While the Nov. 5 national election was decided by a slim margin, it’s important to note Michigan voters followed educator recommendations on 75% of K-12 races.

One case in point is the successful effort to elect a slate of four candidates to the Grosse Pointe Public Schools Board of Education. The four candidates backed by the local union’s Screening & Recommendations Committee won their seats with broad support garnered through grassroots efforts among parents and the wider community.

The four winning candidates campaigned on finding unity and common ground to upend a contentious conservative board majority that took control in 2022. The Grosse Pointe Education Association offered the following factors that contributed to their success:

• Conducting our Screening and Recommendation early—before the filing deadline. This allowed our endorsed candidates to “get to work” and get their names out there.
• Requiring that the candidates ran as a slate.
• Our members who volunteered to drop literature and canvass for our endorsed candidates.
• Our members who signed up to work the polls on Election Day.
• Our communication with candidates throughout the process encouraging them and attending their events.
• Texting friends and family our recommendations.

“The above played a big role in the outcome along with the fact that our candidates worked hard, ran a clean campaign and did so with integrity,” the GPEA said in a statement. “We are proud to have endorsed Clint Derringer, Laura Hull, Tim Klepp and Colleen Worden.”