Help Your School Board | Noah Webster Educational Foundation
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Help Your School Board

Help from the Inside
Help from the Outside

Help from the Inside

Questions to Ask Yourself

Thinking of changing your school board from the inside out? Here are a few questions to ask yourself before launching your campaign:
 
  • Why do you want to run for the school board?
  • Do you know what issues are most pressing/important to parents, teachers, administrators?
  • What is your platform for running?
  • Are you going to self-finance? If not, what is your fundraising plan?
  • Are you a school choice advocate?
  • Do you have a campaign team?
  • Do you know or have you built relationships with other local and/or state elected officials?
  • Have you ever worked on a campaign?
  • What media do you plan to use to get your message out to the public?

Learn How to Run an Effective Campaign

If you're unsatisfied with the current school board members in your area or you want to contribute to local education decisions...why not run for school board yourself? 
 
If you’re looking to get elected or appointed to your local school board so you can make a positive change in your community, you’ve come to the right place. Running an effective campaign is more than installing yard signs and building a nice website. It requires planning and strategy.  Below you’ll find a list of resources to help your campaign succeed.

Join us in leading the national conversation! Sign up on the home page to be notified of new resources and help encourage positive change in education.

Resources

  • Ballotpedia School Boards Election Portal - This resource by Ballotpedia examines school board elections in the largest school districts, measured by number of student enrollments or overall city population.
  • Guide to Grassroots Campaigning | The Leadership Institute - Not sure where to start with running for local office? This pdf guide shows you the basics of running a grassroots campaign and winning...even if you've never run for anything before!
  • How to Run For School Board | Enroll Today! - Don't let incumbents who don't represent your values win by default! School board majorities are the key to taking back control of education and the future of our country. That's why we created an online training course to teach you how to run for school board and WIN.

Learn About Your Local School Board

Your local school board serves the community by overseeing policies, operations, and planning for your local school system. Having a school board allows a school to keep operational decisions in the hands of local citizens who have their community’s best interests in mind, rather than handing off authority to far-away “experts” or a centralized government institution.


While the school board makes many decisions that impact your child and school staff, they are obligated to work within the statutes set forth by the legislative branch of your state government. Plus, since most school board members are elected, their decisions should represent the priorities of parents and other local citizens. 


Below you’ll find a growing list of resources to encourage your local school boards and keep them accountable.

Know Your State System

Resources

During the Election

Want to contribute to a good candidate’s campaign? Here are a few ways you can help:

 

Donate

 

Even if it’s just a few dollars, your donation can go a long way toward helping your candidate spread the word about their campaign! 

 

Volunteer

 

Have a few hours on the weekend or after work? Call your candidate and ask how you can help! 

 

Spread the word

 

Talk to your friends, family, and social media contacts about upcoming elections. Share articles and your opinion on the issues that the candidates are bringing to the table, and let people know why these issues matter to their kids.

After Your Election

The work doesn’t end with the close of election season. Real change happens after your representatives are sworn in. Your officeholders will need to be reminded of their duty to serve your community, and they’ll need encouragement when the going gets tough.

 

Below you’ll find a list of resources to help support your local office holders.

 

Join us in leading the national conversation! Sign up on the home page to be notified of new resources and help encourage positive change in education.

Vision & Mission

Our Vision:

To reclaim education and culture through foundational principles and sound policy. 

Our Mission:
To educate and collaborate with individuals and organizations to tell the story of America’s education and culture, identify foundational principles that improve them, and advance practice and policy to change them.