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Wilmington, Del. – Less than 2 percent of registered voters in Delaware participate in school board elections each year, leaving approximately 7,000 people to choose the school boards that shape classroom policies for almost 140,000 students and 9,000 teachers.
Today, DelawareCAN: The Delaware Campaign for Achievement Now unveiled its “Who Runs Our Schools?” campaign to boost those numbers dramatically for May 8 by connecting voters across the state with clear, interactive and user-friendly information about their candidates– including survey results from 16 hopefuls, running in races from Wilmington to Delmar.
Profiles of the candidates, their views on major education issues and their past leadership experience are available at www.whorunsourschools.com.
“The children of this state are too important to leave major decisions about school governance to less than 2 percent of the eligible voters,” said Atnre Alleyne, executive director of DelawareCAN. “If we believe public education is important and that the success of our children is paramount, we must do our part to vote and thoroughly vet those with control over our schools.”
He added: “We named our campaign ‘Who Runs Our Schools?’ because it’s a question too few people are asking themselves. Our hope is that we can help spark greater participation in school board elections and deeper understanding of why these boards matter so much in our public schools.”
On the “Who Runs Our Schools?” website, community members can learn more about the function of school boards, candidate requirements, and where to cast their ballots in the upcoming election.
“School board elections are a chance to reflect on our public education system and who is responsible for making hyperlocal decisions that really impact our kids’ day-to-day lives,” Alleyne said. “The truth is, voters can’t make their best choices unless they’re well informed–and when they’re not, many folks choose to skip voting altogether. We can do better. Our students need us to.”
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About DelawareCAN: Launched in 2017, DelawareCAN: The Delaware Campaign for Achievement Now is a nonprofit organization that empowers, mobilizes and collaborates with everyday Delawareans to advocate for a high-quality education system.