OP ED —School Board Elections: An Important Job near the Bottom of the Ballot

On Nov. 4, voters will cast ballots in one of the most important elections in our nation’s history. Mississippians are rightly focused on the race for President, as well as elections for two U.S. Senators, our Congressmen, and Supreme Court Justices.

Parents for Public Schools, a national organization based right here in Mississippi, wants to remind voters of another important office to be filled this year: Local school board member.

School board members might not get much attention, but they have one of the most important jobs in Mississippi: running our local school districts. School board members set policy and manage the finances of each local district. The school board works with the district administration, led by the Superintendent, to ensure all children receive a quality education and to ensure effective day to day management.

There are 149 school districts in Mississippi and 745 school board members in Mississippi. Of those, 532 are elected and 213 are appointed. School board candidates do not run as members of a political party.

Your county Circuit Clerk can tell you if there is a school board election where you live. Since school board districts may not be the same as districts for other elected officials, it’s important to know who your school board member is and if he or she is running this year.

Parents for Public Schools is committed to giving all parents a voice in the work of their school boards. In areas where school board members are elected, PPS works with parents to raise public awareness of these important elections, and provides information to help foster informed discussion of the issues.

The Mississippi School Board Association defines the four pillars of a school board’s responsibilities as: Vision setting for student achievement; establishing a strong environment for student achievement; providing accountability of student achievement; and serving as an advocate for student achievement.

Parents for Public Schools provides resources to help parents and voters understand the responsibilities of school board members. We offer suggestions and questions to prompt discussion of the issues. These resources are on our website: <<a href=”http://www.PPSeverywhere.org”>http://www.PPSeverywhere.org>

www.PPSeverywhere.org. We do not endorse any candidates for any public office.

If your school board member is not running for office this year – or if you live in a district that does not elect its school board – you still need to be aware of the important job these public servants have. To put it simply, a town with a good school board – supported by a community that supports its public schools – is a place where people want to live.

Your school board will be stronger with the involvement of active parents who care about the schools in their community. We encourage every Mississippian to pay attention to these important elections this year.

— Cynthia McMillian is Mississippi Director for Parents for Public Schools.

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