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ST. LOUIS 鈥� Voters across the region will decide on new school board members as Election Day arrives at a critical time for public education.

Incumbents are fighting to hang on as the culture wars that gripped school boards during the pandemic have mostly given way to financial crises.

School funding is tied to enrollment, which is trending downward along with birth rates nationwide. Millions in federal pandemic aid to local districts dried up last year. Now, ongoing federal funds for low-income schools and students with disabilities are at risk as President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration moves to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

Several local school districts are already operating under a budget deficit after enrollment dropped by nearly 11,000 students across 最新杏吧原创 and Jefferson, St. Charles and 最新杏吧原创 counties since 2020.

School boards will make decisions this year about building closures in Riverview Gardens and 最新杏吧原创 Public Schools. Ferguson-Florissant is consolidating campuses and cutting positions to address a $7.7 million budget shortfall. More affluent suburban districts are not immune to the financial pressures, as seen by staff layoffs in Edwardsville and buyouts in Webster Groves.

The financial issues in school districts are more widespread than the competition to manage them. At least 13 local districts have uncontested school board elections this year, meaning there are the same number of candidates as open seats: Affton, Bayless, Clayton, Hancock Place, Jennings, Ladue, Maplewood Richmond Heights, Pattonville, Ritenour, Rockwood, St. Charles, University City and Valley Park.

The culture wars that dominated Rockwood elections in recent years have all but fizzled out. Izzy Imig, who was supported by conservatives in her 2022 campaign, dropped her reelection bid and resigned from the board after being accused of stealing from two area Target stores.

Conservative talk show host Marc Cox鈥檚 annual school board voter guide endorses nine candidates this year, down from 13 last year and 29 in 2023.

"In many school districts, there are no candidates I can support," Cox wrote in the . Cox, of 97.1 FM Talk, added that he excludes candidates endorsed by local affiliates of the National Education Association because of the union's "radical policy positions."

Only a handful of local school districts will have bond issues on the ballot to fund building renovations without raising the tax rate 鈥� Affton, Maplewood Richmond Heights, Meramec Valley, St. Charles city and Wentzville. Cox recommends voting "no" on Wentzville's bond issue.

Here鈥檚 a look at school board races in some local school districts:

Ferguson-Florissant

The past few months have been rough for Ferguson-Florissant School District.

Longtime Superintendent Joseph Davis was accused of sexual harassment and retaliation in two lawsuits, which Davis has denied. The Ferguson-Florissant Board of Education decided to buy out the last two years of Davis鈥� contract on March 12.

The district is also trying to rectify a budget shortfall through drastic cuts while searching for Davis鈥� replacement.

Board members have so far approved several cost-saving measures, including the merger of the district鈥檚 two STEAM schools, the closure of Innovation High School, the sale of the former Vogt Elementary building that closed in 2019, and reduction of administrative positions.

Four candidates are running for two positions on the district鈥檚 board. In ballot order, candidates include Vivian Mansaray, John Flick, incumbent Sheila Powell-Walker and Jay Mosley.

Board Secretary Jillian Dunn decided not to run for reelection.

Francis Howell

Francis Howell School District鈥檚 race is once again a fight for majority control of its seven-member board.

Last year, Carolie Owens and Steven Blair broke a two-year winning streak for candidates supported by a conservative political action committee.

The seats of Francis Howell Families鈥� first two successful candidates, board President Adam Bertrand and Vice President Randy Cook, are up for grabs. Bertrand decided not to run for reelection. Cook is seeking a second term.

Members of opposing political committees Francis Howell Forward and St. Charles County Families for Public Schools, co-founded by former Democratic state Rep. Ted House and two former Francis Howell superintendents, seek to add two more of their endorsed candidates to Francis Howell鈥檚 leadership.

On the ballot is Ashley Sturm, a district parent and marketing executive who received Francis Howell Families鈥� endorsement along with Cook. They were also endorsed by the St. Charles County Republican Central Committee.

There鈥檚 also progressive-backed Amy Gryder and Sarah Oelke. Gryder is a corporate product leader, parent and district graduate. Oelke, also a parent, teaches English in the Parkway School District.

