P.O. Box 909 ● Trenton, NJ 08605-0909 ● Phone: 609.695.7600 ● Fax: 609.695.0413 ● Web: www.njsba.org/PI

Citizens Show Increased Interest in School Board Candidacy

Additional resources:

• NJSBA’s county-by-county chart of school board seats and candidates
• NJSBA’s facts & figures on the Annual School Election

TRENTON, April 13, 2011—Interest in local school board candidacy has increased from last year, with more school board candidates vying for seats in the upcoming April 27 school elections.

In 2010, there were 2,055 candidates running for 1,619 school board seats statewide, and 60 percent of those candidates were incumbents seeking re-election, according to NJSBA.

This year, there are 2,222 candidates running for 1,612 seats – and 49 percent are incumbents.

“School board races tend to be intensely local issues,” said Marie Bilik, NJSBA executive director. “Due to financial circumstances – including the new 2-percent property-tax levy cap – school boards have made tough decisions at the local level.”

For instance, many school boards have had to decide staff cuts; create budgets under a newly implemented 2-percent property-tax cap; explore student activity fees for participation in clubs and sports; and consider outsourcing positions such as maintenance, clerical and paraprofessional staff.

“Parents and citizens want to get involved and be part of the decision-making process,” said Bilik.

The Annual School Election – to be held on Wednesday, April 27 of this year – is the date when voters in 541 of New Jersey’s school districts elect school board members. Voters in most of those districts will also decide whether to support their districts’ annual budgets.

NJSBA encourages voters to take part in the Annual School Election. The Association’s website provides a web page with voter resources, such as vote-by-mail ballots and registration forms, at www.njsba.org/elections.

The New Jersey School Boards Association is a federation of 588 local boards of education and includes 44 charter school associate members. NJSBA advocates the interests of school districts, trains local school board members, and provides resources for the advancement of public education.