Article #2 in a Multi-Article Series >>>>> Candidates Running for Seats on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education in the 3 November 2026 General Election

Collin Beachy         (At-Large)

Collin Beachy garnered the second most votes (43,276 [34.0%) in the 11 August Primary for the two available at-large seats on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board or Education.

The following is information obtained mostly from Beachy's website: 

 

My Vision: Strong Public Schools using the ABCD Model 

Accountability 

 

Families, students, staff, and taxpayers deserve transparency, responsible stewardship, and systems that work effectively

 

In a complex system like a school district, issues can and do occur. What matters is how leadership responds. That means addressing problems directly, ensuring they are corrected, and putting stronger systems in place so they do not happen again.

 

Accountability is more than assigning blame; it is defined by ownership, transparency, and follow-through. By prioritizing these values, we build essential trust with our students, families, staff, and the community. 

 

Belonging

 

Every student deserves to fell seen, supported, and valued in their school community.

 

Belonging is not just about being present, it is about being connected. Students learn best when they feel safe, respected, and part of a community that believes in them.

This means creating environments where all students—regardless of background—have access to the support and opportunities they need to succeed.

Consistency

 

Students thrive when expectations, programming, and support systems are stable and reliable across the district. These principles guide my work as Board Chair and shape my vision for Minneapolis Public Schools becoming a true destination district for families.Students and families deserve stability. 

 

Consistency means clear expectations, reliable systems, and follow-through at every level of the organization. It ensures that decisions are aligned, communication is clear, and schools can focus on teaching and learning without unnecessary disruption.

 

Strong systems create strong outcomes. When we are consistent, we build confidence across our entire district.

Destination District

 

Minneapolis Public Schools should be a place where families choose to enroll and are proud to stay. Becoming a destination district starts with getting the fundamentals right: strong instruction, supportive school environments, and systems that function effectively.

This goal also requires strong partnerships. We must work collaboratively with families, educators, and our unions to build trust and move our schools forward together. When these relationships are grounded in respect and shared purpose, our students benefit.

While we have faced challenges, we are actively addressing them by strengthening systems, improving operations, and ensuring resources reach students where they are needed most. Becoming a destination district does not happen overnight; it requires consistent, responsible decisions and a commitment to continuous improvement. 

 

 

Letter on Website

 

Dear Friends, 

 

For more than two decades, I’ve dedicated my career to public education and student support.

 

Before serving as Chair of the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education, I worked directly with students and families in classrooms, behavioral support programs, and student services roles across Minnesota.

I’m not someone who entered education through politics.

I entered this work because I believe every student deserves adults who will advocate for them, support them, and refuse to give up on them.

As a special education teacher working primarily with students receiving Emotional and Behavioral Disorder (EBD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) services, I’ve spent my career

helping young people navigate challenges while building systems of support around them. That experience shapes how I lead today.

I believe strong public schools require accountability, collaboration, stability, and a clear vision for the future — especially during difficult moments.

That’s the work I remain committed to doing for Minneapolis students, families, and educators every day. That's why I'm running, and I'd be honored to have your support.

Thank you. 

Quick Facts Pertinent to Collin Beachy Given on Website

 

Quick Facts About Me: 

 

• Minneapolis Public Schools Board Chair 
• Elected Member At-Large 2022 
• Special Education Teacher 
• 20+ Years in Education 
• Advocate for Student Mental Health Supports 
• Minneapolis Resident for 20+ Years
• Supporter of Strong Public Schools & Labor Partnerships
• Grew up in Staples, Minnesota
• M.A. Autism Spectrum Disorder, Concordia University, St. Paul, MN
• B.A. Elementary Education & Coaching, Concordia College, Moorhead, MN

 

 

After the murder of George Floyd and the Minneapolis educators strike, I felt a growing responsibility to do more than serve students inside my classroom alone. 

 

Like many educators, I saw firsthand the challenges facing our schools — staffing shortages, student mental health needs, financial instability, and growing divisions within public education. 

 

I also saw the incredible dedication of our educators, support staff, and families. I decided to run for school board because I believed then as I do now, that Minneapolis needs leaders who understood both the realities inside our classrooms and the responsibility of governing a large public institution. 

Since being elected in 2022, I’ve worked to help stabilize our district, strengthen accountability, supported students and staff, and guided Minneapolis Public Schools through some of the most significant challenges in its history.

