Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

campaign finance

Follow the money

Tennessee
July 17, 2018

Here’s who is giving money to Memphis school board candidates — and not all of it is local

For the first time in four years, one school board candidate has attracted campaign money from groups outside the state interested in seeing changes in…

dotting the i's

Colorado
March 2, 2018

Group that supported Douglas County anti-voucher candidates fined in campaign finance case

A judge found no attempt to deceive voters because the group disclosed "the key fact that a large national union of teachers was attempting to influence the election.”

Follow the money

Colorado
December 8, 2017

Final Denver school board campaign finance reports show who brought in the most late money

No independent group spent more during the election than Raising Colorado.

Follow the money

Colorado
October 18, 2017

In Denver school board races, incumbents outpacing challengers in campaign contributions

Board vice president Barbara O’Brien has raised the most money so far.

behind the scenes

Tennessee
November 30, 2016

Trump’s nominee for ed chief already has influenced Tennessee’s voucher debate

This election cycle alone, advocacy groups founded and led by Betsy DeVos helped to oust at least one outspoken voucher opponent in Tennessee’s House of Representatives.

Many choices

Detroit
November 7, 2016

We sorted through Detroit’s 63 school board candidates so you don’t have to

Detroit’s school board race is crucial: Voters are choosing the first empowered board in decades, as the district struggles to leave behind the academic and…

Campaign cash

Colorado
November 1, 2016

Colorado’s record number of school bond measures raking in donations from varied interests

Campaign finance reports show almost $2 million has poured into the campaigns seeking to pass the 10 largest bond requests on the 2016 ballot.

No go on limits

Colorado
March 22, 2016

Bid to cap school board campaign contributions fails; bill requiring more transparency advances

A bill that would have limited contributions in school board campaigns suffered a crushing defeat late Monday in a House committee.

full disclosure

Colorado
December 24, 2015

Teachers unions gave huge sums of seed money to Jeffco recall, new records show

Jeffco United raised nearly $300,000, most from local, state and national teachers unions. But the nonprofit maintains the recall was led by parents.

Adding it Up

Colorado
December 4, 2015

Happy Haynes raised and spent big money in final days of Denver school board campaign

Last-minute donations continued to flood the campaign coffers of Allegra “Happy” Haynes up until Election Day as she fended off challenger Robert Speth.

Final tally

Colorado
December 4, 2015

Victors in Dougco board races had huge campaign spending edge

The three insurgent candidates for the Douglas County school board raised and spent almost five times more campaign money than the incumbents they unseated.

Follow the money

Colorado
Updated October 31, 2015

Money pours into Happy Haynes campaign for Denver school board at-large seat

This story was updated with Michael Kiley’s finance report information. The Denver school board at-large race, which pits an established Denver political figure against…

Follow the money

Colorado
October 31, 2015

Jeffco school board candidates backed by union continue to raise more than opponents

The new school board campaign finance reports provide little new information about the murky state of play in Jefferson County.

election 2015

Colorado
October 31, 2015

Dougco incumbents raise modest money, but reports don’t tell full story

Three incumbents seeking election to the Douglas County school board have raised about $12,000 in contributions, compared to a some $64,000 for their challengers.

Election analysis

Colorado
October 30, 2015

Smoke screen of outside money, complex disclosure laws obscure spending in school board races

Good luck if you’re trying to follow the money in Colorado’s school board races. Spending by outside groups and inconsistencies in state law make it hard to do.

Follow the money

Colorado
Updated October 28, 2015

Who gave to organizations for and against the 2015 Jefferson County recall?

Follow the money for and against the Jefferson County recall effort.

election 2015

Colorado
October 16, 2015

Pro-reform group spends big on 2015 campaign

A committee affiliated with Democrats for Education Reform has spent nearly $90,000 on campaign materials for two Denver school board candidates.

Follow the money

Colorado
Updated December 4, 2015

Who gave to your 2015 Jeffco school board candidate?

Follow the money in the Jefferson County school board race.

Follow the money

Colorado
October 14, 2015

Who gave to your 2015 Denver school board candidate?

Follow the money in the 2015 Denver school board races.

Follow the money

Colorado
October 14, 2015

Jeffco school board candidates, linked to recall group, outpace opponents in race for open seats

The numbers available so far in Jeffco tell only part of the story of this unusual election.

Campaign cash

Colorado
Updated October 15, 2015

Big donations from teachers union highlight first Denver school board campaign finance report

Lisa Flores, a former program officer with the Gates Family Foundation running for the open District 5 seat, easily led all the candidates, raising nearly $80,000.

(Re)Call Me Maybe

Colorado
July 17, 2015

Find out who were the first to give to the Jeffco recall effort

Nearly all donations were from Coloradans.
Indiana
January 21, 2015

New IPS board members raised nearly $200K during campaign

New Indianapolis Public School Board members Mary Ann Sullivan, Kelly Bentley and LaNier Echols together raised nearly $200,000 last year to support their winning campaigns in what ended up as the most expensive school board election in the city's recent history.

IPS school board race

Indiana
November 3, 2014

Election preview: IPS candidates battle for control of school board

Incumbents Annie Roof, Michael Brown and Samantha Adair-White — who are asking for voters to give them another four years to serve the district — each face stiff competition for their seats from candidates who are drawing in tens of thousands of dollars from contributors, and who say they are in favor of more aggressive reforms for the district, such as partnering with charter schools and giving principals more autonomy to fix failing schools.

SBE races get interesting

Colorado
October 22, 2014

Reformers, unions spending big on Democratic State Board candidates

A political committee affiliated with Democrats for Education Reform has spent nearly $126,866 in two State Board of Education races where teachers unions also are supporting Democrats.
Indiana
October 17, 2014

Who's giving money to IPS school board candidates?

IPS school board challengers who are in favor of school reforms such as increased autonomy for principals, revamping teacher pay and partnering with charter schools, have raised money that dwarfs fundraising by the incumbent board members they hope to unseat.

Campaign fundraising

Colorado
October 15, 2014

Developers, contractors, teachers union big donors in district tax campaigns

Campaign committees supporting proposed school district tax increases around the state have raised nearly $340,000, according to reports filed with the secretary of state this week.

Big money

Colorado
October 3, 2014

Many streams of cash flow to legislative races

Democratic Senate candidates with ties to education continue to gather significant campaign contributions, and outside political committees now also are spending significantly in battleground races.

War chests fill up

Colorado
September 3, 2014

Democrats, unions pour money into key races

Democratic candidates in pivotal state Senate races, including those of interest to education, continued to lead their Republican opponents in fundraising, according to campaign finance reports filed Tuesday. (With interactive database)

Campaign cash

Colorado
August 4, 2014

Contributions flowing in education-related races

With the November election only three months away, candidates and campaign committees are building their war chests in races with implications for education.