What is a School Board?

Washington’s public school districts are governed by publicly elected school board members, called “directors”
There are five School Board districts in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park (Shoreline School District)
Each district has one elected School Board Director, who is a resident of that district
School Board directors serve a four-year term, working together to oversee the school district
Directors are parents and grandparents, young people and senior citizens, and diverse community members from all walks of life
Each member brings their varying experiences and backgrounds to inform good decision making with a spirit of teamwork

What do School Board Directors Do?

As a board, their primary responsibilities are to:

School Board Directors:

Attend typically 2+ meetings each month, plus many other school visits and events
Make important decisions during good times and challenging ones
Receive input from school district staff, students, families, and community members, which they take into consideration when providing guidance

A policy is typically developed or revised by staff, but can also be by board members
As result of or based on state or federal law, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) recommendations or direction, school board directed, or local community context
Two board meetings is the typical timeline for adoption
Exceptions can be made to adopt at first reading when time sensitive
Timeline can be extended for additional review or revisions or due to other factors
First reading of new or revised policy is presented to the Board at a regular board meeting
Feedback and additional revisions can be provided between the first and second board meetings (there are typically two weeks between meetings)
The policy is recommended for adoption or approval of revisions at the second meeting
The School Board votes on the recommendation