School board members will have an opportunity to hear from candidates for the State Board of Education during a WSSDA-sponsored forum in Seattle this month.

The SBE candidates forum will take place from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in Grand II of the Seattle Westin Hotel. The forum is being held in conjunction with the WSSDA Annual Conference, which runs Nov. 16–19 at the Westin. All school directors are invited to attend the forum regardless of whether they are registered for the conference.

Five positions on the restructured State Board will be selected by local school board members through an election being held this month. Three of the five positions will be elected from western Washington, with the other two coming from the east side of the state.

There are twelve candidates running for the five positions. During the forum, each will be asked to make a brief presentation and respond to a uniform set of questions. Attendees will also have an opportunity to meet informally with the candidates and ask follow-up questions once the program has concluded.

"We'd like to encourage all school board members to come and hear the candidates," said WSSDA Executive Director Martharose Laffey. "We need to show that we value our role in selecting members to the State Board. Otherwise, we run the risk of losing that role altogether."

The State Board is being restructured under legislation approved earlier this year. State lawmakers reduced the number of positions elected by local school board members and gave the governor authority to appoint seven members. The board will have 14 members total.

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has compiled a voter information guide containing photographs and statements from the candidates. The guide is available  on the OSPI Web site at www.k12.wa.us and will be included when ballots are mailed to school board members this month.

State Board candidates will be introduced during the WSSDA Annual Conference General Session/Luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 17. Conference attendees can also meet informally with the candidates at the President’s Reception later that same day.