Pursuing a career in educational leadership is more than just managing a school — it’s about shaping the future of education for students, teachers and the community. A crucial aspect of this leadership is understanding and collaborating with the school board. School boards are pivotal in guiding a district’s vision, making critical decisions that impact daily operations and setting policies that align with community values.
As a principal, grasping the function and structure of school boards is essential to successfully navigate the challenges of educational leadership. Avila University’s Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) in Education in Building Principal – K-12 online program equips aspiring principals with the tools to lead effectively.
What Is Educational Leadership?
Educational leadership involves guiding and managing the operations of schools while focusing on improving academic outcomes. As educational leaders, principals are at the forefront of this mission. They are responsible for creating a positive learning environment, supporting teachers and providing students with the best education possible. However, to be effective, principals must also be adept within the broader governance structure, which includes collaborating with school boards.
Who Serves on a School Board?
A school board typically consists of elected members who are district residents. These individuals come from diverse backgrounds including parents, business leaders and other community members. Their primary qualification is a vested interest in the welfare of the local education system. While they may not always have a background in education, school board members bring valuable perspectives that reflect the community’s priorities and concerns.
A diverse school board engages a broad range of viewpoints for making decisions about the district’s direction. For principals, understanding the composition of the school board is crucial. By building strong relationships with board members, principals can better influence decisions that affect their schools.
What Do School Board Members Do?
As EdWeek points out, “School boards are in charge of choosing curricula, managing schedules, and negotiating employee labor contracts. They have also become the translators and interpreters of mounting state and federal schooling requirements. And they are first in line as the country wrestles with its changing demographics and questions about representation and political power.”
Other responsibilities of the school board include setting the district’s vision and goals, adopting policies, balancing the budget, and hiring and evaluating the superintendent. Because of this, principals must be aware that the school board’s decisions directly impact their schools’ operations. For instance, a school board’s budgetary decisions affect resource allocation, staffing and program funding within a school. Similarly, policies adopted by the board — such as those related to curriculum or discipline — dictate the day-to-day management of the school.
GreatSchools.org notes, “[w]hatever the vision may be, it’s up to the school superintendent to implement it. This is why one of the board’s most crucial decisions is the hiring and firing of the superintendent. The board also approves the superintendent’s personnel recommendations.”
How Are School Board Members Elected?
School board members are elected by the community through a democratic process. These elections typically occur during general elections or at designated times determined by the district. Candidates for the school board often campaign on issues important to the community, such as improving academic standards, increasing school funding or enhancing safety measures, according to Safe Routes Partnership.
By following the election process and the issues debated during campaigns, principals can anticipate changes in the board’s composition and direction. This knowledge enables principals to adjust their strategies to align their goals with the board’s vision.
Through courses such as School & Community Relations, the Master of Arts in Education in Educational Leadership – Principal Certification program at Avila University equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate this complex relationship, ensuring that they can lead a school to success while working effectively with a district’s school board.
Learn more about Avila Univeristy’s online MAEd in in Building Principal – K-12 program.
