Saint Paul Public Schools elections (2017)
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Three of the seven seats on the Saint Paul Public Schools school board in Minnesota were up for nonpartisan general election on November 7, 2017. Incumbents John Brodrick and Jeanelle Foster won election, along with newcomer Marny Xiong. Challengers Luke Bellville, Greg Copeland, and Andrea Touhey were defeated in the election.[1]
With one open seat on the ballot, the 2017 election was guaranteed to add a new member to the school board, which was not unusual for the district. For information on election trends in the district, click here.
Copeland, Touhey, and Xiong participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of school board candidates. Click here to read their responses.
Elections
Voter and candidate information
The Saint Paul school board consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. Elections are held at large on a staggered basis so that three or four seats are up for election every November of odd-numbered years.[2]
School board candidates had to be at least 21 years old upon taking office, residents of the school district for a minimum of 30 days before the election, and eligible to vote in Minnesota. They could not run for any other office on the ballot at the same time as the school board election, and they could not have been convicted of an offense for which they were required to register as a predatory offender.[3] To get on the ballot, school board candidates had to file between August 1, 2017, and August 15, 2017.[4] The deadline for candidates to withdraw was August 17, 2017.[5]
Citizens of the school district could register to vote on election day, but the deadline to register prior to election day was October 17, 2017. Vote-by-mail or in-person early voting was open from September 22, 2017, to November 6, 2017.[6] Photo identification was not required to vote in Minnesota.[7]
Candidates and results
At-large
Results
| Saint Paul Public Schools, At-large General Election, 4-year terms, 2017 |
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| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Marny Xiong |
30.44% | 36,480 |
| Jeanelle Foster Incumbent |
24.93% | 29,883 |
| John Brodrick Incumbent |
21.84% | 26,172 |
| Andrea Touhey | 11.09% | 13,288 |
| Greg Copeland | 7.03% | 8,425 |
| Luke Bellville | 3.64% | 4,358 |
| Write-in votes | 1.04% | 1,244 |
| Total Votes | 119,850 | |
| Source: Saint Paul Public Schools, "Minutes Of The Regular Meeting Of The Board Of Education," November 14, 2017 | ||
Candidates
| John Brodrick |
Jeanelle Foster |
Luke Bellville | |||
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 Greg Copeland
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Andrea Touhey
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Marny Xiong | |||
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Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Minnesota elections, 2017
The Saint Paul school board election shared the ballot with an election for the mayor of St. Paul.[1]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Minnesota school board elections in 2017:[4][5][6][8]
Endorsements
Incumbents John Brodrick and Jeanelle Foster and challenger Marny Xiong were endorsed by the following organizations:[9][10][11][12][13][14]
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Womenwinning also endorsed Foster and Xiong.[15] Saint Paul Republicans endorsed challenger Greg Copeland.[16]
Foster was also endorsed by the following organizations and elected officials:[17]
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Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at elections@ballotpedia.org.
Campaign finance
Candidates received a total of $63,641.40 and spent a total of $44,031.62 in the election, according to the Ramsey County Elections & Voting Office.[18]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Brodrick | $16,724.01 | $8,284.83 | $8,439.18 |
| Jeanelle Foster | $21,206.09 | $17,488.97 | $3,817.12 |
| Luke Bellville | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Greg Copeland | $1,019.00 | $517.10 | $501.90 |
| Andrea Touhey | $0.00 | $2.00 | ($2.00) |
| Marny Xiong | $24,692.30 | $17,738.72 | $6,953.58 |
Reporting requirements
Minnesota school board candidates had to file an initial campaign finance report within 14 days of spending or receiving more than $750. They also had to file a pre-general report, a post-general report, and a year-end report. Those three reports were due on October 28, 2017, December 7, 2017, and January 31, 2018.[8]
Past elections
To see results from past elections in Saint Paul Public Schools, click here.
What was at stake?
Report a story for this election
Ballotpedia researches issues in school board elections across the United States, but information availability is a challenge for us in many school districts. Please contact us about the issues that impact your local school district. Note that not all submissions may meet Ballotpedia's coverage requirements for inclusion.
Candidate survey
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Ballotpedia invites school board candidates to participate in its annual survey. |
Survey responses
Three candidates in this race participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of school board candidates. The following sections display the responses to the survey questions from challengers Greg Copeland, Andrea Touhey, and Marny Xiong.
