The local school board is responsible for keeping the policies within its district in line with state regulations. They also actively and consistently work towards the creation and implementation of plans that will help improve the education of the students within their district. They also represent the educational system in matters that concern the local communities. They also ensure that state educational policies are being observed. That being said, they also have the role of opposing policies that are considered unfair or damaging.
The local school board is also responsible for assessing staff performance and introducing systems and programs that will help them perform their duties more effectively. The local school board members are usually elected into their positions, but in some cases, the mayor appoints them, but the vast majority of the members are elected. The members of the local school board typically serve four-year terms and serve the state. All the adults within a district are eligible for service on the local school board, and in some cases, they may receive monetary compensation.
Unfortunately, because most school boards have predominantly white male members, the needs and will of some demographics are not represented or considered when important decisions are being made. Because race and gender diversity are important factors in the education of a child, not having representation on the school board can have horrible consequences on the academic progress of students within underrepresented demographics. In fact, many members of the board do not live within the same circumstances or environment as most of the population they are responsible for.
The U.S. has approximately 15,000 local school boards, and if all the underrepresented members of the population aren’t being considered, on a national scale, that’s a huge chunk of the population that is denied access to positions where their voices can be heard. The effect of this on the academic progress of millions of students is catastrophic. The local school board hires a superintendent to help them implement state policy into their district. The relationship between the local school boards and the superintendents has a huge effect on the progress of the educational system within their district.
It is common for the local school board and the superintendent to clash over jurisdiction. There aren’t many regulations defining the power dynamics in this relationship, and as such, conflict occurs frequently. Especially in cases where the boards begin to try and control or micromanage the affairs within the superintendent’s jurisdiction.
