Welcome to Hall Pass, a newsletter written to keep you plugged into the conversations driving  school board governance, the politics surrounding it, and education policy. 

In today’s edition, you’ll find:

• On the issues: The debate over school discipline 
• School board filing deadlines, election results, and recall certifications
• Governors set K-12 education priorities in annual addresses
• Extracurricular: education news and numbers from around the web
• Candidate Connection survey

Reply to this email to share reactions or story ideas!

On the issues: The debate over school discipline

In this section, we curate reporting, analysis, and commentary on the issues school board members deliberate when they set out to offer the best education possible in their district. Missed an issue? Click here to see the previous education debates we’ve covered.

Should schools use discipline practices focused on conflict resolution, social skill development, and community building (also called restorative discipline)? Or should they use more traditional practices like suspension and detention?

Elizabeth Grace Matthew writes that restorative discipline allows students to misbehave without consequences. Matthew says suspensions and expulsion are sometimes necessary to protect well-behaved children from distraction and deter bad behavior.

Larry Ferlazzo writes that bad behavior should be viewed as a missing skill and not an intentional choice by children. Ferlazzo says punitive approaches like suspension and expulsion harm students. He says restorative justice promotes relationships and student autonomy and prepares children for future success.

Read on

The predictable failure of ‘restorative justice’ in schools | Elizabeth Grace Matthew, The Hill

“It should have been obvious that academic outcomes would get worse if students could misbehave with impunity. Anyone who has ever managed a classroom knows that when students who are attempting to stay on task are distracted by other students who are constantly disrupting, learning suffers. While suspensions and expulsions are extreme measures (the efficacy of which can be justly called into question with respect to misbehaving students themselves), they do provide well-behaved students relief from disruption and/or victimization; they also act as deterrents to those who might be inclined to misbehave. It is no surprise that, without these disciplinary measures, teachers’ time is more consistently wasted on classroom management, students are more consistently disrupted and chaos reigns. And chaotic environments are not ideal for academic learning.”

What Do Restorative Practices Look Like in Schools? | Larry Ferlazzo, Education Week

“We need to practice and advocate a mind shift where ‘bad behavior’ is viewed as a missing skill (skills-based deficit) that needs to be learned rather than a deliberate choice of the individual. … Expulsion and suspension interfere with young scholars’ academic progress and damages their sense of belonging at school. Restorative practice is humanistic. Intentional, inclusive, and respectful ways of thinking about, communicating about, and handling behavioral challenges are made available to students and caring adults through restorative practices. Restorative practices, when used in a school environment, support relationship development and repair, highlight student autonomy, and downplay harsh punishment in favor of dialogue to resolve conflicts. This growth and development will serve the young scholar beyond their K-12 educational career.”

School board update: filing deadlines, election results, and recall certifications

In 2025, Ballotpedia will cover elections for more than 30,000 school board seats. We’re expanding our coverage each year with our eye on covering the country’s more than 80,000 school board seats.    

Upcoming school board elections

The map below shows the states where Ballotpedia will be covering school board elections:

• March 4—California, Alabama, Iowa (special elections)
• March 11—Arizona
• April 1—Alaska, Illinois, Oklahoma, (general elections), Wisconsin (general elections)
• April 8—Missouri and Nebraska
• May 3—Texas
• May 6—Montana
• May 13—Arkansas and Delaware

We will continue to update the list of states and election dates as we gather more information on election dates, filing deadlines, and candidate lists. 

Click here for more information on upcoming elections in your state.

Governors set K-12 education priorities in annual addresses 

Each year, governors provide an annual report on their policy priorities and the overall condition of their states to lawmakers (in states with legislatures that do not meet annually, the address is given every other year). These reports, mandated by all 50 state constitutions, are generally known as state of the state addresses. As of this writing, 42 governors have given their addresses. 

Ballotpedia has catalogued each state’s address going back to 1990. Click here to see the addresses. 

The speeches cover a welter of policies, including K-12 education. This year’s addresses come amidst the latest National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) scores, which showed little progress in reading and math among fourth and eighth graders compared to 2022 or 2019, growing dissatisfaction with public education, and uncertainty over the future of the federal government’s role in the education system.

Here’s a look at some of the key K-12 education themes across the 2025 state of the state addresses.  

