Beth Beebe
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Beth Beebe is a member of the Bloomington Public Schools School Board At-large in Minnesota. She assumed office on January 8, 2017. Her current term ends in 2025.
Beebe (Republican Party) ran for election to the Minnesota House of Representatives to represent District 50B. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Beebe is an at-large representative on the Bloomington Public Schools school board in Minnesota. Beebe won a first term in the at-large general election on November 7, 2017.
Beebe participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 school board candidate survey. Click here to read her responses.
Elections
2022
See also: Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50B
Incumbent Steve Elkins defeated Beth Beebe in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50B on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Steve Elkins (D)  | 63.1 | 14,425 |
 | Beth Beebe (R) | 36.9 | 8,437 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 15 | ||
| Total votes: 22,877 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50B
Incumbent Steve Elkins defeated incumbent Andrew Carlson in the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50B on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Steve Elkins | 61.1 | 3,179 |
 | Andrew Carlson | 38.9 | 2,025 | |
| Total votes: 5,204 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50B
Beth Beebe advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50B on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Beth Beebe | 100.0 | 2,206 |
| Total votes: 2,206 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2017
Four of the seven seats on the Bloomington Public Schools school board in Minnesota were up for nonpartisan general election on November 7, 2017. Incumbents Tom Bennett, Jim Sorum, and Dawn Steigauf won re-election to their seats. Newcomer Beth Beebe also won a seat. Challengers John Moravec, Julie Morse, Michael Poke, Paige Rohman, Dan Stirratt, Jane Stoa, and Marcia Sytsma were defeated in the election.[1]
Results
| Bloomington Public Schools, At-large General Election, 4-year terms, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Tom Bennett Incumbent |
13.29% | 5,473 |
| Dawn Steigauf Incumbent |
12.03% | 4,955 |
| Beth Beebe |
11.94% | 4,919 |
| Jim Sorum Incumbent |
11.35% | 4,674 |
| John Moravec | 10.87% | 4,478 |
| Dan Stirratt | 8.78% | 3,616 |
| Paige Rohman | 7.42% | 3,055 |
| Marcia Sytsma | 6.55% | 2,697 |
| Michael Poke | 6.42% | 2,646 |
| Jane Stoa | 5.68% | 2,338 |
| Julie Morse | 5.23% | 2,156 |
| Write-in votes | 0.46% | 189 |
| Total Votes | 41,196 | |
| Source: Bloomington Public Schools, "Minutes Of The Regular Meeting Of The School Board Independent School District 271," November 13, 2017 | ||
Funding
Beebe reported $1,050.00 in contributions and $650.68 in expenditures to the Bloomington Public Schools, which left her campaign with $419.32 on hand in the election.[2]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Beth Beebe did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2017
Ballotpedia survey responses
Beth Beebe participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of school board candidates.[3] In response to the question "What do you hope to achieve if elected to the school board?" the candidate stated on September 27, 2017:
| “ | I hope to address the following issues: Declining Math and Reading Scores. Our district Math and Reading scores put only 54% of 3rd and 8th grade students at grade level. I have researched and found that the current Math curriculum has been rated as LEAST EFFECTIVE by John Hopkins University. This is unacceptable and does not prepare our students with the fundamental math skills needed in any career. I will work with the Curriculum Committee to be sure that a new curriculum is highly evaluated by independent sources, not done by the publisher. I will also work to tap other sources that are effective in helping struggling students improve like the Math and Reading Corps and free community tutoring programs. Declining Enrollment and the issues related to it. This is causing the district to lose funding they need for programs. Some families have left the district because of curriculum, disrespect in the classroom, discipline, and bullying. Those issues need to be addressed to attract new and retain current students. Increasing Career Education and Training for students as alternative options to College. Shop classes are no longer offered in our district. The industrial, manufacturing, and craftsman industries are needing more workers to replace 25% to 35% of those retiring by the year 2020 and beyond. The district has started a College and Career Academy to help in this area. It has not been utilized as greatly as it needs to be to encourage students to move into these careers. Parents also have to be educated that these are viable jobs that pay well and are respected fields. Our district can impact this increasing need, but it will take more focus to get the word out.[4][5] | ” |
Ranking the issues
The candidate was asked to rank the following issues based on how they should be prioritized by the school board, with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important. Each ranking could only be used once.
