> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.albanyscanner.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Who is Albany school board candidate David McKinney? - URL: https://www.albanyscanner.com/2026/09/24/election-2026/albany-school-board-candidate-david-mckinney/ - Published: 2026-09-24T20:20:15.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-28T04:42:18.000Z - Description: "I know what it is like to be a teacher and I have broad knowledge about schools and learning from my work as a researcher with school districts around the country." - Author: Guest contributor - Tags: Election 2026, Elections, #articles, Albany Unified School District, Board of Education, Schools, #nohomepage **Name:** David McKinney **Occupation:** education researcher **What office are you are running for?** Albany Board of Education **What is the main reason you are running?** I’ve dedicated my adult life to education because I believe that education is one of the most important ways that we, as a society, help our community members. I love the community we have here in Albany. With my experience and expertise as a parent, teacher, and education researcher, I think serving on the School Board is one of the best ways I can serve our community. **Why are you qualified?** I am a parent of a first grader at Cornell Elementary so I have the experience and perspective of having a young child attending the district. I have a masters degree in teaching secondary science and a PhD in Education. I taught middle school science and math for 8 years. For the past seven years, I have worked as an education researcher working to understand how to support student motivation and how kids best learn in STEM learning environments. I have also attended most of the school board meetings for the past year to make sure I understood the role. **What sets you apart from other candidates?** I have a unique set of perspectives, experience, and expertise. I am the parent of a first grader at Cornell Elementary and I have decades of experience working in education. I know what it is like to be a teacher and I have broad knowledge about schools and learning from my work as a researcher with school districts around the country. I have expertise in how to support student motivation, which is a key driver of student engagement, learning, and persistence. **How and when did you end up in Albany?** My family and I moved to Albany about four years ago. We moved here for my work after I completed my postdoctoral scholar fellowship at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. **What are the three biggest challenges for Albany schools in the next five years?** 1) We must spend responsibly. We cannot continue to deficit spend and we need to make a wise implementation plan to spend Measure L bond funds to improve our facilities. 2) Determine the role that we, as a community, want modern technology, including AI, to play in our children’s education. 3) Developing the district’s portrait of a graduate to reflect the the desire of the community and what we know sets students up for success after graduation. The portrait will be the guiding start for future district decisions, so we need to get it right to ensure excellence for all students. **How would you begin to address them?** I would begin to address all of these challenges as I would any challenge or issue brought before the school board. I would work to understand the challenge and possible solutions as best I can. I would listen to the community to understand their perspectives. I would ask questions to thoroughly understand the district’s position and to hold the district accountable. I would bring my perspective and experience as a parent, teacher, and educator to focus my questions and decision-making on what would best serve our students so that they can thrive in our wonderful schools. [Albany elections: November 2026 ballot measure guideAlbany has six ballot measures that would change zoning rules, business and property taxes, and funding for city services.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b5/b0/b5b0b7ec-798c-4cb6-ab42-472b59c05589/content/images/icon/alb-scanner-orange-03d062c6-634b-46e1-905a-c882af91eb73.png)Albany ScannerAllyson Aleksey![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b5/b0/b5b0b7ec-798c-4cb6-ab42-472b59c05589/content/images/thumbnail/key-route-trees-b88bc296-21e0-467f-9c49-83df97f63525.jpg)](https://www.albanyscanner.com/2026/08/12/elections/albany-2026-november-election-ballot-measures/) **What is one new idea you'd like to bring to Albany schools?** I commend the district for tracking student belonging in addition to typical academic metrics to support the continuous improvement of the district. Students thrive when they feel safe, cared for, and connected to peers and adults when they are at school. However, I think the way that the district is measuring belonging could be improved. I can provide oversight to ensure that the district is getting the data they need to work towards all students feeling a sense of belonging at school. **How will you be accessible to constituents?** I will always be available to talk or email. I also encourage folks to attend school board meetings when they are able to and especially if they have an issue they would like to bring to the attention of the district and the board. I attended almost all of the school board meetings over the past year and have learned a great deal about how the district works and have seen the district take action based on public comments, including recently on concerns about technology use. **How much money do you expect to spend on your campaign?** About $2,000 **A final thought?** I think schools should be magical places where students feel safe and cared for, free to find and be themselves and strive for their goals and aspirations, and where they can move onto adulthood with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to thrive in our complex world. I believe I would be an excellent choice to guide AUSD towards that vision of what education can be for our community. **Campaign website:** [davidforalbany.org ](https://www.davidforalbany.org/?ref=albanyscanner.com) *See complete* [*Election 2026*](https://www.albanyscanner.com/topic/election-2026/) *coverage on Albany Scanner.* **Have questions for Albany Scanner, or want to share story tips?** [**Here's how to reach us**](https://www.albanyscanner.com/tips/)**.** ## Sign up for Albany Scanner Stories for an informed community Get updates Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.