School Boards: What Are Their Main Responsibilities?

High School Today centers mainly on athletic and performing arts activities for high school students and has often included articles about the benefits of students participating in activities. But it takes time, effort, energy, money and proper oversight to make those activities happen.

Coaches, directors, sponsors and administrators are often the most visible leaders of these student activities; however, there is also a school board that oversees all aspects of the educational operation – including activities. Many people don’t know who their school board members are – and even fewer have an idea of what the school board actually does, especially as it relates to providing equal access, support of the whole child, and ensuring success through the collective impact of athletics and fine arts programs.

Following are some frequently asked questions and answers about how school boards work, according to the Texas Association of School Boards. It most likely is similar, but slightly different, in other states.

Who are School Board Members?
Every public school district is governed by a local school board, elected by members of their community. The board members (also often called trustees) represent their constituents’ diverse opinions and values, and they are residents of the school district they serve. They are not required to have experience in education, so they can be local members of the community such as doctors, real estate agents, professors, business owners and parents (among many others).

What Does the School Board Do?
They are guardians and stewards of the public trust. They put the interests of their local community’s youth first. Through the policies they adopt, the school board members are ultimately responsible for the success or failure of local public education and all of the activities in which their students participate.

What is the Role of a School Board Member?
School board members adopt shared visions and goals for the district. They create and monitor systems and processes. They ensure progress and accountability, and they advocate for students. School boards are responsible for hiring and evaluating the superintendent of schools, but they allow the superintendent and the administration to run the day-to-day operations of the school district.

School board members act on the recommendations of the superintendent. They set the tax rate for the school district that will then fund the operations of that district, and they communicate effectively with the community.

Do School Board Members Get Paid?
No. Board members volunteer a significant amount of their time by attending meetings, participating in continuing education training and professional development, researching district policy and data, and representing the community at events. They do this while often making very difficult choices and decisions that sometimes expose them to public criticism. And they do it for no pay.

Where Can I View My Local School District’s Board Policies?
Each district is required to post its board policy manual online. It can be located by visiting the district’s website.

May a School Board Member Comment on a Subject that Comes up During Open Forum or During the Public Comment Period of a School Board Meeting?
In Texas, Section 551.042 of the Texas Government Code limits the ability of a governmental body to deal with a subject that is not posted on the agenda. If a different topic comes up, the board can only respond to factual inquiries and discuss putting it on a subsequent agenda. But it cannot discuss the merits of that section without first posting it on an open meeting agenda.

Can the Superintendent or School Board Member Control Who Attends a School Board Meeting?
No. School board meetings are generally open to the public, except for Executive Session, which may be held to discuss limited issues like personnel, real estate transactions or consultation with the board’s attorney.

Are School Board Minutes Open Public Records?
Yes. The official minutes of the Open Meeting are generally an open public record, but the certified agenda of an Executive Session meeting would not.

Can a Teacher Run for Election to the Local School Board?
The positions of a public school teacher and that of a school trustee for the same school district are legally incompatible. A teacher may run the election to the school board in which he/she teaches. However, if the teacher wins election, the teacher must then give up his or her teaching position.

When and Where Must a School Board Post Notice in Advance of an Upcoming Regular School Board Meeting?
Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code requires that a school board must give the public advance written notice of the subjects it will consider in a regular, special or called board meeting. The notice must include the date, hour and place of the meeting. A school district may post the notice of the meeting at a place at the central office administration building that is accessible to the general public for at least 72 hours in advance of the scheduled time of the meeting. The only exception to this 72-hour posting requirement is for “emergency” meetings. And those emergency meetings must meet specific requirements. If so, then the meeting must be posted at least two hours prior to the emergency meeting.

“Thank You” to All School Board Members
Being a school board member is often a thankless job. People join a school board usually because they have a love for kids. They want to create an atmosphere where students can be educated appropriately and where students can participate in as many activities as they wish. The vast majority of school board members take this global view and make decisions that are truly in the best interest of students and employees. However, occasionally, a rogue member will get elected to the board with a specific “agenda.” Those members can create tension and dysfunction within the school board, within the school district and within the community. But to the 99 percent of school board members who truly have a servant’s heart and who do it for all the right reasons, we say THANK YOU.!