K-12 Governance: School Boards
What is the required composition and selection of school board members?
November 2020
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What is the required composition and selection of school board members?
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| Rhode Island | The school committee of each town or city is composed of three members. Members are elected. | 16 R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 16-2-5 |
| Missouri | The school boards of a seven-director district, urban school district or metropolitan school district are composed of seven members. Members are elected. | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 162.459 Mo. Ann. Stat. § 162.581 Mo. Ann. Stat. § 162.601 |
| Nebraska | The school board of a Class III school district may, by resolution, provide for a change in the number of members on the school board to a minimum of five members and a maximum of nine members. The board of education of a Class IV school district is composed of seven members and also may include a nonvoting student member The board of education of a Class V school district is composed of nine members. All members are elected. |
Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 79-550 Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 79-551 Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 79-552 |
| Montana | The number of trustee positions in each elementary district varies according to the district's classification. A first-class elementary district board is composed of seven trustees. A second-class elementary district board is composed of five trustees, although the board may vote to increase membership to seven. A third-class elementary district board is composed of three trustees, although the board may vote to increase membership to five. Each county high school board is composed of seven trustees. Requests for additional trustee positions may be made. Trustees are elected. | Mont. Code Ann. § 20-3-341 Mont. Code Ann. § 20-3-351 Mont. Code Ann. § 20-3-352 Mont. Code Ann. § 20-3-301 |
| Vermont | The number of directors of a supervisory union is established in a meeting of the school directors of the school districts in the supervisory union. Members are elected. School boards are composed of three directors. The electorate may elect not more than two additional directors. Directors are elected. |
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 16, § 262 Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 16, § 423 |
| Maryland | The number of county board members vary. In a county school system with an enrollment of less than 50,000 students, the county board is composed of five members. In a county school system with an enrollment of 50,000 students or more but less than 100,000 students, the county board is composed of seven members. In a county school system with an enrollment of 100,000 students or more, the county board is composed of nine members. Certain exceptions are made for certain counties. | Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 3-105 |
| Maine | The number of board members, depending on the governance structure of the district:
Boards of directors for regional school units or school administrative districts may not have fewer than five members.
A municipality has a school committee of three.
In a district that does not include kindergarten and grades one to 12, the school committee of each member town shall choose from its membership the representation on the community school district's school committee. In a district that does encompass kindergarten and grades 1-12, the member towns shall elect their representatives directly to the district school committee. Members are elected. |
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 1251 Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 2302 Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 1653 Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 1003 |
| Louisiana | The number of board members vary by parish/district. Members are elected. | La. Stat. Ann. § 17:52 |
| California | The governing board of a school district shall consist of five members elected at large by the qualified voters of the school district. A unified school district may have a governing board of seven members. The governing board of an elementary school district other than a union or joint union elementary school district shall consist of three members. | Cal. Educ. Code § 35012 |
| Alabama | The county board of education shall be composed of five members, who shall be elected by the qualified electors of the county. | Ala. Code § 16-8-1 |
| Idaho | The board of trustees of each elementary school district is composed of three members and the board of trustees of each other school district is composed of five members. Members are elected. | Idaho Code Ann. § 33-501 |
| Nevada | The board of trustees of a county school district is composed of seven members if 1,000 or more pupils were enrolled during the school year preceding any general election. The board of trustees of a county school district is composed of five members if 1,000 or fewer pupils were enrolled during the school year preceding any general election. Alternate provisions are made for districts with more than 25,000 pupils. Trustees are elected. | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 386.120 Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 386.260 |
| Connecticut | The board of education in each town is composed of three, six, nine or twelve residents of such town. Any town may, at any time, by ordinance, make the number of its board of education three, six, nine or twelve. Members are elected. | Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 9-203 Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-219 |
| Oregon | The board of directors of an education service district is composed of seven, nine or eleven members. Members are elected. | Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 334.025 |
| Texas | The board is composed of the number of members that the district had on September 1, 1995. A board of trustees that has three or five members may by resolution increase the membership to seven. Trustees are elected. | Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 11.051 Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 11.059 |
| Tennessee | The board is composed of no more members than the number of members authorized by general law or private act for boards of education in existence on January 1, 1992, or the number of members actually serving on a board on January 1, 1993. The general assembly may authorize any number of school board members that is no less than three nor more than eleven. Members are elected. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-2-201 |