 

During my tenure as Board Chair, I have consistently advocated for increased investment in public education and greater transparency regarding financial pressures. That's why I am actively engaged in community advocacy, which is essential to ensuring equity in education.

 

United Leadership

Strong Collaboration & 

Mutual Trust

 

Effective school boards lead as a united team, each from their respective roles, with strong collaboration and mutual trust. 

 

We can:

• Panel a commission of students, educators, administration, board and community members tasked with creating measures to reduce the chances of future strikes.
• Create more concrete working relationships with parents and community stakeholders.
• Restore public trust in public schools by increasing transparency among the administration and board.

 

A Clear Vision & High Expectations

  

Fully Fund our Schools

 

Our schools aren't being fully funded by the state and federal governments as promised. Due to the fact that we live in a relatively blue part of the state, we must focus on building alliances with school board members in outstate Minnesota where funding is less readily available.

•  Special education funding from state and federal sources could reduce the district's budget burden that currently has to cover the shortfall.
• Request independent audits of MPS' budget and spending.
• Ensure charter and magnet schools are required to provide the same level of services that our public schools deliver.
• Provide pay equity and longevity for our Adult Educators.

 

Accountability & Focus

 

Transparency & Oversight

 

We are in a budget crisis and there are no easy solutions.  However, when that sentence is spoken, how many of us immediately turn to “budget crisis”. We can create the community schools we desire.  

 

We can:

 

• Removing corporate mentality from district offices and reintroducing a community-oriented approach.
• Vetting the flow of information coming from the administration.  
• Enact more oversight of the administration and their cabinet.
• Ensure our budgetary priorities are ones that more reflect our values as a community and city.

 

Equitable Programming

 

Shared Belief & Values

 

Our curriculums, programming, and professional developments can provide culturally responsive teaching methods that reflect and respect the intersectionality of every one of our students. 

Implementing culturally responsive methods will:

 

• Center student voices and concerns
• Honor BIPOC experiences 
• Bring visibility to Indigenous People and traditions 
• Protect transgender and non-binary students
• Provide opportunities for students to connect their learning to their own lives and how they can use that information to take action

 

Recruit & Retain BIPOC Staff

 

Strengthen Contractual Protections

 

Over the past several years, MPS has been losing not only BIPOC families, but also their teachers.  Our

 

BIPOC staff now have Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist (ABAR) protections embedded into their contracts.  This is a good first step towards addressing the needs of our current BIPOC staff as well as becoming more responsive to the specific complexities of teaching in our society and the toll it can take on educators of color.  

 

A Commitment to Aligning & Sustaining Resources:

 

RECRUITMENT

• Dismantle the current process in how job descriptions are created and interviews are conducted.
• Strengthen protections from 'last-in-first-out' and seniority layoffs.
• Where are we looking to find BIPOC educators?  We can grow our own!  Who do you know that could make a positive influence on the lives of our students?

 

 

RETENTION

 

Once employed, our BIPOC staff need support.  Some initial steps we can take are:

 

• Increase the number of ABAR mentors.  Two mentors covering the entire district is nowhere near sufficient.
• Provide affinity spaces for BIPOC educators to brainstorm, collaborate, and receive emotional support.
• Increase opportunities for BIPOC support staff and community members to become teachers. 

 

 

Endorsements

 

Organizations

 

Minnesota State Council

Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus

DFL Minneapolis

MFT 59 (Minneapolis Federation of Teachers) 59

Stonewall DFL

 

Individuals

 

Abdul Abdi - Minneapolis School Board Member, District 1

 

Greta Callahan - Minneapolis School Board Member, District 6

 

Kim Ellison - Minneapolis School Board, Member-At-Large

 

Samantha Sencer-Mura, Minnesota House of Representatives, (63A, DFL)

 

Elliott Payne - Minneapolis City Council, Ward 1

 

Jason Chavez - Minneapolis City Council, Ward 9

 

Aurin Chowdhury - Minneapolis City Council, Ward 12

 

Sydney Jordan, Minnesota House of Representatives, (60A, DFL)

 

Dan Englehart - Commissioner Park Board, District 1

 

Zaynab Mohamed - Minnesota Senate, (63 DFL)

 

Jamison Whiting - Minneapolis City Council, Ward 11

 

Emma Greenman - Minnesota House of Representatives, (63B, DFL)