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Guide for School Board Candidates As a candidate for your local school board, you have taken a step towards becoming involved in strengthening the quality of life through good schools in your community. You have indicated an interest in serving and devoting the time necessary to meet the challenge of boardsmanship by seeking election to your local school board. This guide will provide you with some basic information about school boards. Roles and Responsibilities of Board Members As you consider the prospect of running for your local school board, there are a few things you should know about the responsibilities that role involves. If you are elected, you and your fellow board members’ actions will have far-reaching results. The policies you set will shape the education of tomorrow’s leaders. The guidelines you create will direct the superintendent in navigating the problems your school district faces daily. Your decisions will affect the families of hundreds of students and employees, now and in the future. School board authority rests with the board as a whole, not each member individually. School board decisions can only be made by a majority of the members at a public meeting. From the moment school board members begin service, they are accountable to the public, to the state government, and to the courts. Broad Functions of a School Board School Boards create a shared vision for the district, develop a structure to support that vision, establish accountability, and advocate for students and schools. Vision School board, on behalf of and with extensive participation by the community, creates a shared vision to enhance student achievement. Structure To achieve its mission the board establishes a structure and creates an environment designed to ensure all students the opportunity to attain their maximum potential through a sound organizational framework. Accountability Because the board is accountable to the local community, it causes the continuous assessment and reporting of all conditions affecting education. Advocate The board serves as education’s advocate on behalf of students and their schools in order to advance the community’s vision for its schools, pursue its goals, encourage progress, energize systemic change, and deal with children as whole persons in a diversified society. What Does a School Board Do? A board performs its functions through: Policy Making A school board sets school district policies. The board hires a superintendent and district staff to put that policy into practice. The superintendent is accountable to the school board for managing the district according to board policies. The local school board must develop and adopt policy that governs the operation of the schools. This includes acting on the superintendent’s recommendations in such areas as employment of personnel, administration of student services, adoption of educational programs, selection of instructional materials and allocation of funds. Planning School boards must provide vital leadership in establishing current and long-range educational plans and programs for school districts. The school board is responsible for providing a financial plan to carry out the educational programs by adopting an annual budget. Working closely with the community and the school administration, the board sets goals and adopts policies on which instructional programs are based. Professional Performance One of the critical responsibilities of a school board is to select a superintendent. The school board exercises authority primarily through its superintendent. The board must be kept informed by the superintendent of the needs, conditions, achievements and progress of the school system. As public employers, the board establishes the policies that govern the recruiting, hiring, employment, supervision, evaluation and dismissal of employees. This is an especially vital role, for the school district is frequently one of the community’s largest employers. Interpreting Needs School board members serve as the citizens’ link to the school district and must interpret the school district’s needs, programs and accomplishments for the community and interpret the community’s needs and aspirations to the superintendent and staff. School boards serve a dual role of representing both the schools and the community. As a public trust, the local school board must look into the community, find out what citizens want and provide clear channels of communication between the community and its schools. Boards need to sense and influence public opinion about the direction and function of their schools. Needed improvements cannot be made until people are aware of those needs. Problems will not be solved until people become aware of the problems. It is important to discuss openly the strengths and weaknesses of the schools. Since decisions made about the schools can have an impact on the whole community, it is important to involve local citizens. Board Service is Time and Commitment School board service can be both rewarding and frustrating. At times board members feel the long hours they spend struggling with complex problems are all in vain. No matter what their decision, there will always be someone who complains. These frustrations are offset, however, by reports of students going on to achieve further academic or other kinds of success. There is satisfaction in helping provide students with the education they need to live happy and productive lives. Being a board member you are required to set aside ‘single issues’ and work with the other members of your board to set policies for your schools that are in the best interest of all students, all employees and the entire community. |
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