| Arizona | School governing boards consist of three members. Members are elected. | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-421 Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-424 |
| South Carolina | School boards are composed of three trustees. Trustees are appointed, however Section 59-19-30 does not repeal, supersede nor annul any special act providing for the appointment or election of school trustees in any school district. | S.C. Code Ann. § 59-19-20 S.C. Code Ann. § 59-19-40 |
| Illinois | School boards are composed of three members, and may be increased to seven. Board members are elected. | 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/10-1 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/10-4 |
| Indiana | School boards are composed of seven school commissioners. Commissioners are elected in nonpartisan elections. | Ind. Code Ann. § 20-25-3-1 Ind. Code Ann. § 20-25-3-4 |
| Michigan | School boards are composed of seven members. Members are elected. Certain intermediate school boards are composed of seven members. Intermediate school board members may be elected or appointed. |
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 380.384 Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 380.11a Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 380.611 Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 380.612 |
| Washington | School boards are composed of seven members. Members are elected by current school directors. | Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.310.030 |
| South Dakota | School boards are composed of five, seven or nine members. Members are elected. The voters of any school district may vote to increase or decrease the number of members. | S.D. Codified Laws § 13-8-1 S.D. Codified Laws § 13-8-2 S.D. Codified Laws § 13-8-3 S.D. Codified Laws § 13-8-4 |
| Mississippi | School boards are composed of five trustee members. Trustees of a municipal separate school district are elected by a majority of the governing authorities of the municipality. | Miss. Code. Ann. § 37-7-203 |
| Florida | School boards are composed of five or more members. Members are elected in nonpartisan elections. | Fla. Const. art. IX, § 4 Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1001.34 |
| Colorado | School boards are composed of a minimum of three members. Members are elected by the qualified electors of the district. | Colo. Const. art. IX, § 15 |
| Massachusetts | Regional school planning committees are composed of three members, including one member appointed by the moderator. Regional school planning boards determine the number, composition, and method of selection of members. | Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 71, § 14 Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 71, § 14B |
| District of Columbia | N/A | |
| Hawaii | N/A | |
| Virginia | Members may be appointed or elected. The board of county supervisors shall establish by resolution the number of school board members. In school divisions composed of a single county, members are appointed by the school board selection commission. A petition may be filed to transfer appointment authority to the governing body of the county. The school board of a school division composed of a county having a county manager plan form of government consists of not less than three nor more than seven members who shall be chosen by the board of county supervisors. The exact number of members shall be determined by the board of county supervisors. In counties with a county manager plan of government, voters may petition to transition from an appointed board to an elected board. The school board of a city or town which constitutes a school division is appointed by the governing body of such city or town and consists of three members for each district in such city or town. However, the school board of a school division composed of any city or town having only one district consists of five members. The school board of any school division which is composed of less than one county or city or part or all of more than one county or city consists of no fewer than six nor more than nine members, the exact number to be determined by the governing body of the county or city if the school division is composed of less than one county or city or by agreement of the governing bodies of the counties and cities in the school division if composed of part or all of more than one county or city. |
Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-71 Va. Code Ann. § 15.2-410 Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-36 Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-42 Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-47 Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-47.3 Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-50 Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-53 |
| Georgia | Local boards are composed of no more than seven members. Board members are elected. | Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-49 Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-52 |
| North Carolina | Local boards are composed of five members. Members are elected. | N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 115C-35 |
| New Jersey | In Type I districts, the board is composed of five or seven members as provided by ordinance of the municipal governing body, except that it consists of nine members in districts in cities of the first class, and in districts in which it has been so determined by referendum held pursuant to law. Members are appointed by the mayor or other chief executive officer of the municipality constituting the district. In Type II districts, the board is composed of nine members, or of three, five or seven members as, and if, it has been so determined pursuant to law or is determined by referendum. Members are elected. In some Type II school districts, in towns having a population of more than 10,000, the members of the board of education are appointed by the mayor or other chief executive officer of the municipality. |
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:12-6 N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:12-7 N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:12-11 N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:12-16 |
| New Mexico | In local school districts with a population of more than two hundred thousand, as shown by the most recent decennial census, the qualified electors of the districts may choose to have a local school board composed of seven members. Otherwise, local school boards are composed of five members. | N.M. Const. art. XII, § 15 N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-5-1 |
