Voting in School Board Elections Parent Toolkit

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There are roughly 14,000 school boards across the country and about 100,000 school board members. Of these school board members, 95 percent are elected to their positions. They represent the largest group of elected officials in the country. 

The quality of public schools is largely dependent on school board decisions regarding how children are educated and how tax dollars are spent. 

Vote for candidates that best align with your views! Local school board elections are an opportunity for parents to express their views on education issues. 

10 Things to Look For in a School Board Candidate 

1. Does the school board candidate have a genuine interest in improving public schools?
2. Are they positively involved in the community?
3. Is the candidate a visionary and able to help plan for the future?
4. Does the candidate know about public schools? Are they aware of the issues in your district?
5. Are they committed to public education? Do they believe in the importance of public education and that every child deserves an outstanding education?
6. 
   Is the candidate committed to making sure your school has good learning resources? Is there evidence of their commitment?
7. Does the candidate share the same values as you, and are they committed to preserving those values in local schools? Have they taken actions to defend that value system?
8. Has the candidate made comments, posted on their social media, or supported policies that do not align with your values?

a. Make sure to look for whether the candidate is being funded by a group or individual that supports divisive concepts.

1. Are they focused on putting students front and center and not special interests?
2. Have they discussed their plans for improving your local schools?

*All of the content in this document is taken from the “Parent Toolkit: Advocating for Quality Curriculum” Click here to read more.