.
Rick Hess, November 9, 2022
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8 min read
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