There is no specific dollar amount to run for school board. The cost of any school election varies depending on the size of the district, the number of candidates running for the position, and amount of overall money raised and spent by the candidates.

In general, a school board candidate needs:

• A strong campaign team who will work with the candidate on fundraising, voter outreach, and other areas of campaigning.
• A campaign budget that includes: advertising, printing, staff salaries, office supplies, and other expenses.

The cost of running can vary wildly. In 2011, a survey of elected school board members found that 87 percent of them spent $5,000 or less on their most recent campaign. Even in larger districts with more than 15,000 students, just 10 percent spent more than $25,000, according to the National School Boards Association.

One way to find out how much your election might cost is to check how much was spent on previous elections. This will give you a rough idea of how much you may need to raise and spend.

It’s better to overestimate your costs than you may want to budget. Indeed, the cost of some school board races run into the millions of dollars.

In the final days of a campaign, there is a lot of pressure on candidates to make sure they don’t run out of money. If you run out of money, especially near Election Day, it is a sure way to lose momentum with voters. It makes sense to budget carefully and have some financial reserves in place.

School boards are faced with the difficult task of deciding how to allocate limited resources to provide a quality education for all students. Districts face a variety of pressing educational issues. Decisions must be made to address them.

Some hot-button issues facing school boards today are:

• Insuring that all students have access to quality education: This is about making sure every student, regardless of their background, gets a fair chance at learning.
• The need to increase the number of qualified teachers: Schools are facing a challenge in finding enough teachers who are both skilled and passionate. This issue is crucial for maintaining high educational standards.
• Bullying: This problem persists in many schools. This dovetails with the issues of school safety and security.
• Racism: Addressing racism in schools is a key concern. It’s about policies that promote understanding and respect among students of different races.
• LGBTQ and gender issues: These topics are becoming increasingly prominent. Again this is about the environment, creating an inclusive and supportive place for all, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.
• Sex education: This is a sensitive yet essential subject. The goal is to provide students with accurate information while respecting community values.
• Equity, diversity, and inclusion in education: Here, the focus is on giving every student an equal chance to succeed. I
• School safety and security: Keeping students safe is a top priority. This includes physical safety and creating a secure student environment.
• Teacher issues – shortages, retention, and training: Schools are grappling with not just hiring teachers but also keeping them and ensuring they are well-trained.

These are just some of the challenges facing school districts today, but there are also many other budgetary issues that schools must address every day, As a candidate for school board, you must be familiar with these issues and have a position on how to address them.

What specific strategies will you implement? How would you find ways to improve your local education and better prepare students for the future.

Related:
Common School Board Campaign Issues

Candidates for school board will face questions from both voters and the media. These questions are usually related to goals and issues facing the school district. You’ll want to be prepared for interview questions by your local newspaper, media, and voters.

Common Interview Questions for School Board Candidates

When answering interview questions, keep your answers simple and to the point. Make sure that you’ve prepared answers that are detailed enough to address the questions fully. Don’t stretch the truth or invent experiences. And always stay on topic.

Personal Motivation and Qualifications of Candidate

1. Why are you running for the Board of Education?
2. What unique educational challenges in our district do you plan to address?
3. What particular experience or skills prepare you to serve as a board member?
4. What donations, endorsements, or other support from outside groups have you received?
5. How do you plan to maintain transparency and accountability regarding these influences?
6. Are you running as a slate with other candidates?
7. If so, how do your collective goals align with the needs of the district?
8. Is there a specific issue that motivates you to serve on the school board?
9. How do you plan to address this issue, whether it be the role of charter schools, teacher recruitment, or school funding challenges?
10. What strategies do you have for recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers in our district?
11. What is your position on [specific issue or policy]?
12. How does this position align with the goals of enhancing educational quality and student outcomes in the district?
13. How do you plan to measure and evaluate the success of your tenure on the board?

Innovation and Improvement

1. What is your opinion on the current state of schools in the district?
2. What is your stance on standardized testing and the integration of technology in education?
3. What should the school district do to better prepare students for careers?
4. How would you promote career and technical education opportunities?
5. How do you plan to improve student achievement in the classroom?
6. How do you plan to address challenges posed by technology, including cybersecurity and digital privacy, in our schools?

Core Responsibilities

• What issues do you believe are most important to the district?
• How do you plan to address the [issues] you’ve identified?
• As a school board member, what are your budget priorities?
• What strategies would you implement to address budget constraints and funding issues?
• Where would you look to make cuts or increase in the district budget?
• What specific strategies do you have for students with special needs or disabilities, and English language learners?
• How would you address the achievement gap between different groups of students?
• How do you plan to address student mental health, safety, and the achievement gap among different student populations?
• What measures would you propose to improve school attendance rates and reduce dropout rates?
• What measures would you implement to promote equity and inclusivity?
• What innovative methods or technologies would you promote in the schools to tackle them?
• How would you handle conflicts or disagreements among board members?

Community Engagement

1. How have you been involved in the community?
2. How do you plan to leverage this experience to engage parents and other community members in the educational process?
3. How would you improve the board’s interaction with teachers and the public?
4. What role do you believe the teachers’ union should play in our district’s education system?
5. How do you plan to handle public criticism or pressure from interest groups?
6. How would you encourage collaboration and partnerships between our schools, local businesses, and community organizations?

Be prepared to answer these types of questions. Look to your candidate statement or candidate bio for reference. You may be asked these questions for a newspaper and local media interviews, and even by voters on the campaign trail.