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Nearly 40% of school board members elected on May 16 will be newcomers to board service, according to an in-depth analysis of election data by the New York State School Boards Association.
The finding coincides with a related development also noted in 2022: more incumbents are opting to retire from board service when their terms are up. NYSSBA surveys revealed that about 32% of incumbents chose not to run for re-election both this year and last year, compared with an average of 26% who opted not to run from 2017 to 2020.
The findings also indicate, however, that incumbents who did seek re-election were largely successful. This year, 88% of incumbent school board members who sought to continue their board service were re-elected.
"We are pleased to welcome this large incoming class of freshman school board members, while also taking time to appreciate outgoing members for their service," said NYSSBA Executive Director Robert S. Schneider. "By taking on this responsibility in our communities, these dedicated people are carrying on a vital American tradition of governing the public education system in their communities."
"Locally elected school boards – and the citizens who take time to vote in these elections – sustain a bedrock of democracy established by our nation’s founders," said NYSSBA President Peggy Zugibe of the North Rockland school district. "We appreciate all those who serve so willingly and who recognize public education as a high priority for our future."
A NYSSBA survey conducted before the election revealed that some 1,825 candidates were running for 1,378 available board seats in 627 school districts this year – a ratio of 1.3 candidates per open seat. That was down from last year’s ratio of 1.5 candidates per open seat.
Based on NYSSBA’s analysis, in the 2023 school board elections, 46% of districts had more candidates than open seats, 47% of districts had an equal number of candidates as open seats, and 7% of districts had fewer candidates than open board seats. In districts with fewer candidates than open seats, new members could have been elected through write-in votes. Any remaining vacancies may be filled through appointments.
NYSSBA’s analysis revealed a number of statewide trends and other findings from this year’s voting. Those include:
- Teacher union endorsements held some weight: 86% of candidates who were endorsed by their local teachers’ union were elected. However, union-endorsed candidates represent only 17% of winning candidates, according to the NYSSBA analysis.
- Elections were less politically charged compared with 2022. An analysis of online activity leading up to election day affirmed the widely expressed sense that school board elections of 2023 were less politically charged than in 2022. The majority of candidates did not express strong support for or against politically related issues or topics online or in the news media. This year’s online discussions among candidates and voters were more likely to focus on issues related to candidate credentials and work experience as well as board teamwork and transparency. Fewer candidates were vocal on issues such as book bans; diversity, equity and inclusion; gender identity and LGBTQ-related issues; and vaccine mandates.
"The outcomes of this year’s elections ensure that the boards of New York’s districts will continue to blend the assets of experienced leaders with the fresh perspectives of new members," said Schneider. "We look forward to supporting our school board members as they carry out their important work on behalf of their communities and students."
Methodology: NYSSBA’s analysis is based on information gleaned from publicly available data sources, including but not limited to school district websites and social media accounts, and news media coverage and social media mentions from local and national news outlets and reporters.
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