School Boards

There are more than 200 school districts established within the state of Wisconsin. School districts are governed by a Board of Trustees that is elected by the citizenry that live within the school district’s geographic boundaries. The length of term of each trustee varies by district. The role, responsibility, the powers, and most importantly the limits of that power, is embodied in Wisconsin’s Statutes. Each School district Board of Trustees is charged with responsibility for overseeing the budget for that school district. The board is also responsible for appointing and employing a school district superintendent and other leaders in that district. The Board of Trustees provides policy direction to ensure that the local school districts are following the standards and regulations that are provided by the state of Wisconsin through its department of public instruction. Through our seminar we will focus on the unique role of the Board of trustees of a local school district. We will explore how it functions and why its role is critical to the success of public education efforts.