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Leavenworth Unified School District 453, Kansas, elections (2023)
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Incumbent Judi Price, incumbent Dannielle Wells, Karen G. Overbey, and Jessica Wilson won election to the Leavenworth Unified School District 453 school board in Leavenworth County, Kansas, on November 7, 2023. Four of seven school board seats were up for election, and voters could choose up to four candidates.[1]
The district had approximately 3,695 students during the 2021-2022 school year.
There were two slates that fielded four candidates each. In addition, two candidates did not belong to either slate.
Incumbent John Goodman, Deborah Brown, Jason Claire, and Karen G. Overbey ran as a slate of candidates. Their campaign priorities included: maintaining a flat property tax, academic achievement, parental rights, fiscal transparency, and politically neutral classrooms.[2][3][4][5] State Rep. Pat Proctor (R) and incumbent school board member Vanessa Reid said they would vote for each member of the slate.[2][6]
Incumbent Judi Price, incumbent Dannielle Wells, George A. Johnson, and Jessica Wilson ran as a slate of candidates.[7][8][9] Their campaign priorities included: student success and well-being, promoting university and trade school pathways, parent-school board partnerships, academic achievement, and student-centered decision making.[10] Game on for Kansas Schools, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for high-quality public education, endorsed the slate.[11][12]
Douglas A. Darling and Ronald S. Grossman did not belong to either slate. Darling said he wanted to ensure the district received funding that would help staff and students achieve success.[10] Grossman said his campaign priorities included: voting socialists off the school board, ensuring parental rights, reducing truancy rates, ending driver's education, installing cameras in schools, and decertifying the teachers' union.[10]
The election followed an effort to recall Vanessa Reid. In early 2023, Rep. Proctor visited a library in the school district and took photos of students' artwork from an assignment on who was welcome in the library. One of those photos, which featured a rainbow flag, was shared in Proctor's February newsletter. “It was clear that the school library was doing more indoctrinating than educating,” Proctor wrote. “I am proud to stand with Conservative School Board Member Vanessa Reid in her fight to protect our kids’ from the radical woke agenda that threatens Leavenworth Schools.”[13][14]
Courtney Ricard, the parent of the student whose artwork appeared in Proctor's newsletter, initiated the recall, saying, "My child’s artwork was used without consent. ... I think [Reid] betrayed the students of Leavenworth by allowing this to happen."[13][15] Reid said, "As a lifetime resident of this wonderful city, I love all of our students. I will not be distracted by deliberate attempts by a few who have taken it upon themselves to launch a campaign of misrepresentation and character assassination over a difference of perspective on topics that are under debate nationwide."[15]
The recall effort did not make the ballot. In Kansas, recall supporters have 90 days to collect signatures equal to 40% of votes cast for the office in the last election.[16] Recall supporters did not file any signatures by the July 24, 2023, deadline.[17][18]
To run for school board in Leavenworth Unified School District 453, candidates must be registered to vote in the district. Once elected, school board members serve four-year staggered terms.[19]
Ballotpedia provided in-depth coverage of 14 school board elections in November 2023. Click the links below to read about each of those elections. To read more election analysis across all school board elections in these states, click here.
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About the candidates
Goodman was a senior system administrator at System Studies and Simulation (S3), Inc., Brown was the former president of the Leavenworth High School PTA, Claire owned Overlooked Antiques & Military Surplus, and Overbey had served in the U.S. Army.[20][21][22]
Price was an editor at the U.S. Army Center for the Army Profession and Leadership, Wells owned Cocoon - Transforming the Unwanted to Useful, Johnson was a federal contractor, and Wilson co-founded The Unity in the Community Movement.[23][24][25][10]
Darling was a former school board member and Grossman was a former superintendent.[10]
Elections
Click on the tabs below to show more information about those topics.
Candidates and results
General election
General election for Leavenworth Unified School District 453, At-large (4 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Leavenworth Unified School District 453, At-large on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jessica Wilson (Nonpartisan) | 13.4 | 1,735 |
| ✔ |  | Dannielle Wells (Nonpartisan) | 12.8 | 1,655 |
| ✔ |  | Karen G. Overbey (Nonpartisan) | 12.2 | 1,572 |
| ✔ |  | Judi Price (Nonpartisan) | 11.9 | 1,533 |
 | Deborah Brown (Nonpartisan) | 10.4 | 1,347 | |
 | John Goodman (Nonpartisan) | 10.0 | 1,297 | |
 | Jason Claire (Nonpartisan) | 9.4 | 1,208 | |
| Douglas A. Darling (Nonpartisan) | 9.1 | 1,181 | ||
 | George A. Johnson (Nonpartisan) | 8.3 | 1,071 | |
| Ronald S. Grossman (Nonpartisan) | 2.4 | 310 | ||
| Total votes: 12,909 | |||
 = 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. | ||||
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Kansas elections, 2023
Candidate comparison
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Voting information
What was the voter registration deadline?
- In-person: October 17, 2023
- By mail: Postmarked by October 17, 2023
- Online: October 17, 2023
What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?
- In-person: October 31, 2023
- By mail: Received by October 31, 2023
- Online: October 31, 2023
What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?