| Ohio | In local and exempted village school districts and educational service centers, boards are composed of five members. In city school districts with a population of less than fifty thousand persons, the board is composed of not less than three and not more than five members. In city school districts with a population of fifty thousand or more, but less than one hundred fifty thousand persons, the board is composed of not less than two nor more than seven members elected at large and not more than two members elected from subdistricts by the qualified electors of their respective subdistricts. In city school districts with a population of one hundred fifty thousand persons or more, the board is composed of not less than five nor more than seven members. Members are elected. |
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3313.01 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3313.02 |
| Pennsylvania | In each school district of the first class or of the first class A, the board is composed of fifteen school directors. Five members are appointed by the judges of the courts of common pleas of the county in which such school district is situated. In each school district of the first class A, the board is composed of an odd number of members not less than seven nor more than fifteen school directors. Members are elected. |
24 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 3-302 24 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 3-302.1 |
| Iowa | In districts that include all of a city with a population greater than 15,000, boards is composed of seven members. In all other districts, boards are composed of five members; these boards may be increased to seven members. Members are elected. | Iowa Code Ann. § 277.23 Iowa Code Ann. § 277.1 |
| Oklahoma | Elementary school boards are composed of three members. Independent school boards may have five or seven members. Members are elected. | Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 5-107A |
| New York | Electors of a Common School District determine if there will be one or three trustees. Trustees are elected. Union Free School District boards of education are composed of no less than three, and no more than nine, members. The board may vote to change the number of members. Members are elected. Central School District boards are composed of five, seven, or nine members. Members are elected. Central High School District boards must have a minimum of five members. Members are appointed by the boards of any Union Free or Common school district in the Central High School District. The board of education of city school districts with less than 125,000 inhabitants is composed of five, seve, or nine members. Upon it's own motion, the board may change the number of members. In Albany, there are seven members. In Rensselaer, there are five members. Members are elected. The board of education of city school districts with more than 125,000 inhabitants is composed of not less than three and not more than nine members. In Buffalo and Yonkers, there are nine members. In Buffalo, members are elected. In Yonkers, members are appointed from the city at large by the mayor. In Rochester and Syracuse, there are seven members and members are elected. The board of education of the city school district of the city of New York is composed of thirteen appointed members: one member to be appointed by each borough president of the city of New York; and eight members to be appointed by the mayor of the city of New York. |
N.Y. Educ. Law § 1702 N.Y. Educ. Law § 1804 N.Y. Educ. Law § 1901 N.Y. Educ. Law § 2502 N.Y. Educ. Law § 2552 N.Y. Educ. Law § 2553 N.Y. Educ. Law § 1602 N.Y. Educ. Law § 2590-b |
| Minnesota | Education district boards are composed of at least one representative of each member district. Members are appointed by the school board or governing board of each member district. | Minn. Stat. Ann. § 123A.16 |
| Delaware | Each school board is composed of five members. Members elected by the qualified voters of the respective reorganized school districts. Members serve five year terms. | Del. Code Ann. tit. 14, § 1051 Del. Code Ann. tit. 14, § 1052 |
| Alaska | Each borough and city school district with an average daily membership of 5,000 or less has a school board of five members. If the average daily membership exceeds 5,000 the school board consists of seven, nine, or eleven members, as established by ordinance. School board members are elected. | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 14.12.030 Alaska Stat. Ann. § 14.12.050 |
| West Virginia | County boards are composed of five members. Members are elected. | W. Va. Code Ann. § 18-5-1 |
| Arkansas | Boards may consist of five or seven members. A board may have nine members if the school district has an average daily membership of 20,000 or more. Board members are elected. | Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-634 Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-615 |
| Kansas | Boards are composed of seven members. Members are elected. | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-1072 |
| Kentucky | Boards are composed of five members, except in counties containing a city of the first class have boards of seven members. Members are elected from their district. | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 160.160 Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 160.210 |
| North Dakota | A school board may be composed of five, seven or nine members. The qualified electors of a school district may petition to change the number of members. Members are elected. | N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 15.1-09-01 |
| New Hampshire | A school board is composed of three, five, seven, or nine members, as it determines by vote at any annual meeting. Members are elected. A cooperative school district may adopt a bylaw to specify the number, composition, method of selection, and terms of office of its cooperative school board, provided that the cooperative school board consists of an odd number of members, not to exceed fifteen. |
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 671:4 N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 195:4 |
| Wisconsin | A common school district operating elementary grades or a union high school district is composed of three school board members, except that if such school district is coterminous with a town or has a population of 500 or more it may have five school board members. A common school district operating elementary and high school grades may have three, five, seven or nine school board members. A common or union high school district may not have more than 11 school board members. Members are elected. |
Wis. Stat. Ann. § 120.01 Wis. Stat. Ann. § 120.06 |
| Wyoming | A board may be composed of five, seven, or nine members. Members are elected. | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-6-215 |
| Utah | A board is composed of seven members. Members are elected. | Utah Code Ann. § 20A-14-202 Utah Code Ann. § 53G-4-201 |