Hope to achieve
When asked what he hoped to achieve if elected to the school board, Copeland stated:
| “ | I have followed the Saint Paul Public Schools Budget process for over 20 year and I cannot remember any year when the School Board spent the Majority of the General Fund Education Dollars in a Direct Allocation to Schools. The 2018 Budget spends only 47% of those dollars in the classrooms under the Principals direct management. It is way past time for new accountability and that the District Budget prioritize allocation of General Fund Education dollars Directly to School Sites and Classrooms for Direct Student Instruction, rather than have it lost to the myriad of District Office Programs. Principals need to assume direct management over these education dollars and responsibility for their school's educational outcomes. The District has no business building a new school on a hazardous waste site at 1050 Kent for disabled, including brain and other neurologically injured students who are particularly sensitive to environmental chemical hazards which will always be part of this property, which the owner in a deed restriction said that no school building should be built on the property, ever! Our Children deserve much better, than this absurd use of limited capital resources by this failed school board.[19] | ” |
| —Greg Copeland (September 21, 2017)[20] | ||
When asked what she hoped to achieve if elected to the school board, Touhey stated:
| “ | 1. Integrating excellence throughout the District's efforts 2. Ensuring rigor and relevance are key priorities in the new strategic plan 3. Aligning the budget with the District's priorities 4. Better supports for students' physical and mental health[19] | ” |
| —Andrea Touhey (October 11, 2017)[21] | ||
When asked what she hoped to achieve if elected to the school board, Xiong stated:
| “ | I believe that education is the only opportunity for low-income students and students of color to get out of poverty and build capacity and power for themselves. We must invest in our youth and young people because they are the leaders of tomorrow. I want all of our students to graduate SPPS ready to succeed in college and the workforce. I want safe learning environments for students and staff so that teachers can inspire their students’ aspirations. I want an equitable school district where resources, funding, and policies are prioritized to uplift all our students equitably. I am excited to bring to the board my experience as a school manager working at a school where the majority of our students live below the poverty line and come from communities of color. I will also bring in 10+ years of experience as a community organizer to the Saint Paul School Board. I am committed to ensure our education system reflects the values of all our communities and that our students are at the center of it all.[19] | ” |
| —Marny Xiong (October 8, 2017)[22] | ||
Ranking the issues
The candidates were asked to rank the following issues by importance in the school district, with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important. This table displays their rankings:
| Issue importance ranking | ||||
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| Issue | Copeland's ranking | Touhey's ranking | Xiong's ranking | |
| Expanding arts education | ||||
| Improving relations with teachers | ||||
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | ||||
| Improving post-secondary readiness | ||||
| Closing the achievement gap | ||||
| Improving education for special needs students | ||||
| Expanding school choice options | ||||
Positions on the issues
The candidates were asked to answer nine multiple choice and short answer questions from Ballotpedia regarding significant issues in education and the school district. A link to their responses can be found below.
Election trends
- See also: School boards in session: 2015 in brief
The 2017 Saint Paul school board election was guaranteed to elect one new member to the board due to an open seat, which was not unusual for the district. The 2013 general election and the 2016 special election each elected one newcomer to an open seat. In 2015, four newcomers were elected—three won open seats, and one defeated an incumbent to win a seat on the board.
| School board election trends | ||||||
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| Year | Candidates per seat | Unopposed seats | Incumbents running for re-election | Incumbent success rate | Seats won by newcomers | |
| Saint Paul Public Schools | ||||||
| 2017 | 2.00 | 0.00% | 66.67% | 100.00% | 33.33% | |
| 2016 | 5.00 | 0.00% | 0.00% | Not applicable | 100.00% | |
| 2015 | 2.25 | 0.00% | 25.00% | 0.00% | 100.00% | |
| 2013 | 1.67 | 0.00% | 66.67% | 100.00% | 33.33% | |
| Minnesota | ||||||
| 2016 | 2.22 | 0.00% | 61.11% | 77.27% | 52.78% | |
| 2015 | 1.70 | 18.18% | 69.70% | 95.65% | 33.33% | |
| United States | ||||||
| 2016 | 1.90 | 34.05% | 71.31% | 82.39% | 41.04% | |
| 2015 | 1.72 | 35.95% | 70.37% | 82.66% | 40.81% | |
Issues in the district
District announces it will pay employees $15 per hour by 2020
Officials in Saint Paul Public Schools announced on October 3, 2017, that employees would be paid $15 per hour by 2020. The announcement was made during contract negotiations between the district and food service workers, who were paid $11.66 per hour during the 2017-2018 school year.[23]
