The first day to vote for the upcoming school board election is on April 24. A day that most students will probably not be involved in but really should. The school board controls a lot of different aspects of every student’s schoolday, but many couldn’t name a single power the board has. The issue isn’t that students are intentionally avoiding the polls. Instead, the biggest issue between students and voting for their favorite school board candidates is a lack of information about what a school board even does. 

Monitor Success

Ensuring students are succeeding is their top priority. They set goals and create strategies to keep the district moving in a positive direction. For example, one of Lewisville ISDs goals is to achieve “meaningful and relevant work [that] engages students in profound learning.” — which they pursue through making decisions that eliminate busy work and focus on student engagement. 

Hire Superintendent

A superintendent is the person who handles all the day to day operations of the district, kind of like the CEO. They handle the big picture and work with the board, legislators and community to ensure the district is operating at its best. They have the power to interview and hire a candidate. Then throughout the superintendent’s tenure, the board will evaluate their performance and can  replace them.

Adopt a Budget and Tax Rate

In Texas school districts are funded by property taxes. The board oversees the budget, set teacher salaries, benefits and decide what schools are upgraded.

Communicate with the Community

School boards are outlets for the community. They must continually advocate for public education, keep community members informed and build trust. They must make sure residents are aware of district plans, new actions and student accomplishments.