It’s School Board Recognition Month in New Jersey

It’s School Board Recognition Month
in New Jersey

January is School Board Recognition Month, when school board members across the nation are honored. It’s also an ideal time to take a look at the 4,800 board of education members who serve New Jersey school districts. While there’s no such thing as the “average” school board member, the 2007 Member Survey conducted by the New Jersey School Boards Association provides a snapshot of our members’ demographic traits.

Not surprisingly, for a group of people who have demonstrated that they value education, average educational levels were much higher than the general population: 71.5 percent of the state’s school board members have a bachelor’s degree or higher (36.4 percent of members have a graduate degree). Nationally only 24.4 percent of Americans have attained a bachelor’s or higher.

Household income skews higher than the national average too: 61.8 percent have an annual household income above $100,000 (30.2 percent earn more than $150,000). That’s more than twice the 2004 national average household income of $44,334. However, families with other income levels are also represented on New Jersey school boards; 16.9 percent of members had incomes of $75,000 to $99,999; 16 percent had incomes of $50,000 to $74,999.

How old are New Jersey school board members? The largest single block (45.8 percent) is between 45 to 54 years old; nearly 18 percent of members are 55 to 64 years old; and 15.8 percent are 65 or older. About half of school board members—54.5 percent—have non-adult children living in their house. Over 46 percent of members are male, and 53.3 percent are female.

How long have members served on a school board? About a third have served two years or less; about a quarter have served three to five years; 17 percent have been on a board six to nine years; 10 percent have been members 10 to12 years; and about 15 percent have been members more than 12 years.

The issues that most concern New Jersey’s school board members won’t come as a surprise to anyone, no matter the length of service on a school board. Besides the topics of school funding and improving student achievement, board members in New Jersey cited public and community awareness and support on the issues, special education, and No Child Left Behind as the most critical issues facing New Jersey’s public schools.

NJSBA has created a School Board Recognition Month section on its Web site. The page includes the latest news about the recognition month; good news about the quality of New Jersey public schools; sample certificates of appreciation; information to order a plaque; and sample resolutions and news releases that can be adopted by school boards, parent-teacher organizations or other civic and government entities.