Voting For School Board Members

Q. In my district, some school board members are on the ballot. Is voting for local school board members important for homeschoolers since we are not in the public school system? A. Yes, it is! Because a school board member’s actions can directly or indirectly affect homeschoolers, it’s important to know the background of school board candidates and their position on home education. How can you find out that information? Simply ask the school board member himself. School board members cannot change the homeschool law; state legislators have that responsibility. However, a school board sets policy, based on the law, for the local school district. A local superintendent is under the authority of the elected school board and carries out their policies. Homeschoolers don’t usually have direct contact with the school board; instead, we communicate with the superintendent’s office twice yearly—when we submit our Notice of Intent forms and when we submit evaluation results. Also, if a parent chooses to write a letter to the school board expressing his desire to be exempt from compulsory education because of sincere religious convictions, school board members are responsible to review the letter. It is the school board that must recognize the sincere religious beliefs of the parent. Because a local school board sets policy and recognizes religious exemptions, it’s important for homeschoolers in every community to know the school board candidates and vote for those who will best represent you.