Francis Howell is one of the last holdouts of culture-war issues that turned traditionally nonpartisan school board races into battles of right vs. left. The board made headlines in recent years for removing social justice standards from Black history and literature courses and rescinding an anti-racism resolution.

Earlier this year, Cook, along with board member Jane Puszkar, testified for a state bill that would allow school districts to pass such policies without threat of lawsuits 鈥� which Francis Howell has received from at least two parents.

But there鈥檚 also the humdrum issues of school district oversight the candidates have mostly agreed on: providing quality education, recruiting and supporting teachers, maintaining transparent and sturdy finances.

The board election comes as Francis Howell prepares for new leadership. Superintendent Kenneth Roumpos will move to Kirkwood School District next school year. His replacement is Mike Dominguez, who comes from Garden City Public Schools in Kansas to take the lead on July 1.

Riverview Gardens

All seven members of the Riverview Gardens board are Black women, but that could change April 8. Incumbents Niketia Coleman, the board鈥檚 president, and Treasurer Wanda Lane face challenges from Theo Brown Sr. and Frank Green Jr. for their seats. Brown is also running for the board of the North County Fire Protection District.

Residents of Riverview Gardens regained a fully elected school board last year after operating under state control since 2010. The district remains provisionally accredited for academic and financial deficiencies.

The current board recently voted to cut 97 positions to help address a $23 million budget deficit. A decision on closing a school is expected by fall of 2026 after enrollment dropped by 373 students in the past five years.

最新杏吧原创 Public Schools

Ten candidates are looking to unseat or join incumbent Antionette 鈥淭oni鈥� Cousins, the board鈥檚 president who is running for reelection. Matt Davis, the board鈥檚 vice president, and member Natalie Vowell decided not to defend the other two open seats.

Brian Marston, the only candidate with children in SLPS, has racked up the most endorsements including the historically coveted nod from the American Federation of Teachers Local 420, which also backed Cousins and Teri Powers. The 最新杏吧原创 Labor Council endorsed Tavon Brooks, Cousins and Marston.

最新杏吧原创 Board of Aldermen President Megan Green鈥檚 picks are Karen Collins-Adams, Allisa (AJ) Foster and Marston.

鈥淲ith the recent turmoil at SLPS, this round of school board elections stands to be the most consequential elections we鈥檝e seen in quite some time. We need candidates with vision, governance experience, and a strong connection to our public schools,鈥� Green said in her endorsement post on Facebook.

The trio of Collins-Adams, Foster and Marston is also backed by a grassroots campaign started by SLPS staff members. In a recent survey, SLPS staff gave a 19% favorable rating when asked if they felt valued by the district.

The slate of Krystal Barnett, Zacheriah Davis and Andre Walker is running on a platform of change backed by the political action committee Coalition with STL Kids, which is run by former charter school director Chester Asher.

The other candidates in the race are former SLPS board members David Jackson and Bill Monroe.

The board faces ongoing challenges in the wake of ex-Superintendent Keisha Scarlett鈥檚 termination last year, including a $35 million operating budget deficit, an ongoing state audit and plans to close under-enrolled schools.

Wentzville

The Wentzville School District Board of Education could also see a power shift. The seven-member board hasn鈥檛 had as clear-cut a majority as Francis Howell.

Candidates Danielle Looney and Christina Macormic have the support of board members Renee Henke and Jen Olson. The two board members were elected on a conservative slate in 2023 along with David Lewis.

Looney and Macormic have endorsements from St. Charles County Republican Central Committee. They鈥檙e former board directors of St. Charles County Parents Association, a parent group that works to combat 鈥渋deological subversion鈥� in schools, according to its website.

Also on the ballot is Jeremy Way and incumbent Julie Scott, the board鈥檚 vice president.

Way is an assistant superintendent for Wright City School District. Scott was elected to the board in 2022. She鈥檚 typically voted against Wentzville鈥檚 more controversial moves, including book bans and restrictions on transgender students鈥� bathroom use.

Both Way and Scott have received endorsements from Wentzville鈥檚 teachers union and House鈥檚 PAC, St. Charles County Families for Public Schools.

The PAC brought in about $36,000 so far this election.