A school board election platform is a good place to start when running for office. It provides information about your stance on education-related issues and what you plan to do if you are elected into this position.
All school districts have their own unique problems. They may deal with teachers, students, faculty or educational material.
Concerned parents and citizens often run for school board as a way to improve or solve existing issues. It is one way that a person can directly influence how education is administered in their local district. Below are school board ideas for issues that candidates can use to create their campaign platform.
Common platform ideas for school board elections:
- Budget issues and the district’s operating expense.
- Student discipline. This can include bullying and school violence problems that face teachers and students.
- School overcrowding/number of students per classroom. (Class size is a common challenge.)
- Bond measures and local option levies for facilities and operations
- Student achievement and testing standards.
- Teacher shortages.
- School curriculum or teaching material.
- Bullying and school violence are problems facing teachers and students each day.
- Student behavior problems, such as apathy, disrespect and absenteeism.
- Safety measures, including student expulsion practices and the presence of local law enforcement officers.
- Approving curriculum materials. This may include censorship and banned books.
- Closing or constructing schools and updating facilities.
- Testing criteria for students.
- Collective bargaining for district employees.
- School district consolidation due to budget challenges.
- Transportation systems, including busing.
- Getting community input on school board issues.
What issues are important to your district?
A candidate’s platform starts with a set of beliefs or goals they want to achieve. One should include specific and measurable goals to make them more appealing to their target voters.
From the list above, perhaps you can find one or two ideas that you want to address for your school board campaign. If the issue is broad enough, you may be able to use that issue (and your position on it) as your campaign theme.
Education is always an important concern for voters. Public schools face many challenges. Identifying those issues is only half the battle. Educators, parents and school boards must work together to find solutions – to improve education for students and the entire school system.
Some of these challenges can be solved by changing the way you approach school board meetings or by doing more research on the issues that come up. Regardless, it’s important to keep an open mind when dealing with difficulties, because it will help your school board grow in success.
If you run for school board, you can incorporate your issue into your campaign slogan.
Candidates should also provide clear promises on what they will do if they are elected. This makes it easier for voters to understand and connects their ideas with real world results.
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