Education Law

The big questions for your school board elections

School board elections are getting into gear in lots of communities across the country. These critical contests generally don't get anywhere near the attention that they deserve. After all, almost nothing is more crucial to a community's well-being than strong public schools. And in many communities, the school district is the biggest local employer. For a good reminder of these realities, check out the Center for Public Education's resource, "All in Favor: Cast Your Vote for Student Success."

We've highlighted this one before, but just as a reminder, this handy brochure explains a bit about the role of school boards and their importance and why voters owe it to themselves and their communities to pay close attention. Better yet, it lists some of the most important questions voters should consider as they evaluate candidates.

But wait—there's more! As a new feature, at that same link you'll also get versions of the brochure that are specific to some individual states—Georgia, North Carolina, New York, and Ohio, so far. And for more depth, the Center also has compiled additional user-friendly resources on good governance.

If you're a voter, these resources can help you make sense of these important but sometimes obscure elections. If you're a board member or candidate, they might help you with explaining things to your constituents and voters. If you're a community organization like the local chamber of commerce, PTA, or League of Women Voters, the brochure is one resource you might consider printing up or linking to your website. And if you're a reporter or an editorial board, here's a helpful frame of reference for election coverage and endorsements. As these materials make clear, the hot-button issues may not be the ones that matter most for children.

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on August 06, 2008 (boomark / email).