State Influence Grows as School Boards Come under Fire

Forged in the hamlets of colonial New England, school boards have symbolized small-town democracy. School board meetings evoke the essence of Americana—the kind painted by Norman Rockwell and made into a Frank Capra movie entitled "Mr. Deeds Elected to the School Board" (starring Jimmy Stewart as the beleaguered school board president). But Americana aside, many criticize school boards as unresponsive and entrenched bureaucracies.

Part of the problem is that there is little consensus on how school boards should operate. Most school board members view themselves as trustee representatives, selected to serve because of their educational expertise and good judgment, and independent of ever-changing popular opinions. But others, including many voters, see school board members as delegate representatives, responsible for implementing the will of the public (or being voted out of office if they do not). The type of elections used to select school board members can shape the kind of school board that will emerge. When school hoards are selected through "at-large" elections, in which the entire school district votes for all the members of the school board, the school board is expected to represent the interests of the entire community—in line with the notion of trustee representatives. But some school districts do not have at-large elections, in-stead choosing to have smaller geographic areas vote. In this type of election each of these smaller neighborhoods selects a board member to represent its interests (delegate representation).

While it might appear that at-large elections are less partisan, they do have serious drawbacks. Districtwide, at-large elections typically result in more elite, politically conservative and upper class individuals being elected to school boards. After all, it is the well-established individual who is likely to have the financial resources and educational and business background needed to win a big, districtwide election. Poorer citizens, people of color, and women are less likely to find themselves on school boards selected through at-large elections. Unfortunately, many citizens feel disenfranchised when it comes to school board elections.

Other criticisms of school boards run deeper. The Twentieth Century Fund and the Danforth Foundation conducted an intensive study of school boards, and recommended a total overhaul of the system, charging that

• School boards have become immersed in administrative details, at the expense of more important and appropriate policy issues. One study of West Virginia school boards showed that only 3 percent of all decisions made concerned policy.

• School boards are not representing local communities, but only special interest groups. Elections to the school hoard receive little public support. In a New York City school board election, for instance, only 7 percent of the voters participated.

• The politics of local school board elections have a negative impact on attracting and retaining superintendents and lead to conflict with state education agencies.

• The composition of the boards is not representative, with individuals of color, women, the poor, and the young unrepresented or underrepresented.

• School boards have been in the backseat when it comes to educational change and reform. As a matter of fact, many school boards do not sup-port current educational reform proposals, and members have lagged be-hind public opinion on such issues as school choice and educational vouchers.

• The education of children goes beyond school issues to include health, social, and nutritional concerns. School boards are too limited in scope to respond to all the contemporary concerns of children.

• If schools continue to be financed less from local funds and more from state funds, local boards could become less influential.

• Many of the new reforms call for new governance organizations, site-based management, or choice programs that relegate the school board to a less important, perhaps even unnecessary, role.

While these criticisms suggest a dismal future for school boards, preparing their obituary may be premature. School boards have endured a long time and may be around long after many of the reform recommendations are forgotten.