Should students be in school on Election Day? Largest Minnesota districts are split

Minnesota’s largest school districts are evenly split over holding school on Election Day this year.

With many schools serving as polling places, school districts increasingly have kept students at home on the first Tuesday in November, citing concerns about parking, safety and classroom disruptions as voters stream in and out of their buildings.

This year, half of the state’s 20 largest school districts are treating Election Day as a normal day, with students in class.

In nine of the top 20 districts, students have the day off. One, South Washington County, has secondary students doing schoolwork from home while grades K-5 are off.

Two years ago, nine of the 20 largest districts gave students the day off. While that number hasn’t changed much in two years, several districts are handling Election Day differently this time around.

Tuesday is a normal for St. Paul Public Schools, which in 2022 had students learning from home. That decision was made when the coronavirus still was a major concern, and officials worried about voters infecting students and staff.

Mounds View and St. Cloud also have students in school Tuesday after an off day two years ago.

Minneapolis, Elk River, Robbinsdale and White Bear Lake had school in session in 2022 but gave students the day off this year.

There is no school Tuesday in Anoka-Hennepin, West St. Paul-Mendota-Heights-Eagan, Osseo, Rochester, Lakeville and North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale.

It’s a regular school day for Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Bloomington, Eastern Carver County, Prior Lake-Savage and Mankato.