Governors across the political spectrum were most likely to emphasize school funding, workforce development, teacher recruitment and retention, curriculum and standards, and cellphones in classrooms 

School funding

Governors in at least 28 states—14 Republicans and 14 Democrats—directly addressed K-12 education funding, with most calling on lawmakers to rework school funding formulas or increase the amount allocated to districts. 

• Arizona (divided government): Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) called on lawmakers to renew Proposition 123, which voters approved 51% to 49% in 2016. The measure allocated  $3.5 billion to education from the general fund over 10 years. Hobbs said, “We must address the impending expiration of Prop 123, which provides critical funding for public schools and teachers. Renewing it is essential. If we fail to act, we are throwing away an opportunity to fund teacher pay raises and give Arizona’s children the opportunity they deserve – all without raising taxes on a single Arizonan.”
• Nebraska (Republican trifecta): Gov. Jim Pillen (R) said, “Nebraska’s thirty-year-old formula for school funding—remains broken, burdening local communities and property tax payers in districts with limited resources and shortchanging our kids…I will establish a blue-ribbon commission of experts to cut through the bureaucracy and vested special interests in our current school funding system and recommend a new model for Nebraska, which THIS Legislature will be able to consider and adopt.” 

Teacher recruitment and retention

Governors in at least 22 states—seven Democrats and 15 Republicans—called for recruiting and retaining teachers through higher pay and better working conditions.  

• Indiana (Republican trifecta): Gov. Mike Braun (R) said, “Let’s increase teacher base pay to attract and keep great teachers. Senate Bill 146 authored by Senator Linda Rogers will raise the minimum salary for public school teachers by $5,000, and make sure that 65% of tuition support is going to pay teachers.”
• Maryland (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Wes Moore (D) said, “This year, we are taking aim at the single largest barrier to achievement in our schools: And that’s the teacher shortage…Our first-order priority is recruiting and retaining world-class educators for every single Maryland classroom. This year, our administration is seeking legislative authority to launch a national campaign to recruit top educators to come work and teach in Maryland.”

Workforce development

Governors in at least 19 states—10 Democrats and nine Republicans—called for greater investments in workforce development and career and technical education (CTE). These policies provide an alternative to college for high school graduates, and include apprenticeships and dual-enrollment programs that allow students to earn certificates in high-demand fields.

• Kansas (divided government): Gov. Laura Kelly (D) said, “I want a future where our economy is fueled by people in every corner of our state – where there are educational opportunities, be it an apprenticeship, an internship, a certificate, a two or four year degree.”
• Missouri (Republican trifecta): Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) said, “We’re proposing $15 million in new funding to address equipment, space, and operational needs of career and technical centers across the state, as well as $5 million more on an annual basis to support increased operational costs. Every student in Missouri should be able to talk to school counselors about their future career path, whether that includes college or not.”

Curriculum and standards

Governors in at least 21 states—seven Democrats and 14 Republicans—emphasized high-quality curriculum, particularly around literacy. These governors also called for a renewed focus on measuring student achievement and holding districts to high standards.

• Iowa (Republican trifecta): Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) said, “Last year, we passed important legislation that requires schools to create personalized plans for students who aren’t reading proficiently at grade level. We also provided educators with no-cost training, grounded in the science of reading. And we sent every first-grader in the state a pack of literacy-enhancing books—known as “decodables”—to help parents reinforce reading skills at home.”
• Massachusetts (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Maura Healey (D) referred to the  Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam, a graduation requirement voters repealed in a 59-41% vote in 2024. Healy opposed repealing the exam, and in her address said, “We need a high, statewide standard. Students, families, and employers need to know what a diploma represents. And without that baseline, it’s always the most vulnerable students who don’t get what they need. For that reason: I am directing a Statewide Graduation Requirement Council that will include teachers, colleges, employers and students to develop recommendations for a permanent, high standard.”

Cellphones in schools

Governors in at least 12 states—three Democrats and nine Republicans—said cellphones, and social media, were negatively affecting student learning. Many governors called on lawmakers to pass laws restricting student access to cellphones during the school day. 

• New Mexico (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) said, “We also need to expand instructional opportunities through the summer and make the most of the time we have with kids in the classroom. That’s why I’m proposing incentives for schools that ban cellphone use during school hours, along with funding for enhanced safety measures so that parents don’t have to worry about getting ahold of their kids in an emergency.” 
• Oklahoma (Republican trifecta): Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) said, “I want to challenge the Legislature and school districts across the state to consider ways to make cell phone free schools a reality for all students. It doesn’t have to cost anything – it just needs to be effective for the students we serve.”