| Education policy |
|---|
 |
Click here to learn more about education policy in Minnesota. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Improving post-secondary readiness | |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Improving relations with teachers | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | |
| Improving education for special needs students | |
| “ | Special Ed seems to be receiving a large portion of our funding. Struggling non-special ed students need to be given resources to address the achievement gap and improve math and reading readiness for careers and post secondary education. Our teachers need to be heard and valued. Current Bloomington math curriculum has been rated as least effective by John Hopkins University. Our district math scores are reflective of the failure of this curriculum to give our students the fundamental skill they need to take higher level math and science courses to prepare for post-secondary readiness.[5] | ” |
| —Beth Beebe (September 27, 2017) | ||
Positions on the issues
The candidate was asked to answer eight questions from Ballotpedia regarding significant issues in education and the school district. The questions are highlighted in blue and followed by the candidate's responses. Some questions provided multiple choices, which are noted after those questions. The candidate was also provided space to elaborate on their answers to the multiple choice questions.
| Should new charter schools be approved in your district? (Not all school boards are empowered to approve charter schools. In those cases, the candidate was directed to answer the question as if the school board were able to do so.) |
|---|
| Yes. Families need options. If the district is afraid of loosing students then they must make the district the best option for the families in their district. It's about the families and students. |
| Which statement best describes the ideal relationship between the state government and the school board? The state should always defer to school board decisions, defer to school board decisions in most cases, be involved in the district routinely or only intervene in severe cases of misconduct or mismanagement. |
| The state should only intervene in severe cases of misconduct or mismanagement. People want local control of their districts and state government regulations have prevented districts from doing what is best for them. |
| Are standardized tests an accurate metric of student achievement? |
| No. While they do reflect some information that can be useful, not all students test well even when they know the material. There are other ways students achieve in other subjects not revealed through standardized testing. Testing that shows how each child is achieving individually from one semester to the next are more accurate in showing progress whether it is incremental or great. |
| How should the district handle underperforming teachers? Terminate their contract before any damage is done to students, offer additional training options, put them on a probationary period while they seek to improve or set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district? |
| Set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district. |
| Should teachers receive merit pay? |
| Yes. Those who are going above and beyond need to acknowledged and appreciated. |
| Should the state give money to private schools through a voucher system or scholarship program? |
| Yes. Once again, it is about giving parents options to make the choice about their child's education. Parents pay taxes and should have the ability to say where they want their funds to be directed to educate their children. School Districts can find creative ways to attract new students or retain current students by making their schools competitive. Parents are leaving our district due to curriculum issues, disrespect in the classroom and hallways, bullying, and lack of response to their concerns. The district needs to address these issues to be competitive. |
| How should expulsion be used in the district? |
| Education is a privilege. Not a right at any cost. When a district has worked with a student and their family to help that student succeed and the student is a danger to others or so disruptive that it interferes with the rest of the students education, it needs to be an option. As one principal told me, "The student may not be in the right place and other options may need to be pursued." Families need to be supported in the process as the student's issues may be beyond their ability to solve them on their own. |
| What's the most important factor for success in the classroom: student-teacher ratio, the curriculum, teachers, parent involvement or school administration? |
| Teachers. Teachers provide the most impact on the students. However, if the student-teacher ratio is to great it is hard to teach and reach each student. The teachers also need effective curriculum. It is the tools with which they teach. But if students do not have support at home to come to school ready to learn, it puts them at a disadvantage. Even a home at poverty level can still instill in their child the discipline, respect, and value of education. It is an attitude of success they can give their child. The school administration can either make or break a school by how it supports it's teachers and parents. If issues are not dealt with, I have seen once good schools fail. On the other hand I have seen a school turn around with the right administration. If a Principal has a lenient discipline policy, teachers cannot teach to their greatest potential and our students miss out on the talent and dedication of our students. |
Candidate website
Beebe highlighted the following issues on her campaign website:
| “ | MY VISION FOR BLOOMINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