- In-person: November 7, 2023
- By mail: Postmarked by November 7, 2023
Was early voting available to all voters? Yes
What were the early voting start and end dates? October 18, 2023, to November 6, 2023
Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required? Photo ID
When were polls open on Election Day? 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists endorsements issued in this election. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please let us know.
Campaign finance
Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the Kansas Secretary of State. Click here to access those reports.
About the district
The Leavenworth Unified School District 453 is located in Leavenworth County, Kansas.
District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[26]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $5,668,000 | $1,571 | 10% |
| Local: | $10,218,000 | $2,833 | 19% |
| State: | $38,149,000 | $10,576 | 71% |
| Total: | $54,035,000 | $14,981 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $72,771,000 | $20,174 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $46,954,000 | $13,017 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $25,789,000 | $7,149 | 35% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $5,265,000 | $1,459 | 7% |
| Administration: | $4,626,000 | $1,282 | 6% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $11,274,000 | $3,125 | 15% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $22,954,000 | $6,363 | |
| Construction: | $19,814,000 | $5,493 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $153,000 | $42 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $2,703,000 | $749 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 3,604 | -2.5 |
| 2021-2022 | 3,695 | 2.4 |
| 2020-2021 | 3,607 | -5.7 |
| 2019-2020 | 3,814 | -1.5 |
| 2018-2019 | 3,871 | 1.1 |
| 2017-2018 | 3,827 | -1.1 |
| 2016-2017 | 3,870 | 0.9 |
| 2015-2016 | 3,836 | -1.8 |
| 2014-2015 | 3,905 | 1.0 |
| 2013-2014 | 3,867 | 0.5 |
| 2012-2013 | 3,849 | 3.0 |
| 2011-2012 | 3,734 | 1.1 |
| 2010-2011 | 3,693 | -4.0 |
| 2009-2010 | 3,842 | -5.1 |
| 2008-2009 | 4,038 | -1.6 |
| 2007-2008 | 4,101 | -1.6 |
| 2006-2007 | 4,166 | 0.5 |
| 2005-2006 | 4,147 | -0.6 |
| 2004-2005 | 4,170 | -2.5 |
| 2003-2004 | 4,274 | -2.6 |
| 2002-2003 | 4,385 | 1.4 |
| 2001-2002 | 4,325 | -0.3 |
| 2000-2001 | 4,338 | 1.5 |
| 1999-2000 | 4,271 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Leavenworth Unified School District 453 (%) | Kansas K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.1 | 2.8 |
| Black | 16.2 | 6.7 |
| Hispanic | 12.2 | 21.5 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Two or More Races | 15.0 | 6.2 |
| White | 54.6 | 61.9 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
As of the 2022-2023 school year, Leavenworth Unified School District 453 had 230.50 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 15.64.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 6.50 |
| Kindergarten: | 56.00 |
| Elementary: | 69.00 |
| Secondary: | 99.00 |
| Total: | 230.50 |
Leavenworth Unified School District 453 employed 3.00 district administrators and 20.00 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 3.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 11.00 |
| School Administrators: | 20.00 |
| School Administrative Support: | 18.00 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 119.00 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 14.00 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 13.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 3.00 |
| Library/Media Support: | 4.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 53.00 |
| Other Support Services: | 102.00 |
Schools
2023 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This election was a battleground race. Other 2023 battleground elections included:
- Mayoral election in Chicago, Illinois (2023)
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court elections, 2023 (May 16, 2023, Democratic primary)
- Wisconsin State Senate District 8 special election, 2023
See also
| Leavenworth Unified School District 453 | Kansas | School Boards |
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External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Leavenworth Unified School District 453
- Leavenworth County, Kansas
Footnotes
- ↑ Leavenworth County, "Official General Election Ballot," accessed October 23, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Facebook, "Jason Claire for USD 453," October 12, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Jason Claire for USD 453," October 1, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Deborah Brown for Leavenworth School Board USD 453," October 3, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Jason Claire for USD 453," October 3, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Jason Claire for USD 453," September 10, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Dannielle Wells Usd453 School Board," October 5, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Dannielle Wells Usd453 School Board," October 17, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Jessica Wilson for USD 453 School Board," October 5, 2023
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Facebook, "Dannielle Wells Usd453 School Board," October 8, 2023
- ↑ Game On For Kansas Schools, "About Us," accessed November 9, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Game On for Kansas Schools," October 11, 2023
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 The Kansas City Star, "KC school leader told to resign amid conflict over rainbow drawings, ‘blue eyes’ remark," March 10, 2023
- ↑ The Sentinel, "Recall effort underway for Leavenworth school board member Vanessa Reid," May 25, 2023
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 ABC 17 News, "Controversy in crayon: Leavenworth parent says child’s drawing was used to push political agenda," March 31, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Recall of Local Officials," accessed July 27, 2021
- ↑ Leavenworth Unified School District 453, "Board Members," accessed May 16, 2023
- ↑ Leavenworth Times, "No signatures submitted for recall election," July 27, 2023
- ↑ Leavenworth USD 453, "Board of Education Info," accessed October 20, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "John Goodman," accessed October 18, 2023
- ↑ Mailchimp, "Proctor Report," accessed October 18, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Jason Claire," accessed October 18, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Judith Price," accessed October 18, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Dannielle Wells," accessed October 18, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Elect George Johnson for Leavenworth BOE," August 27, 2023
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
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