How to Run for School Board: A Step-by-Step Guide
Alex furlin.
When it comes to public service, no office may be more overlooked – and more directly consequential to the lives of its community members – than the school board member. School board membership wields massive power and responsibility at the local education level, giving officeholders significant leeway to enact policies that directly impact students and parents.
However, the process for actually becoming a school board member, and how to run for school board elections is not as widely known as the process for higher-profile offices like Senator or President, despite being just as important at a local level as those offices are at a national level.
School board members are community-elected citizens entrusted with the responsibility of making decisions pertaining to the local public school system. Their decisions are shaped by community expectations, objectives, and the unique challenges of promoting student achievement. Serving on a local school board can be an immensely rewarding experience, but it’s not for everyone. It demands a thorough consideration of various factors, including the financial commitment associated with campaigning and the dedication required to be an effective board member.
With all that in mind – and paying attention to the fact that school board election specifics will necessarily vary from school district to school district, state to state – here are some general steps for how to run for your local school board, and what to expect along the way.
Why Run for Local School Board in the First Place?
This is the most important question you must answer for yourself before deciding to throw your hat in the ring and run for school board membership. Being a school board member is a significant commitment, both in terms of time and energy, so make sure you’re fully committed to all of the responsibilities and challenges that accompany serving on a local school board.
Though school boards typically consist of former educators, parents, and those with an educational background, all that’s truly needed to serve as an effective school board member is a genuine passion to improve educational outcomes in your district – and the education of this current generation of students will impact all district residents down the line. All community members have a stake in how their district’s education system is performing.
So before deciding to mount a campaign for school board, ask yourself: Are you passionate about improving student achievement and educational outcomes? Can you collaborate well with teams and parents? Are you able to handle the public responsibility?
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School Board Member Eligibility
Before making the choice to run for school board member, and all the commitment such a campaign necessitates, first make sure that you fulfill all of the requirements to serve on your district’s school board. While specific eligibility requirements may vary slightly depending on which state and district your local school board is, many requirements are shared no matter where you’re running. In brief, here are the general eligibility requirements to determine if you’re qualified to run for your local school board:
Be at least 18 years old
Be a resident in the school district you wish to serve
Be a U.S. citizen
Have no felony convictions on your record
Physically and mentally capable of serving in public office
Nothing super out of the ordinary here, but bear in mind these are general, typical requirements. It’s imperative to research your specific district’s requirements for running for school board to ensure you’re meeting all of them. For example, some districts may employ term limits that rule certain board members for running for re-election, and some don’t.
Filing to Run for School Board
Similarly to determining your eligibility for running for school board, each and every district will have slightly different, specific requirements in regards to filing your paperwork to make your candidacy official . So while the individual pieces of paperwork and deadlines for filing will differ from district to district, state to state, most school boards have roughly the same kinds of paperwork you’ll have to file in order to officially become a candidate for school board.
In general, you should expect to file some version of the following forms of paperwork:
Declaration of candidacy
In general, forms like these are simply a formal written statement declaring your intention to seek a school board spot in a specific school district. Forms like this may or may not need to be notarized depending on the district.
Financial disclosure
Almost all school boards require prospective candidates file financial disclosure forms that outline any potential conflicts of interest in regards to the candidate’s financial entanglements, and state ethics laws. Disclosures like these usually specify a campaign treasurer and certifies that you as the candidate will publicly disclose all campaign donations you receive.
No criminal history
Pretty self-explanatory.
Nominating petition
Not all states and districts require would-be school board candidates to present petition signatures, but some absolutely do. Check with your local school board to find the specific requirements for garnering petition signatures .
Running Your Campaign for School Board
Once you’ve gotten all of your requisite paperwork filed, your campaign can officially begin! Since 41 states currently prohibit school board members from declaring partisan associations , many school board races won’t have party primaries the way other offices do. However – like many specifics of school board campaigns – it depends on your state.
As a general rule of thumb, school board campaigns should be built around a robust messaging apparatus that outlines why you’re running for school board, what you view as the role of governance in public education, and what your strategies are for student achievement and meeting school district goals. Typical campaign strategies such as designing a logo, outlining your views and policies on a candidate website, and in-person campaign events should all be considered and followed through on.
Some other ideas that may serve your campaign for school board well could include activities like:
Attend current school board meetings to get a feel for how they are conducted and to establish relationships
Establish a group of supporters and volunteers that can help campaign on your behalf
Do your research on your community! Find the particular issues and problems facing the district to best position yourself as someone who can address them in office
Meet voters face to face during community events and outings
Campaign Fundraising
Like all elected offices, fundraising is an absolute necessity for generating name awareness and getting your message as a candidate out to as many prospective voters as possible – and running for school board is no different. Without proper financial resources, it may be quite the uphill climb to win a school board seat, especially if you’re challenging an incumbent. When it comes to fundraising for your campaign, there are several methods one should keep in mind to employ for maximum effect.