I am running for Bloomington School Board because I believe that my educational background experiences and perspective, along with my history of investment in Bloomington families and the community will allow me to bring new expertise to the future school board as they continue to make policy decisions to support teachers and provide opportunity for students to learn the skills needed for future education and careers. TRAINING FOR HIGH TECH JOBS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) Math and Reading scores are not improving. Currently, only about 54% of Bloomington 3rd through 8th grade students are at their grade level in reading and math. We need the Curriculum Committee to evaluate other successful curriculum options and engage the community to help struggling students with the help of the Math and Reading Corps. The Math and Reading Corps. is a federally-funded program school districts can utilize by contributing a small financial share of local funds. Community tutors are trained in methods that have been independently evaluated to help struggling students improve in these critical areas. MATH The current curriculum being used in the elementary grade level does not teach higher level math skills needed for Algebra-level math and above and upper-level sciences such as Physics and Chemistry. This curriculum has been evaluated along with other curriculums used nationally as least effective by John Hopkins University. Using the same methods and expecting a different outcome year after year is not working. We need to give our Elementary Teachers curriculum that helps their students gain solid skills to transfer into higher math. The Math Corps or something like it should be added to support students who are struggling to get grade level proficiency. READING Reading is the foundation for other content subjects. The 46% of our students who are not at grade level by 8th grade, are at risk of not succeeding as they enter High School. Before students enter high school, we must find independently-evaluated successful programs like the Reading Corps. to work 1-on-1 with students to reach grade level by 8th grade. Parents and others in the community must be involved and work with children during and after school. UNIVERSITY AND TRADE SCHOOL EDUCATION OPTIONS SHORTAGE OF SKILLED TRADE WORKERS By the year 2020, 35% of the employed population will retire; many of these retirees work in a trade-specific job (carpenters, plumbers, mechanics, etc.). The availability of services performed by trade-specific workers in a few years will be significantly reduced because shop classes are no longer taught at our high schools. TRADE SCHOOL AND BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS Currently, there is a Career and College Academy that is beginning to address this need. Much more needs to be done to encourage students to take advantage of these training possibilities at Normandale Community College, Dunwoody College of Technology, Hennepin Technical College and the Minnesota Building Trades Apprenticeship program. Some corporations want employees to start at an entry-level position and will train workers for other positions in the company. Some companies will pay for tuition to train and educate dependable employees for specific jobs or provide a way for an employee to obtain a college education in the future. Job Fair and Career Day events introduce students to many careers that don't require a college degree. Students can interact directly with leaders in these areas of employment, get answers to their questions, and learn what course work will best prepare them to enter these fields. INCREASED ENROLLMENT LEADS TO INCREASED FUNDING Enrollment for the past 3 years is around 10,000 to 10,150 students. The reduction in the student population in Bloomington schools is due in part to students transferring to charter schools, private schools, home schooling and parents enrolling their students in other districts. EVALUATE AND INSTITUTE SUCCESSFUL EDUCATION OPTIONS Bloomington parents want the best education for their children and site charter schools, curriculum, and home schooling as being better options than Bloomington public schools. The Bloomington school board needs to research the reasons families have left the Bloomington public school system. They need to enforce current district discipline policies to create the positive learning environments these policies were meant to achieve. New policies may need to be established and carried out in the schools. The district can also gain insight by looking at standards that are working in Charter Schools that are attracting students and families. Failure to do so will result in a continual drop in our public school enrollment. THE OPERATING REFERENDUM The current referendum is a renewal of the previous one. It covers operating expenses but no additional funds to cover inflation. An increase in the amount will bring in enough revenue to allow the district to hold onto reserve funds. Without this increase, those reserves will be used up and will put the Bloomington School District in the red. The district has worked hard to keep its reserves for emergency needs and has been working for years to be fiscally responsible.[5] |
” |
| —Beth Beebe (2017)[6] | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Beth Beebe Bloomington Public Schools school board. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filings: 2017 Municipal and School District Elections," accessed August 16, 2017
- ↑ Bloomington Public Schools, "2017 Campaign Financial Report," accessed December 11, 2017
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2017, "Beth Beebe's responses," September 27, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Beebe for School Board, "Vision," accessed October 26, 2017
