All About School Boards

You’ve heard of the Department of Education, you know about the arguments being made about education at the state and federal levels, but do you know about how decisions are made for your child’s specific school? From curriculum to activities, funding to faculty, it may seem like those decisions are out of your hands, but in fact, they’re made by your local school board – people you elect.

If you’re concerned about or interested in how your child is being educated, by whom, what their educational environment looks like, how the district is operating, or how your tax dollars are being spent, you need to look at your local school board. Every school district in the country has a school board. Nationwide, school board members make up the country’s largest group of elected officials (over 80,000 as of 2022, according to Ballotpedia) and, as such, these individuals have a responsibility to represent the public’s and the community’s best interests. Through the policies they approve and adopt, school board members are ultimately responsible for the success or failure of their district.

So What Do School Boards Do?

School board officials are elected, not appointed, because they make decisions that reflect the community’s values. Election allows community members to select their educational representatives.

One of the most important jobs of a school board is to select a superintendent. The superintendent is responsible for managing district schools in accordance with federal and state laws and with the school board’s policies – the superintendent is directed by the board. The school board will also set educational goals for schools based on state laws and community values. They are the link between the public and the school system.

Additional school board responsibilities include 4 main categories: Academics, Curriculum, Policies, and Governance/Budgets.

Academics – In the realm of academics, school boards will gather reports on school performance from superintendents and use that data to make informed decisions about things like teacher and staff hiring, educator professional development, resource allocation, and planning.

Curriculum – In the state of Colorado, the state Board of Education sets educational standards but the local school boards choose curriculum. Curriculum is what your child ultimately learns in the classroom.

Policies – School boards make the policies that handle everything from discipline and grading to whether to keep schools open or closed during events like the pandemic. They also make up the policies that cover issues like facility maintenance, teacher hiring, and paid time off etc.

Budgets & Governance – Did you know that in the state of Colorado, on average, K-12 schools spend $16,410 per pupil? – That’s 3.04% of your tax dollars. While district budgets are usually allocated by superintendents, administrators, and employees, it’s the school board that ultimately approves that budget. Regardless of whether you’re a parent, you have a right to know how your tax dollars are being spent.As far as governance goes, this means that school boards get to determine how to spend their time. They determine when they’ll meet, for how long, and what they’ll discuss. If you review the agenda for your local school board meetings, you can generally get a good idea of what they’re prioritizing. For D49, you can review their agendas and meeting minutes here.

How Can I Get Involved with MY Local School Board?

There are a variety of ways to get involved with your local school board. If your local school board doesn’t appear to be functioning well, or isn’t governing in the best interest of students or the community, it’s your job as a member of the district, a taxpayer, or as a parent to stand up and hold your school board accountable.

Members of the public can participate in open forums during school board meetings and submit questions or requests via email. If your school board fails to operate with transparency, you can even file a CORA (Colorado Open Records Act) request for information from your school board.

School boards are expected to post agendas, documents, and meeting notes for the public and adhere to open meetings laws – this includes making decisions publicly.

D49 also has a District Accountability Advisory Committee, which advises the school board on educational programs, makes recommendations related to the expenditures of school funds, and reviews the district’s unified improvement plan. You can learn more about the committee and find out how to join here. 

If you really want to change your school board for the better, you can nominate and elect school board members who reflect the values and priorities of the community – or you can run for school board yourself in the next election. In many districts, and in very extreme circumstances, there’s also the option to recall board members who defy the wishes and interests of parents and students.

Ultimately, this is your community. It’s up to you to show up and be a part of the environment you want to cultivate, and the biggest, most important way to make your voice heard is to vote in November.