Cool for School: the D.C. State Board of Education Election

The first installment of a two-part post previewing D.C.'s race for the newly reconfigured Board of Education. Check DCist tomorrow for the second half, including a complete rundown of the candidates.

District Voter: Did you know there’s a big Presidential election on Tuesday? Yes? Good. Did you know there’s a school board election too? No? There is, and seats on the first official State Board of Education are up for grabs.

For the last 8 years, the school board was a partially elected, partially appointed body. Prior to that, it was an all-elected council. Stripped largely of its power and responsibilities last year when the D.C. Council granted mayoral authority over the schools to the mayor's office, the Board is now responsible for advising Chancellor Michelle Rhee the DCPS Superintendent on mattes of academic and teacher certification standards and policies.

The change in responsibilities and return to full elections left some Board members pleased and others dismayed. Elected Board President Robert Bobb, a critic of the switch, is not seeking election to the latest iteration of the Board. Voters are concerned about the value of the elected advisory Board.

Each Ward will choose a Board member and the city will select one at-large member. Unopposed incumbents will take the Ward 2, 3, 4, 6, and at-large seats. An opposed incumbent runs in Ward 8. The seats in Ward 1, 5, and 7 are wide open. The City Paper's Loose Lips has issued a the only public endorsements (Edit: along with the Post), giving a nod to all of the incumbents and basing his decisions in Wards 1, 5, and 7 on which candidate best understands what the Board does.