Last day to file for 2023 Elections
If you’re thinking of running for a school board, Friday, May 19 is the last day to file for the next round of elections. The Washington Secretary of State website provides all the information you’ll need.
Why run?
But why run for school board in the first place? If your first thought is to help foster student success, then you’re on the right track. Ongoing research shows that effective school board-superintendent teams positively impact student performance.
A Team Sport
You’ll notice the word team in the previous sentence. Serving on a school board is mainly a team “sport,” not an individual sport. In other words, individuals need to hone their skills, but governance only occurs through the collective action of the team.
Supporting Individual and Team Success
The Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) provides many tools to help school boards promote student success through effective governance. Three tools that complement each other are informed by ongoing research on the connection between school boards and the performance of school districts and their students. The tools are:
- The Washington School Board Standards
- A free board self-assessment survey
- Virtual and in-person trainings supplemented with learning events like WSSDA’s annual conference
Candidate Workshops
After you’ve filed and become a candidate, sign up for a virtual candidate workshop offered by WSSDA in June. The workshops will cover:
- Roles and responsibilities of school directors
- The importance of the board-superintendent team
- Meetings and the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA)
- Live Q&A
Participation is limited to candidates plus current school directors and superintendents. Learn more about serving on your local school board and what makes a great school board member.