VUSD Board Elections 2022: What Does a School Board Do?

By: Ayla Ozturk 

The role of the trustees on a school board is to ensure that school districts are responsive to the values, beliefs, and priorities of their communities. Boards fulfill this role by serving five key responsibilities. 

Visalia Unified School District [VUSD] Board of Education elections are approaching. Campaign signs are on street corners, front lawns, and more.

Visalia voters living in certain areas will see these candidates on their ballots. By electing a school board member, also known as a trustee, the community trusts them to act in their best interest. 

The actions of school boards have a significant impact on students and the community. However, many do not know what decisions and responsibilities the board has. 

A school board’s responsibilities represent functions fundamental to a school district’s accountability that can only be performed by an elected governing body. 

These responsibilities include setting direction, establishing an effective and efficient structure, providing support, ensuring accountability, and providing community leadership as advocates for the school district, public schools, and students. 

Authority is given to the board overall, not each member individually, which means board members work together as a governance team with the superintendent to make decisions that best serve students. 

Setting direction 

Ensuring a long-term goal is established for the school district is central to the purpose of a school board. 

The goal(s) reflects the need of the community. The board makes decisions based on what students need to achieve their highest potential. 

Establishing an effective and efficient structure 

The board is responsible for establishing and maintaining an organizational structure that supports the district’s vision and staff. This includes: 

• Employing the superintendent 
• Setting policies for hiring other personnel 
• Overseeing the development of and adopting policies 
• Setting a direction for and adopting a curriculum 
• Establishing budget priorities 
• Adopting the budget 
• Overseeing facilities issues 

Providing support 

The board has a responsibility to support the superintendent and staff as they carry out the direction of the board. This involves:

• Acting with a professional demeanor that models the district’s beliefs and goals 
• Making decisions and providing resources that support mutually agreed-upon priorities and goals 
• Upholding district policies 
• Ensuring a positive personnel climate exists 
• Having enough knowledge of the district’s efforts to explain them to the public. 

Ensuring accountability to the public 

As representatives of the community, school boards are accountable to the public for the performance of the community’s schools. 

Boards establish systems and processes to monitor results, evaluate the school system’s progress toward accomplishing the district’s vision and communicate that progress to the local community. 

To ensure personnel, program, and fiscal accountability, boards are responsible for:  

• Evaluating the superintendent and setting policy for the evaluation of other personnel 
• Monitoring, reviewing, and revising policies 
• Monitoring student achievement and program effectiveness and requiring program changes as indicated 
• Monitoring and adjusting district finances 

Providing community leadership 

Board members have a responsibility to involve the community when setting a direction for the district. 

This is done by communicating information about district policies, educational programs, finances, and progress on goals. 

School boards are advocates for students, the district’s educational programs, and public education.

Board members also build support for public schools in the local community and at the state and national levels.

Tags: ayla ozturk, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, rhs, visalia ca, vusd, vusd board elections, vusd board elections 2022, vusd board of education