Meet the candidates running for the Detroit school board

Thirty-four individuals are competing for five vacant seats on the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) board, a significant race that will determine the future leadership of the largest district in Michigan. This election is especially consequential as it is the largest slate since 2016, when the DPSCD was established, with over 60 candidates vying for board positions.

Only two incumbents, Steve Bland and Bessie Harris, are seeking re-election, having been appointed to fill the remaining terms of members who resigned. The current board leaders, President LaTrice McClendon and Vice President Corletta Vaughn, are not seeking re-election, leaving one open seat unaccounted for. Iris Taylor's position on the board fell vacant in July following her untimely death.

Out of the 34 candidates who responded to Chalkbeat's questionnaire in July, their proposals range from tackling high absenteeism rates to boosting enrollment and managing the potential loss of funding that enabled the district to hire academic interventionists. The following section provides biographical details and responses from the candidates to Chalkbeat's inquiries.

Please note that Chalkbeat has not edited the responses for grammar or punctuation. For further information on voting procedures, please refer to the provided link. Lori Higgins, the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit, can be reached at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.