Republican governors touted private school choice policies

At least 17 Republican governors—including one, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, from a divided government state—touted existing private school choice programs or called for expanding or enacting new programs. Private school choice programs allow students to use taxpayer dollars for private educational expenses. Three Democratic governors in states with divided governments—Hobbs, in Arizona; Kelly, in Kansas; and Andy Beshear, in Kentucky—specifically opposed or called for reforming those programs. 

Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) said, “I recognize the growing desire to expand school choice especially for students with unique physical or developmental conditions. I am recommending $50 million to further expand education options for Idaho families. Just like we do with every taxpayer dollar that is spent in government, we will ensure there is oversight in school choice. Why? Because accountability in government is an Idaho value, and it is what taxpayers demand and deserve.” 

Idaho is one of four states with a Republican trifecta without a private school choice program. 

Democratic governors advocated for expanded school lunch and breakfast programs

At least eight Democratic governors highlighted policies providing free meals to all students, with some celebrating previously expanded programs or calling on lawmakers to enact such initiatives.

According to the Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center, eight states have enacted laws providing universal free meals to students. 

Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) said, “We became the second state in the nation to fund universal free meals in the public schools, erasing a divide that only stigmatized kids whose families have less.” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) said, “We invested $11 billion in public education for the first time ever and targeted those dollars to the schools that need them most. We’re starting to meet the needs of our students, including serving nearly 92 million free breakfasts to school kids last year.”

We covered the history and debate around universal free meal policies like the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) in Hall Pass last year.

Click here to explore all 2025 state of the state addresses. As of this writing, governors in California, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Ohio had yet to give their addresses. 

Extracurricular: education news from around the web

This section contains links to recent education-related articles from around the internet. If you know of a story we should be reading, reply to this email to share it with us! 

• Mend, Don’t End, the Institute of Education Sciences | The 74
• Can alum of school board culture wars oust Young Kim? | Politico
• Why a Chula Vista School Board Member Ran for a Seat He Already Held | Voice of San Diego
• Dizzying changes: 20 shifts to education in the Trump administration’s first month | Oregon Public Broadcasting

Take our Candidate Connection survey to reach voters in your district

Today, we’re looking at survey responses from two Wisconsin candidates running for school board on April 1. 

Martha Siravo and Brett Wagner are running in the nonpartisan general election for Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education Seat 3. Wisconsin held school board primaries on Feb. 18, but the Seat 3 primary was canceled because Siravo and Wagner were the only candidates to run. 

Madison Metropolitan School District is the second-largest in Wisconsin, with around 25,000 students. 

Here’s how Siravo answered the question, “What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?”

• “As your advocate now or as a future Board of Education member, I pledge to listen to you and work together to find solutions for our children, even if we don’t agree at first. Set High Expectations: Create inclusive, effective and consistent classrooms using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Integrated Comprehensive Systems (ICS) to focus on every student’s learning.
• Support Teachers: Reduce administrative burdens, and provide tailored professional development. Hire more Special Education Assistants.
• Spend Smarter. Advocate Harder: Direct funds to classrooms, technology, and inclusive materials through transparent budgets focused on student success. Actively engage the community, amplify family voices, and work with legislators to secure increased funding for schools.”

Click here to read the rest of Siravo’s responses. 

Here’s how Wagner answered the question, “What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?”

• “Excellence Through Equity: Every child gets what they need to succeed – from advanced learning to early intervention. As an engineer, I’ll use data to ensure our resources match our students’ needs.
• Trust Our Teachers: Support teachers with competitive pay, more classroom autonomy, and less bureaucracy. My engineering experience taught me that the people closest to the work know it best.
• Real Results, Real Transparency: Public dashboards showing progress on student achievement, spending, and equity goals. I’ll bring an engineer’s precision to tracking what matters.”

Click here to read the rest of Wagner’s responses.

Everyone deserves to know their candidates. However, we know it can be hard for voters to find information about their candidates, especially for local offices such as school boards. That’s why we created Candidate Connection—a survey designed to help candidates tell voters about their campaigns, their issues, and so much more. 

In the 2024 election cycle, 6,539 candidates completed the survey, including more than 500 school board candidates. 

If you’re a school board candidate or incumbent, click here to take the survey.