The Advantages of Electing Local School Board Members

Elected boards oversee most public school systems.

The United States has thousands of local school systems, each overseen by a school board. In most of these systems, citizens elect their school board members, a process that advocates contend carry a number of advantages over an appointed board.

Function

School boards make policy for the school system. School boards also oversee administration of schools and sometimes act in a quasi-judicial role.

Benefits

Electing board members gives the public a voice in the policy-making process, according to advocates.

Election Participation

Although most school systems have elected school boards, these elections often have low voter turnout, sometimes below 10 percent. A Michigan State University study found that voter turnout in local school board elections averaged 7.8 percent.

Accountability

Advocates contend electing local school board members makes school boards more accountable and responsive to the public.

Considerations

Electing local school board members may increase the likelihood that the board will represent the community's ethnic and cultural diversity.

References

• Education.stateuniversity.com: Responsibilities, Duties and Decision-Making for Local School Board Powers
• Michigan State University Data Brief: School Board Elections

Resources

• National School Boards Association