Committed To Serving Our Community & Students

Local school boards (also known as boards of education, school committees, school directors, or trustees) are elected to be leaders and champions for public education in their states and communities.

The most important responsibility of school boards is to work with their communities to improve student achievement in their local public schools. School boards derive their power and authority from the State. In compliance with state and federal laws, school boards establish policies and regulations by which their local schools are governed.

Your school board is responsible for:

● developing and adopting policies and the budget;

● adopting collective bargaining agreements; and

● employing the superintendent.

Research shows that school boards have a significant impact on student achievement in their districts.

Effective school boards:

● commit to a vision of high expectations for student achievement;

● have strong shared beliefs and values about students’ ability to learn and of the system and its ability to teach all children at high levels;

● are accountability driven;

● have a collaborative relationship with staff and the community;

● are data-savvy;

● align and sustain resources to meet district goals;

● lead as a united team with the superintendent; and

● take part in team development and training.1

The school board has a dual role: to represent the concerns of the citizens, taxpayers and parents to the school administrators, and to represent the needs of the students and school district to the citizens, taxpayers, and parents of the community. The school board does not operate the district on a day-to-day basis; that is the job of the superintendent, who is the district’s chief executive. Rather, the school board sets the policies, goals, and objectives for the district – and it holds the superintendent responsible for implementing the policies and achieving the goals.

Maybe. We recommend working up the chain of command. For instance, if a parent has a problem with a teacher, the parent should first address it with the teacher and, if the issue is not resolved, the parent should turn to the principal or supervisor, and then the superintendent. The school board should be the “court of last resort.” Many times citizens can get answers to their questions simply by calling the appropriate person in the school district (i.e., principal, teacher, or superintendent).

State law requires a public comment period at board meetings. Boards are allowed to establish reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner of public comment. For instance, school boards typically set guidelines on the length of an individual’s comment (e.g., a certain amount of time per person), so no one person dominates the meeting.

Comments from citizens generally go through the chair at the board meeting. Boards use the public comment period as an opportunity to listen to citizen concerns, but not to debate issues or enter into a question-and answer session or a “cross-examination” between the public and individual board members or school administrators. Be aware that not all issues brought before a board meeting will be resolved that evening; boards may respond to public comment by seeking additional information or by delegating the authority to investigate the issue to the superintendent or their designee. While public education can be an emotional issue, and understandably so, the board will strive to maintain a certain level of decorum at the meeting. Sometimes meetings are recorded, and students often attend or participate in the meetings. As such, citizens are expected to maintain a tone of courtesy and civility.

Because all discussions of education matters and decisions must be open and transparent, school board members cannot engage in group emails about education matters or discussions and debates in other social media contexts. Public feedback is best directed to board members individually or as part of a public meeting.

Our school board follows Robert's Rules of Order, which describes how meetings are run, how motions and votes are taken and other procedures. The school board’s chair or superintendent can assist citizens with rules of order and other issues of board policy.

Vermont law specifies areas that are to be discussed in “executive” or closed-door sessions. Among the most common are privacy issues (including employee privacy as well as matters dealing with individual students and student discipline); anticipated litigation and issues involving attorney-client privilege; negotiations with labor unions and negotiating strategy; matters involving the purchase of property; and any issues dealing with security that could undermine safety if made public. With few exceptions, decisions must be made in public, however, school board members should not publicly discuss executive session deliberations or confidential student or staff information.

Adapted from: http://www.njsba.org/news-information/parent-connections/school-board-basics-frequently asked-questions/

Board members WILL uphold and enforce all laws, state board rules and regulations, court orders, and local board policy when making decisions. Board members WILL NOT bend the rules, ask others to bend the rules or try to accomplish anything as an individual that compromises the legal guidelines established by the board.

Board members WILL discuss education matters at public meetings. Board members WILL NOT communicate in ways that do not allow the community to hear board debate and discussion of education matters, including using social media email and other digital means of communication.

The board WILL keep the community informed on the progress and needs of the district through agreed upon communications. Board members WILL NOT discuss confidential matters, including via email or other social media, with anyone but the board or communicate individually on behalf of the board without authorization from the board.

Board members WILL listen to and engage community members in discussions of education issues. Board members WILL NOT have conversations that violate the chain of command, publicly criticize staff members, or about matters that should be discussed openly at a full board meeting, including via social media, email, and other digital means.

Board members WILL refer all complaints to the superintendent or appropriate person in the district, per the chain of command. Board members WILL NOT make any promises to act on citizen complaints until they reach the board level after administrative solutions have been fully explored.

As part of the full board, board members WILL make decisions in terms of the educational welfare of all children regardless of their ability, race, creed, sex, or social standing, and based on district goals and policies. Board members WILL NOT base decisions on special interest agendas or on what is best for their own child.

Board members WILL act with the understanding that their responsibility is to work as a board to see that the schools are well run. Boards WILL NOT be involved in the day-to-day running of the schools – that is the administrators’ job.

Board members WILL only make decisions as a full board. Board members WILL NOT make personal promises nor take any private action which may compromise the board.

Board members WILL consider the recommendation of the administration on all matters pertaining to education. Board members WILL NOT undermine a decision of the board.

Adapted from: http://hanover.groupfusion.net/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/34135/File/Board%20of%20Education/Board%20Ethics/Code%20of%20Ethics%20-%20do's-don't.pdf