Heading to your local school board meeting? Start here

Do a quick online search for “tips for attending school board meetings,” and you’ll get quite a few hits. But before you jump in front of a mic or send off that email, let’s run through the basics of school boards so you know what you’re getting into.

The Pennsylvania School Boards Association defines a school board as, “a legislative body of citizens called school directors, who are elected locally by their fellow citizens and who serve as the governing body of each public school district.” In Pennsylvania, each school board is to have nine members who are elected to four-year terms. And despite the many hours of service school board members may provide, they do not receive a salary for their work. This should not negate you from contacting or speaking out to school board members, though—these elected officials are accountable to parents and local taxpayers for the curriculum and policy decisions they make.

School superintendents are hired by the school board to administer the school board’s agreed-upon policies. Superintendents are generally well-paid and are your go-to person for any concerns relating to how policies are being implemented in your local school.

All Pennsylvania school boards are required to meet publicly, and regularly, at least once every two months during the academic year. And newly-signed legislation now requires school boards to post their meeting agendas 24 hours prior to the meeting.

So, now that we’re all caught up on the basics of school boards, let’s talk about attending school board meetings.

First, check your local school district’s webpage for information about the dates, times, and locations of upcoming board meetings. The school board’s webpage may also provide you with contact information for current board members as well as any potential rules or guidelines for attending meetings. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, or cannot find an agenda, call the school district’s main phone number and they should be able to provide you with the necessary details.

Note that most school board meetings are recorded, and all school board meetings keep a record of minutes. Feel free to view past meetings’ recordings or minutes to get a feel for how school board meetings are generally run and get up to speed on how policies are being formed for your local school.

And if you’re ready to speak out publicly—because remember, any and all comments will be public—take the time to research and plan out your comments. Before drafting your statement, be aware of any time limitations for public speakers.

If your curriculum or policy concerns remain unresolved, you may want to get further involved. This article from Public School Review may prove helpful as you think about ways to influence school policies. And researching successful parent-led campaigns—even if you don’t agree with the underlying policy—may help you kickstart some ideas.

Getting involved in your local school board is commendable. For too long, school boards have largely operated without much community engagement, but following more than a year of closed schools, virtual learning, and heavy-handed policies, that is finally beginning to change.