Firstly, setting up a donation form on your campaign website is the easiest way to allow your supporters to send money to your campaign. Because so much of finance is handled digitally these days, setting up a form on your website for people to send money is an absolute necessity - and also probably the single easiest method to employ for campaign fundraising.
Holding and/or attending fundraising events in person is also a hugely effective way to not only raise campaign funds from prospective supporters, but also a great way to interface with the community and listen to their perspective and their concerns. The more attentive and responsive you appear to voters, the higher likelihood that they’ll want to support your school board candidacy, and this type of direct retail politics and relationship-forming can’t be replicated online or digitally.
Gathering email addresses and phone numbers from the community to build out messaging lists is also a hugely effective method for generating fundraising figures. Text message blasts and regular email newsletter updates not only provide your supporters with an easy point of access for donating to your campaign, but they’re also fantastic ways to spread your campaign messaging and increase awareness of your specific ideas, policies, and actions you’d take once in office. Email lists and text message chains are fantastic ways to kill two birds with one stone – informing the community and giving supporters an easy way to donate.
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If you’ve decided to run for a school board seat – or you’re still entertaining the thought of throwing your hat in the ring – connect with GoodParty.org to access valuable resources, coaching, and step-by-step programs for running non-partisan campaigns. GoodParty.org offers hands-on programs to help independent candidates win office at every level of governance – school board seats included.
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Sample Cover Letter for a School Position
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Before You Write Your Cover Letter
How to write a cover letter for a school job, what to include in the letter, sample cover letter for an education position, sending an email cover letter.
Your cover letter will be the first—and most important—impression you give to the hiring manager. Don’t presume your resume will speak for itself, especially if you are applying for a competitive job in education.
The goal of your cover letter is to make you stand out from the rest of the applicants, and there are several ways to draft a letter that will do just that.
There is some preparation work you should do before you write your letter.
Research the school or organization that is hiring. The more you know about the organization, the easier it will be to make the best impression.
Personalize Your Letter
You can use information gathered from the research you did on the employer to personalize your letter. This will show that you wrote the cover letter specifically for the position they are looking to fill, and that you are interested enough in the job to learn about the educational institution ahead of time.
Try to Find a Contact Person
Try to find out who will be reviewing your resume. Often, it will be the head of human resources or a hiring manager, or it could be the principal of the school. Sometimes this information can be found online within the job listing. You may be able to contact the school using the phone number or email address provided in the posting.
If you can't find a contact person, it's fine to use "To Whom It May Concern" or to simply start your letter with the first paragraph.
Use a writing style that is less formal than your resume when writing your cover letter; try to show your personality. The mission of your cover letter is to highlight you, your skills, and your accomplishments and to show your sincere interest in filling the position.
Your cover letter should include the following elements:
Salutation: If you can find a contact person, address the person by name in the greeting of your letter.
First Paragraph: Following the salutation, the first paragraph should thank this person for taking the time to review your resume. Also, it should explain why you are hoping to land the position. Be sure to specifically name the job title for which you are applying.
Second Paragraph: Explain why you're a good fit. Think of one or two notable reasons you feel you would be a good fit for the position. Do not be bashful.Be honest; you want to come across as confident and earnest. In the second paragraph, talk about your education and previous experiences that make you the ideal candidate for the position they are trying to fill.
Third Paragraph: Finally, the third paragraph should includea few closing statements. Express your enthusiasm for the job and how you feel you are the ideal fit for the role. It is also okay to be assertive and say something like, “I look forward to being contacted for an interview.”
Closing and Signature: End your letter with a formal closing, followed by your signature. If you are sending a hard copy cover letter with your resume, don’t forget to sign it.
This is an example of a cover letter for a school position. Download the school position cover letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.
Sample Cover Letter for an Education Position (Text Version)
Gloria Lau 87 Washington Street Smithfield, CA 08055 555-555-5555 gloria.lau@email.com
May 10, 2021
Ms. Rachel Lee Smithfield Elementary School 123 Main Street Smithfield, CA 08055
Dear Mr. Doe,
Thank you for taking the time to review my resume. I am applying for the Prevention Educator position because I am looking to use my degree in Elementary Education, in combination with my Concentration in Sociology, in an alternative way to a traditional teaching position.
I have had the opportunities to work with children and adults of all ages and abilities while I was student teaching for Acme College, substitute teaching in local districts, working as a Museum Educator, and as the assistant trainer at a local riding stable.
I am seeking a career that will allow me to continue working with people in many different ways. I hope you will find that I am qualified for the position you are trying to fill.
If I can provide you with any further information on my background and qualifications, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you. I can be reached at 555-555-5555 or via email at gloria.lau@email.com.
Again, I appreciate you taking the time to review my resume.
Gloria Lau (signature hard copy letter)
If you're sending your cover letter via email, list your name and the job title in the subject line of the email message. Include your contact information in your email signature, and don't list the employer contact information. Start your email message with the salutation.
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