Board of Education

Adapted from the Texas Association of School Boards

School boards: Advocates for Educational Excellence

Every local school district is governed by a school board. These school board members (or trustees) are guardians of the public trust; they put the interests of their community's youth first. Through the policies they make, school board members are ultimately responsible for the success or failure of local public education.

This is a difficult job; trustees face hard choices, self-sacrifice, and exposure to public criticism. However, it also brings a great deal of personal satisfaction in sharing with parents, staff, and students their academic successes. This crucial responsibility and the closeness of trustees to the voters make the local school board the purest example of democracy our society presents.

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) comprised of the State Board of Education and Superintendent, and the Michigan Education Association (MEA) guide and monitor public education in Michigan. The MDE oversees public school districts in the state. The department is governed by the State Board of Education. The MEA promotes public education and advocates for fair policies. Although state and federal laws have continued to restrict local control, school districts still have significant authority in governing schools.

The US Supreme Court has said education is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments. Our system of local school districts and boards of education epitomizes representative and participatory government-citizens elected from their community making decisions about educational programs based on community needs, values, and expectations. School boards are entrusted by the public to translate the needs of students into policies, plans, and goals that will be supported by the community.

• Ensure creation of a vision and goals for the district and evaluate district success.
• Adopt policies that inform district actions.
• Hire a superintendent to serve as the chief executive officer of the district and evaluate the superintendent’s success.
• Approve an annual budget consistent with the district vision.
• Communicate the district’s vision and success to the community.

A school board is a local governmental body that can take action only by a majority vote at a legally called public meeting. The individual board member’s major responsibility is to study issues facing the district, evaluate needs and resources, and, after due consideration, vote in the best interest of all students at such a meeting.

All meetings are open to the public and provide a time for public comment. Agendas for all meetings are posted online and on the doors of the Booth Center. Generally, board meetings are held on periodic Thursday evenings at the Booth Center, with the regular portion of the meeting starting at 6:30 p.m.