“We are investing in the people who make a significant impact on the lives of our students every day,” said Superintendent Joe Gothard. School board Chairman Jon Schumacher said, “We felt as a board this was a priority and the right thing to do.”[23]
This was not the first time the district announced a wage increase to $15 per hour. In January 2017, the district signed a contract with teaching assistants to raise their wage to $15 per hour by the 2018-2019 school year.[23]
Brian Aldes, secretary-treasurer and principal officer for the Local 320 union, said food-service workers wanted the $15 per hour wage prior to 2020. “Nutrition services earn below a poverty wage and provide a valuable service to our children. Proper nutrition is key to a healthy learning environment. To this point, the district has not been prepared to bargain. We hope for better cooperation in the near future,” said Aldes.[23]
About the district
- See also: Saint Paul Public Schools, Minnesota
The Saint Paul school district is located in east-central Minnesota in Ramsey County. The county seat is St. Paul. The county was home to an estimated 540,649 residents in 2016, according to the United States Census Bureau.[24] The district was the largest school district in the state in the 2014-2015 school year and served 37,969 students.[25]
Demographics
Ramsey County outperformed Minnesota as a whole in terms of higher education achievement between 2011 and 2015. The United States Census Bureau found that 40.4 percent of county residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 33.7 percent of state residents. During the same time period, the median household income in Ramsey County was $56,104, compared to $61,492 for the entire state. The poverty rate in the county was 15.1 percent, while it was 10.2 percent statewide.[24]
| Racial Demographics, 2016[24] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Ramsey County (%) | Minnesota (%) |
| White | 68.8 | 85.0 |
| Black or African American | 12.0 | 6.2 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0 | 1.3 |
| Asian | 14.8 | 4.9 |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.4 | 5.2 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Saint Paul Public Schools Minnesota election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Saint Paul Public Schools | Minnesota | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filings: 2017 Municipal and School District Elections," accessed August 16, 2017
- ↑ Saint Paul Public Schools, "The Saint Paul Board of Education," accessed August 15, 2017
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Qualifications," accessed August 15, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filing Periods," accessed August 15, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Withdrawal," accessed August 15, 2017
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Elections Calendar," accessed August 15, 2017
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Do I Need to Bring ID?" accessed August 15, 2017
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance Filings," accessed September 20, 2017
- ↑ Twin Cities Pioneer Press, "First candidates file for St. Paul school board election," August 1, 2017
- ↑ StarTribune, "Editorial endorsement: Two incumbents and a first-time candidate are best bets in St. Paul," October 24, 2017
- ↑ Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation, "Endorsed Candidates," accessed October 27, 2017
- ↑ Twin Cities Pioneer Press, "For St. Paul School Board, Foster, Xiong, Brodrick," October 19, 2017
- ↑ AFSCME Minnesota Council 5, "AFSCME Endorsed Candidates," accessed October 27, 2017
- ↑ Stonewall DFL Caucus, "Stonewall DFL Endorses in Minneapolis Park Board, Saint Paul School Board, Bloomington and Saint Louis Park City Council Races," accessed October 27, 2017
- ↑ womenwinning, "2017 Endorsed Candidates," accessed October 27, 2017
- ↑ Saint Paul Republicans, "SaintPaulRepublicans.us Endorses Greg Copeland for St Paul Public School Board," September 21, 2017
- ↑ Jeanelle Foster for Kids Saint Paul School Board, "Endorsements," accessed October 27, 2017
- ↑ Ramsey County Elections & Voting Office, "2017 Campaign Finance Reports," accessed December 18, 2017
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's school board candidate survey, "Greg Copeland responses," September 21, 2017
- ↑ Ballotpedia's school board candidate survey, "Andrea Touhey responses," October 11, 2017
- ↑ Ballotpedia's school board candidate survey, "Marny Xiong responses," October 8, 2017
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Twin Cities Pioneer Press, "St. Paul school district proposes $15 minimum wage by 2020," October 3, 2017
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 United States Census Bureau, "QuickFacts: Ramsey County, Minnesota; Minnesota," accessed August 16 2017
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data, file ccd_lea_052_1414_w_0216161a, 2014-2015," accessed November 16, 2016
| Saint Paul Public Schools elections in 2017 | |
| Ramsey County, Minnesota | |
| Election date: | November 7, 2017 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, John Brodrick • Incumbent, Jeanelle Foster • Luke Bellville • Greg Copeland • Andrea Touhey • Marny Xiong |
| Important information: | What's at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines |
