FACT SHEET: Give West Virginia Parents More Control Over Their Children’s Education

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Moving West Virginia school board elections to November of even years will provide parents with more awareness of how they can have an active voice in their children’s education.

Most School Board Members in West Virginia are Elected. 55 School Districts; 275 School Board Members

• School boards represent the largest group of elected officials in the country.
• Many Americans, especially parents, have been shocked by the dysfunction and poor representation they have discovered in their local school boards.
• Although presidential elections and congressional elections are held in November during evennumbered
• years, West Virginia’s elections for local school boards are currently mandated to not be in November.
• Having West Virginia school board elections in November of even years would provide parents with more awareness of when school board elections are taking place. Doing so would ultimately help parents gain more control over their children’s education.

WHY MOVE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER OF EVEN YEARS?

Having off-cycle school board elections has resulted in:

• Parents having less control over their child’s education
• Minority participation that is notably low
• Unions often controlling school board elections
• Fewer Americans voting in elections
• Government being less accountable

Changing school board elections to November in even-numbered years would likely lead to:

• Electing candidates who better represent their constituents’ demographics and policy preferences
• Saving taxpayer dollars
• Reducing the power of teachers’ unions and other special interests
• Increasing voter turnout for school board elections
• Increasing government accountability