Pritchett, Tilley Win Michigan Board Reelection
Judith Pritchett and Tiffany Tilley secured second eight-year terms on the Michigan State Board of Education while Democrats kept a 6-2 majority.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Administration
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Should Michigan schools make literacy their top academic priority?
Judith Pritchett and Tiffany Tilley won reelection to the Michigan State Board of Education on Election Day, with Pritchett receiving 27% of the vote and Tilley 26% as the count neared completion. Democrats retained their 6-2 majority on the eight-member board.
Why it matters
The eight-member board hires and oversees Michigan's state superintendent, so its composition shapes statewide education leadership. Continuity on the board keeps the same members in place for another eight-year term.
Pritchett and Tilley each won an eight-year term, and the Michigan Education Association endorsed both candidates. Pritchett and Tilley were first elected to the board in 2018.
The players
Judith Pritchett
Pritchett is a Michigan State Board of Education member who previously served as chief academic officer of the Macomb Intermediate School District.
Tiffany Tilley
Tilley is a Michigan State Board of Education member from Detroit who has served on the board since 2018.
Michigan Education Association
The Michigan Education Association is the state's teachers' union, which endorsed Pritchett and Tilley in this election.
The details
Pritchett, who spent more than 25 years in Macomb County schools before retiring in 2017, and Tilley, who has served on the board since 2018, will serve second eight-year terms. CBS News tallied and reported the vote.
Timeline
2017: Pritchett retired as chief academic officer of the Macomb Intermediate School District.
2018: Pritchett and Tilley were first elected to the state board.
2025: The board adopted Tilley's resolution urging science of reading training.
November 4, 2026: Pritchett and Tilley won reelection on Election Day.
Season Trajectory
The Michigan State Board of Education's eight-member structure, which hires and oversees the state superintendent, sets the framework within which these reelections operate. Continuity on the board preserves the existing 6-2 Democratic majority and the policy direction established since 2018.
Michigan families and school districts will see the same board leadership continue for another eight-year term, which influences who oversees the state superintendent. Residents interested in state education governance can follow board decisions as they affect local schools.
The takeaway
Board elections like this one determine who hires and oversees Michigan's state superintendent, so voters can shape statewide education leadership through down-ballot races.
Further reading
Explore more on Administration to see how state education boards like Michigan's shape school leadership.
Live Poll
Should Michigan schools make literacy their top academic priority?
