How to Become a School Board Member

Legal Requirements

To become a member of a local board of education in New Jersey, you must—

Membership By Election

In Type II school districts, school boards are elected by the district’s voters at the annual school election for terms of three years. To be included on the ballot, you must—

      Obtain the signatures of at least 10 qualified voters living within the district, one of which may be your own

You can gather support for your candidacy by communicating your goals and aims for the schools to the electorate.

Membership By Appointment

In Type I school districts, board members are appointed by the mayor during April or June. Members of county vocational school boards are appointed by the County Board of Chosen Freeholders in October. Most Type I districts have either five or seven members; some have nine members. Board members’ terms of office depend on the size of the board.

Steps leading to appointment vary. For example—

Campaigning for Election

Nominating petitions

Each candidate for election, including an incumbent, must be nominated directly by petition, signed by at least ten people (one of whom may be the candidate).

Each nominating petition, addressed to the secretary of the board, must state the following:

       That the signers endorse the candidate and ask that his or her name be printed on the ballot

    One of the signers must make a sworn statement that the petition is prepared in good faith, that he or she saw all of the signatures included in the petition and that he or she believes that the signers are duly qualified voters.

    With the nominating petition, the candidate must include a signed statement certifying that he or she is qualified to be a school board member, consents to be a candidate, and will accept the office if elected.

    Nominating petitions must be filed with the board secretary on or before 4 p.m., Monday, February 26, 2007.

    A candidate for a local school board may withdraw his or her name by filing a signed notice (in writing) with the board secretary on or before March 5, 2007.  (While the statutory deadline for withdrawal is actually Sunday, March 4, the state Department of Education generally moves deadlines that fall on a weekend to the following Monday.)

    When a nominating petition is defective, except as to the number of signatures, the candidate has the right to remedy the defect no later than March 5, 2007.  (While the statutory deadline for withdrawal is actually Sunday, March 4, the Department of Education generally moves deadlines that fall on a weekend to the following Monday.) The candidate may amend the petition to remedy the defect at any time before that date, but may not add signatures. The candidate may add his own signature if necessary for verification.

Reporting of Expenditures

The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act requires all school board candidates who receive any contribution (including their own funds), regardless of the amount, to file a Certificate of Organization and Designation of Campaign Treasurer and Depository form with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

    Further, any candidate who intends to spend more than $3,500 must make a full and detailed report to ELEC and comply with a number of other procedural requirements. Thresholds for a joint campaign is $6,700 for two candidates and $9,700 for three or more candidates.

    A campaign which is to cost $3,500 or less has fewer reporting requirements.  However, even if expenditures do not exceed $3,500, any contribution totaling more than $300 from any one source must be reported to ELEC and the source must be identified.

    Finally, ELEC must be notified in writing of any contribution totaling more than $1,000 that is received from the 13th day prior to the election¸ up to and including the date of the election. A similar reporting obligation is applicable for certain expenditures of more than $1,000 made in this timeframe.  All cash contributions must be reported.  No cash contribution may exceed $200.

    Board candidates may request the Compliance Manual for Candidates from the Election Law Enforcement Commission. The manual includes a summary of requirements, reporting forms and instructions.

    Deadlines for filing campaign contribution forms are listed in the flier, “Important 2006 School Election Dates.” The flier is enclosed in NJSBA’s School Board Candidate Kit.

Notice:  These figures are accurate as of November 13, 2006. All candidates are required by law to comply with the provisions of The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act. The state Election Law Enforcement Commission is the regulatory agency regarding campaign contributions. Questions and requests for information should be directed to ELEC at (609) 292-8700, or visit its Web site, www.elec.state.nj.us.

Campaign Materials

Candidates and committees subject to the New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act are required to include "Paid for by" language in all campaign materials. "Paid for by" language must include the name and address of the committee, individual or group, and clearly state that the entity financed the communication. Examples of “Paid for by” language may be found in ELEC's Compliance Manual.

Serving on a School Board

As a member of the board of education, you will be expected to fulfill certain responsibilities, including—

  1. Establishing goals for the public schools based on student educational needs, parent and community aspirations, state and federal standards and district financial resources.
  2. Developing a philosophy of education that will become the basis for sound decisions that affect the governance of your community’s schools.
  3. Developing policies to guide the administration in managing the schools; developing bylaws to direct the board in carrying out its governance responsibilities.
  4. Developing a community understanding of educational issues and school policies through the maintenance of effective communications systems.
  5. Providing adequate financing for the district’s present and future needs.
  6. Ensuring quality education by providing adequate facilities and equipment.
  7. Establishing conditions that enable the administration to recruit and effectively evaluate professional staff.
  8. Engaging in board self-evaluation and inservice training programs for the purpose of providing well-informed leadership and sound decision-making.
  9. Establishing a process for the board to negotiate in good faith with its employees, while representing community educational goals and financial interests.

You Should Also:

  1. Understand that your responsibility is not to administer the schools, but to work with the board to see that the schools are well run.
  2. Understand that education today is extremely complex.
  3. Listen to opposing views and be able to defend the board’s philosophy and goals.
  4. Be willing to invest the many hours necessary to meet your responsibilities.
  5. Serve out of a sincere desire to benefit the community rather than for personal glory or to carry out personal objectives.
  6. Bear in mind that, as a state official, you have a responsibility to all the children in the state, not only to those in the local district.

The NJSBA

    Composed of all boards of education in the state, the New Jersey School Boards Association was established by the state Legislature in 1914 to promote and encourage the best possible public education for every child in New Jersey.

    Association policies are determined by NJSBA’s Delegate Assembly, which is made up of school board members selected by their local boards. The Delegate Assembly meets twice a year. Association policy is implemented by the executive director and staff under the guidance of the officers and board of directors. Association committees, composed of interested board members, study particular issues and recommend courses of action to the Delegate Assembly.

    Services to boards of education and individual board members include—

       Comprehensive technical assistance and inservice training.

For New Board Members

Orientation Conferences

    New Jersey law requires all first-year school board members to attend a New Jersey School Boards Association training program on the roles and responsibilities of school board members. The NJSBA Board Member Academy offers programs to help new members meet this requirement. For example, NJSBA’s New Board Member Orientation is an intensive weekend conference addressing all areas of school board responsibility.

    A nationwide model in board member training, the Orientation program is tailored to develop knowledge and skills that will help new members function effectively as part of a local board of education. The Academy also provides one-day programs covering the basic areas of school board responsibility. Information about all these programs is provided through School Board Notes and direct mailings to members.

    In addition to new board member programs, the NJSBA Board Member Academy offers a full curriculum leading to basic and advanced certificates. Programs address such topics as labor relations, leadership skills, effective decision-making, policymaking, budgeting, community relations, school law and legislation.

    For information on NJSBA services and training, visit the Association’s Web site at www.njsba.org.