SCHOOL BOARD BASICS
Learn about school board members and what they do.
You’ve heard about the school board, but who are they and what do they do? This basic information is for students, parents, staff, taxpayers – the entire school community – because everyone is impacted by their local public school
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS
Nearly all of Missouri school boards are made up of seven members. They come from all walks of life but they have some things in common.
LOCAL
They must live in the school district and pay taxes.
ELECTED
They are elected by voters in each school district.
VOLUNTEER
They volunteer their time and expertise and are not paid.
NON-PARTISAN
They are not elected representatives of a political party. Their loyalty is to students.
TEAM PLAYER
They work as a team to make decisions for all the students in their community.
ADVOCATE
They care about children and want to serve their community.
THE SCHOOL BOARD
There are many roles and responsibilities of a board of education. Here are a top few.
GOALS
The board establishes the goals and vision of the district, with input from the community, and evaluates the results.
POLICY
The board develops and approves rules to help schools operate for student success.
SUPERINTENDENT
The only employee the board supervises and evaluates. Day-to-day school operations are delegated to this position.
BUDGET
Approves the budget proposed by the Superintendent and ensures funding supports district goals.
ADVOCACY
Shares district information with local legislators and the community to secure resources necessary for student success.
