St. Louis voters elected incumbent Donna R. Jones and educator Wendy Goss to the St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education on Tuesday, as the district prepares for a vote that could close schools and change educational programs across the city.
Complete unofficial results showed Jones received 27.8% of the vote and Goss 26.3%.
Incumbent Emily Hubbard finished third with 19.7%, losing her bid for reelection. Zacheriah Davis Sr. received 14.6%, followed by Aneetra Williams Jones with 11.6%.
Jones, a longtime board member and mother of seven SLPS graduates, has advocated for preserving neighborhood schools and expanding educational opportunities. Goss has nearly three decades of experience in education, including six years teaching in SLPS, and has emphasized rebuilding trust with families.
Their election comes as the current board prepares for a Nov. 10 vote on Superintendent Dr. Myra Berry’s final Future Ready SLPS recommendations. The plan calls for closing 11 schools beginning in the 2027-28 school year and gradually replacing the district’s traditional magnet school system with a new model of specialized schools.
The district has cited declining enrollment, aging buildings and financial pressures as reasons for the proposed changes.
Jones will participate in the Nov. 10 vote as a sitting board member. She previously said she would oppose the restructuring plan, St. Louis Public Radio reported. Goss is expected to take office after the vote.
For SLPS parents like Mishana Arnold, whose children attend McKinley Classical Leadership Academy and Mullanphy Elementary School, communication remains a major concern.
McKinley’s high school program has been among those targeted for elimination. Under a revised proposal, however, the school could receive two additional years to increase enrollment before a final decision is made about its future.
Arnold, a graduate of Bridge 2 Hope Parent Institute’s advocacy program, said she first learned of the proposed closures on social media before receiving district emails.
Her son attends McKinley’s middle school and plays in the band. Although the proposed high school changes would not directly affect his enrollment, Arnold worries about the teachers who work with students in both programs.
“What’s going to happen to those teachers?” she asked.
Arnold said parents deserve more information and a meaningful opportunity to influence decisions affecting their children.
“Keep us in the loop,” Arnold said in an earlier interview about the district’s restructuring proposals. “Keep us informed. Let us do surveys. Don’t take our comments or concerns as a joke. Take it seriously.”