What States Have Salaried School Board Members?
School board members play a vital role in setting policies that affect children and schools. Overseeing the performance of educational institutions, school board members observe activities schools endeavor and set policies that make the school function more smoothly. At the core, the function of school board members is to ensure that schools provide a safe and enjoyable learning environment for students.
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States That Pay Salaries
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Florida pays the highest state salaries to its school board members. Members also receive many benefits, including medical insurance and retirement benefits. Other states that have school districts that pay their school board members are California, New York, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina and Virginia. However, many school districts in these states and other states do not compensate their board members who fulfill their duties on a voluntary basis.
Requirements and Duties
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School board members are required to establish a healthy communication between the school and the community. Their duties include promoting the educational standard of the community, promoting literacy, organizing awareness campaigns, healthy activities, social events and promoting harmony in their specified areas. They also engage in providing support to the community and are held accountable in front of the local community. Work hours of the board members vary from a minimum of one to four hours daily.
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Restrictions and Accountability
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School board members face several restrictions due to their position, including being barred from employment with any state-run educational department. They are restricted to act in a given governance format for ensuring harmony and a positive atmosphere in the school community. Board members are accountable to meet set targets and goals to achieve in the community and are held liable by the community for these goals and targets.
Salary Expectations
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Many board members in small school districts do not receive compensation for their community work. However, board members in states with larger districts have a salary structure and receive compensation. In Florida, which has the highest paid board members in the U.S., salaries vary from $23,000 to almost $41,000 per year. Meanwhile, Fairfax County Public Schools Board members in Virginia receives a maximum of $20,000 per year while school board members in South Carolina are paid less than $15,000 per year.
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References
- Great Schools: What Does the School Board Do?
- Fairfax Country Public Schools: School Board Information
- WXXI: Rochester School Board Pay Could Be Lost in Mayoral Takeover
- South Carolina School Boards Association: Board Pay
- "The Ledger" School Board Salaries: Pay Is Not the Problem
- "The Natchez Democrat": Concordia School Board Votes to Increase Own Pay
Resources
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