Minneapolis schools just got a political reset. The election did not erase the district’s money problems, but it clearly changed who will be making the next round of hard calls. Families who pushed back on closures now have a stronger voice on the board.
A new majority is taking over
On Tuesday, Minneapolis voters elected three new members to the nine-member school board, and they will take office in January. Christin Crabtree, Becca Dryden, and Shannon Gibney all won after campaigning against school closure proposals that had dominated district politics in 2026. Their victories matter because all three were backed by the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers.
They join returning members Collin Beachy, Abdul Abdi, and Greta Callahan, giving union-backed members a working majority on the nine-seat board. Beachy won one of the two at-large seats, while Crabtree took the other citywide spot. Gibney won District 3, Dryden won District 5, and Abdi held on in District 1.
The seats changing hands also tell a story about direction. Crabtree replaces Joyner Emerick, Gibney takes the District 3 seat held by Lucie Skjefte, and Dryden succeeds Lori Norvell. Emerick and Norvell had supported parts of the district’s transformation plan, including ideas tied to closures and mergers.
School closures are off the table, for now
The election came only weeks after the board halted school closures and mergers for the 2027-28 school year. Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams had urged that pause after strong public backlash, but she also warned that delaying closures would not solve uneven academic offerings or the district’s broader financial strain. That means the new majority inherits the same problems, just with a different approach.
District staff had argued that combining schools could free up educators and money for stronger programs across Minneapolis Public Schools. But when families asked for details in September and October, district leaders said the plans would produce little immediate savings because much of the money would be reinvested in staff and programs. That weakened support for the closures.
The campaign message from the winning slate was straightforward. Crabtree, Dryden, and Gibney said residents wanted leaders more connected to families and less interested in making a major change first and explaining it later. That message clearly landed with voters across Minneapolis.
The next fight is about money and enrollment
The biggest test now is the budget. In October, the district reported enrollment was about 1,000 students below projections, creating an estimated $12.9 million shortfall. Because school funding is tied so closely to enrollment, the board’s next moves will likely focus on keeping current families and convincing new ones to choose Minneapolis Public Schools.
There is some financial relief coming, but not enough to change the picture on its own. Voters statewide approved a constitutional amendment that increases annual payments from Minnesota’s Permanent School Fund starting July 1. Using 2025 figures, Minneapolis would have received $2.9 million instead of $2 million under the old formula, which helps but does not erase recurring gaps.
The board has already pointed to possible next steps. In October, members unanimously called for more work on enrollment strategies, including early childhood programming, school assignment policies, and school start and end times. After cutting about 90 central office positions in the last budget cycle and relying on a technology levy that spared roughly $20 million in cuts, the district now has less room for easy fixes.
