Michael Carsten

Michael Carsten

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education At-large

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

Education

High school

Renton High School

Personal

Profession

Hospitality management

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign YouTube

Michael Carsten ran for election for an at-large seat of the Colorado Springs School District 11 school board. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Carsten completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Michael Carsten graduated from Renton High School. He attended Washington State University and Colorado State. His career experience includes working in hospitality management.

Elections

2025

See also: Colorado Springs School District 11, Colorado, elections (2025)

General election

General election for Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education At-large (3 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education At-large on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
		LeAnn Baca Bartlett (Nonpartisan)
		Michael Carsten (Nonpartisan)
		Bruce Cole (Nonpartisan)
		John Gustafson (Nonpartisan)
		Charles Johnson (Nonpartisan)
		Jeremiah Johnson (Nonpartisan)
		Michelle Ruehl (Nonpartisan)

---

	There are no incumbents in this race. The outcome of this election has not been called yet.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Carsten in this election.

Campaign themes

2025

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released October 14, 2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Michael Carsten completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Carsten's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Michael Carsten. I have lived in District 11 since 1995. I have two children who attended District schools, and for 8 years I have been the owner/operator of a small business downtown Colorado Springs.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I am focused on solutions, not sides. The board needs to be focused on what will help students to succeed, not on political distractions. We need to concentrate on student achievement and staff retention & attraction.
• I advocate for open financial books and honest leadership. Taxpayers deserve to know how decisions are made and where the money goes. I support full transparency in budgeting, contracts, and board operations, and getting input from multiple stakeholders for expanded accountability.
• We need to keep great teachers in our classrooms. Students thrive when we have experienced, dedicated teachers. Unfortunately, we are losing too many of them, and we need to change that dynamic.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I will cut through the noise of politics and culture wars to prioritize the success of the students of this district, supporting them to become well-rounded, curious adults.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe that empathy, curiosity, and altruism are the traits which make for a good person. Combine that with a willingness to serve, and one can be an effective, positive force as an elected official.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have managed people and finances for 29 years, with a high retention rate of staff and financial growth most years.

I understand that other people exist and they are entitled to live their lives as they see fit.
I will, over all of this, keep the well-being of EVERY student at the forefront.

I've read enough speculative fiction to recognize Grima Wormtongue.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Sharp focus on the students of this District; support in the classroom, on the field, and with interpersonal experience.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I had a paper route in 5th grade. I was also a crossing guard for my elementary school.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I have a constant rolling playlist.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

To create a thriving, sustainable environment for the students; to help them to feel safe, heard, and supported.

Who are your constituents?

When elected to the Board, my constituents will be every shareholder in public education: students, parents and family, tax payers, and members of the community within the district. Every one.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

I believe the more voices and opinions we can hear, the more stakeholders reached, the better and more well informed the outcome.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

Any person or group that would like to be a positive force for the students of D11 deserves to be heard. Policy making should involve input.

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

Hiring qualified teachers is the first step. Having guaranteed parameters around class size, planning hours, and other standards of instruction comes next.

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

There are many path one can take after high school. D11 should have resources for the students to experience and pursue their interests. Trades, vocational, and technical training in addition to college prep will help a greater percentage of the student body.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

Recruitment and retention of mental health professionals is high on my list.

What existing district policies would you like to change, or what new policies would you like to implement?

The current board is actively removing chapters from textbooks and, as of Oct. 15, are considering implementing a book ban before the election.
There is no place for the wholesale banning of books in education once they have been vetted and implemented.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Indivisible, Colorado Democrats, former board members LuAnn Long and Elaine Naleski, Colorado Education Association, & Colorado Springs Education Association. More coming in every week as things get closer.

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

A place where students feel safe, heard, respected, and able; where teachers feel supported, respected, and appreciated; where the building is in good repair.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

Outreach for those whose lives do not allow for much time in the school, solicitation of input, follow-through with implementation of outreach policies.

What are your preferred strategies for faculty, staff, and administration recruitment?

Creating a new agreement with the Teachers is the primary goal for teacher retention. 1 in 4 teachers left the district with the loss of the master agreement ( in place since 1968 ), a resounding point made as to what is important to them.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe that government is here to serve the people. There is no room for anything but financial transparency with regard to a school district.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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