Schools are the heart of the community so it’s important for voters to understand the role of the Board of School Directors and those that are elected to serve.
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania there are 500 school districts that have been established over time to serve the 1.75 million school aged children of our state.
Legislative Authority
The School Board of Directors of each school district is a nine-member legislative body whose members are elected by their fellow citizens to serve as agents of the state legislature. Each school board is tasked with providing public education to the children that reside within its geographic boundaries. In our case, the Avonworth School District is made up of the 10.54 square miles that encompass the Boroughs of Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Emsworth, and the Townships of Kilbuck and Ohio. Out of our estimated 12,000 residents, the Avonworth School District is responsible for educating 1,867 school-aged children in grades Kindergarten through Grade 12.
School directors are both local and state officials. Although locally elected, school boards are agents of the state – charged with the responsibility of fulfilling the constitutional mandate of a “…thorough and efficient system of education.” (24 P.S. §3-301)
Learn more about our state’s rich history in providing youth a publically-funded education – The Free School Act of 1834, Thaddeus Stevens
Excerpts from Thaddeus Stevens’ Speech in 1835 (in defense of the Free Schools Act of 1834, which the Pennsylvania Senate had voted to repeal)
The Constitution of Pennsylvania (Article III §14) mandates that “The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth…”
Governance
In Pennsylvania, school directors are unpaid elected public officials. Elections for school board occur every two years in odd-numbered years. Five seats are elected, and then two years later, the remaining four seats are up for election. This year, there are four seats up for election on the Avonworth School Board. This staggered approach to electing board members ensures that there is overlap and continuity in governance and that institutional knowledge isn’t lost. Terms for all school directors are four years in length.
A school board’s top priority should be providing exceptional and equitable educational opportunities for our students.
Generally, the board oversees the educational programs, personnel, and properties, with specific responsibilities to determine curriculum, employ a superintendent, and approve the yearly fiscal budget.
Here are some examples of what School Boards actually do:
- Sets the school district’s direction with performance-based goals
- Ensures alignment of strategies, resources (including the approved budget), policies, programs and processes with district goals
- Assesses and accounts for student achievement using comprehensive data, thorough deliberation and open communication
- Annually conducts a written performance assessment of the district superintendent and assistant district superintendent; setting and measuring goals
- Write and set policy in alignment with state and federal law
- Oversee the collective bargaining process between the School District and the Education Association
The Board of School Directors purpose is to govern and focus on the ends, while the superintendent and administration focuses on the ways and means to attain the ends. In other words, the board oversees the education of students and is responsible for school district operations, but does not directly run the district’s day-to-day operations.
Revenue
School districts in Pennsylvania are funded from local, state, and federal tax revenue.
In the 2020-2021 fiscal year, Avonworth’s revenue breakdown is as follows:
Revenue from Local Sources – $25,532,028
Revenue from State Sources – $7,690,908
Revenue from Federal Sources – $165,000
Most of our revenue is generated from local residential real-estate (property) taxes. See pages 5 and 6 of the approved 2020-2021 budget for greater detail of our district’s revenue and expenses.
School boards vote each year on the tax levy for the next fiscal year – followed by the approval of the district budget. The board approves the budget that determines anticipated revenue and the amount of funding necessary to operate the school district. The school board must collect enough revenue to the balance the projected expenses in the budget. A balanced budget is required by Pennsylvania law.
These are the most basic responsibilities of a governing School Board but these responsibilities also set and greatly determines the direction and tone for the entire community.
I absolutely care about the current issues of today (keeping the schools safe and open) but also am mindful of the issues of tomorrow (academic remediation and recovery, social and emotional learning, the economic and financial impacts of COVID-19 for the district, addressing teacher stresses/burnout, planning for the future, and the ultimate goal of building a solid foundation in preparing our youth for success in their lives after graduation.
This is an election for a very important job. I’m running for re-election because I believe that I possess the skills, experience, and personal qualities that will help to lead our school towards a positive future. I will continue to listen to feedback from individuals and the collective school community and ensure discussions in in the Board Room represent informed opinions even if they are divergent. At times, spirited debate, such as the kind engaged in by Thaddeus Stevens, is necessary in order to positively influence decision makers so that our students’ opportunities for academic success always remain a priority. As your representative on the school board, I will always advocate to provide our students with a rigorous public education that prepares them for the wide world that awaits them.
On May 18, I would appreciate the support of your vote in the primary election.
