Should area school boards require more trained members?
That is the question being asked today in and around Rochester. Meaghan McDermott filed this report in the D&C:
“To do the job properly, board members today need to be well-versed in education, finance, law and management. They need the accounting savvy to read through and understand school budgets, No Child Left Behind laws and volume upon volume of state Education Department regulations.
“Yet the primary job requirement to be a school board member is to win enough votes.
“The only other requirements for the unpaid, volunteer job are that candidates be age 18 or older, able to read and write and live in the district. Once they are elected, the only training required is a six-hour course in how to spot odd financial dealings. New York is one of at least 21 states that require some training for school board members. Other states require ongoing continuing education.
“In New York, the qualifications for the job match those for most other elected offices and there’s no push for more, although the New York State United Teachers union has recently called for required continuing education.
What the heck is the point here? That there is no training for School board members because all it is is winning more votes? Ok Let’s have some fun here. What training is required to go from a talking head to County Executive? Did Maggie Brooks get any training or was that about the votes as well?
School boards are apolitical elected positions where those elected impart their passion and love of the district and try to make it better. Having a mix of backgrounds and qualifications is arguably the best route because if the school boards become bastions of elitism then who are they serving? Parents who simply care about their kids’ schools and are capable of balancing a checkbook and being dedicated certainly are qualified to serve on the school board.
Think about it. The most important attribute would seem to be caring about the children whose school board one serves on but if the board becomes a stepping stone for the next career move, where is the vested interest other than one’s personal goals?
Sure there are accounts of school board negligence and utter mismanagement or worse - Greece immediately comes to mind - but to go the route of what amounts to professional elitism (turning the board into a coterie of political friends or highly trained professionals with little investment in the school they purport to serve) whereas these positions should be comprised of concerned dedicated community members willing to do some oversight, research and auditing is a step too far.
School board positions are unpaid yet require a fairly large commitment from the members. If the school board members are doing this for the right reasons, the children and their education system, then the perk should be a positive outcome for the school they serve—strengthening the community they serve. And in the end when we have strong vibrant communities - everyone benefits.
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We have a situation in my town where a high school senior who has made a career of being an obstructionist is running for school board. He has every right to run, but the very first requirement of the job seems to me to be discretion when it come to personnel matters. Is an 18-year old really ready for that, especially when he will have just left behind his classroom role with the very same people to whom discretion is crucial and can even make the difference as to whether or not they can function in their jobs? And this guy has plastered the town with yard signs, sent mailers to everyone, and taken out lots of advertising, flaunting a long-standing tradition of low-key, non-political school board elections. Now, some might say such things need shaking up, but the current school board is served by dedicated people who have done a good job. They may not be perfect, but they are adults by any standard. I’m not sure this graduating student is. And his ambition for further office in the future is absolutely palpable.
School boards members are in a unique position. They are expected to oversee and/or control school spending, but they are hobbled by state and federal mandates they can’t contest nor change. In addition, they are expected to negotiate with a teachers union composed of members who have been active for many, many more years than the school board members will serve in their elected offices, and are backed by a national organization with vast resources, funding and experience. Most school boards don’t have the resident experts at hand that towns, counties, and states retain as a matter of course.
Concern for our children’s education and responsibility to the taxpayers are requisites for service on the school board, but doing things for the right reasons may not suffice to accomplish the very difficult work the members are tasked with. It would serve taxpayers to consider that the job of a school board member is much more narrowly focused than that of most elected positions. Sure, there are different aspects to consider, such as salaries, maintenance, safety. But school board members have little say in curriculum, testing, federal and state mandates.
It would seem that, given the more specialized duties and restricted powers, school board members would benefit from extended training more than most other elected officials. The very specific nature of their jobs means that they can concentrate more readily whatever training they receive. I’m in favor of training for all elected officials, but in this case, it would seem more effective than in most other cases.
I am an elected school board member in Brighton.
Most of this exchange is pretty much right on. I have just a few points worth adding…
What you may not realize is how much training and support exists for those who seek to serve on a school board as well as those who currently serve. Local, state & national organizations like the Monroe County School Boards Association, the New York State School Boards Association and the National School Boards Association offer a nearly constant stream of training seminars in nearly every imaginable area of K-12 public education. The books available on topics from educational leadership to NCLB fill libraries. The number of websites, blogs and wikis with ideas related to K-12 education is staggering. It’s all out there for those who care enough to dig in. Most school board members do care enough to dig in.
But that’s not all…
School board members do much more than go to the roughly 24 regular school board meetings (plus workshops, etc.) each year. Most school board members are immersed in the issues, challenges, needs and goals of their districts. Many not only participate on board-related committees like budget or audit they also serve on district advisory committees in areas such as a curriculum and wellness. Most board members expand that participation to include special projects that connect young people with their community. In addition, local school board members travel to offices in Monroe County, Albany and Washington to talk with legislators and regulators about the issues including mandates and funding. Many board members volunteer in athletics, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. A number of districts also support parent resource centers and continuing education for all citizens of their district. It’s quite common to find school board members serving as volunteers in these efforts as well. Add to these duties the numerous budget presentations at Rotary & Kiwanis, senior centers and libraries. In Brighton we do an annual speghetti supper with Kiwanis to support a scholarship fund. So, add boiling water and cleaning trays to the list of skills & responsibilities. Have I mentioned the long conversations with citizens about school aid over the salad bar? It’s all a part of the job. In short, you can’t really serve as a school board member for too long with fully understanding the job and the district you serve.
Yes, there are pitfalls. Perhaps the most common is coming to a school board with preconceived ideas - particularly around a particular issue or an ideological agenda. The second most common pitfall is to believe school boards operate their district. They don’t. They hire a superintendent and the superintendent hires staff (with the school board’s advice and approval. The day-to-day operation of a school district rests squarely with experienced professional staff. School boards focus mostly on policy and fiscal development and oversight with a full helping of curriculum (e.g., textbook review) and labor relations (e.g., contract & tenure review).
To be a successful school board member (public servant, elected official) you’d better love doing this stuff ’cause it’s a lifestyle choice. If it sounds like a tough volunteer job, you’ve got the right idea. It’s also fun. It’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. I recommend it to every citizen with a humble ambition to learn and serve their community. Oh, and the pay is great. No kidding. It really is great.
Thanks Rome for stopping by.
We appreciate your insight.
[...] editorial mirrors the coverage of the schools - a recent article questioning the training school board members receive and if they are even qualified. One of the persistent [...]