School districts in Pennsylvania are governed by nine elected school board members that volunteer their time for a four year term. The four year terms are staggered so one election will have four open seats and the following election will have five open seats. In the Palisades School District, board seats are divided into three regions based on population (Region 1: Bridgeton and Tinicum, Region 2: Durham, Nockamixon and Riegelsville and Region 3: Springfield).
So once a Board member is elected, what do they do?
According to the National School Boards Association, local school boards are elected—or occasionally appointed in the event of a mid-term vacancy —to be leaders and champions for public education in their states and communities.
In more specific terms the Palisades School Board's key responsibilities are to:
- Set the vision and goals for the Palisades School District
- Adopt policies that govern programs, pupils, employees, finances, property, operations, community engagement and Board procedures
- Adopt and oversee the annual budget
- Engage in negotiations and develop collective bargaining agreements
- Hire and evaluate the superintendent
Does an effective school board increase student academic achievement?
Yes! Research from The Center for Public Education identified characteristics and habits in high achieving district that were markedly different from boards in low-achieving districts.
Boards in high-achieving districts:
- maintained a commitment to a vision of high expectations for student achievement and quality of instruction
- maintained a strong shared belief about what is possible for students and their ability to learn, and of the system and its ability to teach all children at high levels
- led as a united team with the superintendent, each from their respective roles, with strong collaboration and mutual trust
- aligned and sustained resources to meet district goals
For a complete list of effective school board characteristics please click here.
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| Election Day is November 3, 2015 |
For more information on School Boards at the national, state and local level please refer to the following resources:
National School Boards Association (NSBA)
Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA)
Palisades School District School Board
