What do you want to learn?
School board members are representatives of their community, responsible for creating and amending policy, being good stewards of tax payer dollars, and ultimately, they are responsible for the academic achievement of students in their district. But like many forms of government, it's often hard for the average constituent to understand how to best navigate this system in order to be effective advocates for students in their community.
We hope this page helps you better understand what school board members do, and how you can get involved.
Our sessions are designed to help grow your understanding of how to navigate your school system, impact policy, and effectively advocate for students. Each session will provide opportunities for you to build your knowledge and skills + take action.
JOIN AN UPCOMING OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN + ACT
What does a School Board Member do?
Read:
In order to be an effective advocate, it's important to first understand what a school board member actually does. The below information will help build context about the role of a school board member and how effective boards operate.
Center for Public Education: Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards
National School Boards Association: Today’s School Boards and Their Priorities For Tomorrow
Watch:
Red Wine and Blue: What The Heck Does A School Board Do?
Red Wine and Blue: How To Speak At A School Board Meeting (Like A Pro!)
School Board Partners & AJ Crabill: Why School Boards Matter
Who do I go to?
It’s important to know the difference between policy and practice because who you advocate to is determined by what you’re advocating for. Check out these visuals that explain the difference between policy and practice, and admin and board members. Then, watch the videos of Cincinnati constituents pitching their policy and practice ideas for how to improve Cincinnati Public Schools to district administrators and school board members.
2024 Pitch Night Presentations
Ohio Neurodiverse: A Comprehensive Resource & Connection Point to Support Neurodivergent Students
Jackie Wilson
Ohio Students Need & Deserve Sex Education in Public Schools
Natalie Hastings, Alice Rericha
Increasing the Cultural Capital of Parents of Color Engaging in Special Education Advocacy
Erika Watson
LiberatED Transforming Education through Autonomy, Inclusivity, Futurism, and Consent
Dr. Nicole Avant, Ashley Felts, Brice Mickey, Stephanie Chrismon, Faith Clarke
Every Student Needs a School Community Champion
Tanya Mack
Sharing Discipline Data Using a Restorative Justice Lens
Malinda McReynolds
Improving 3rd Grade Reading through a State Testing Reading Committee
Dalkesha Bryant
2023 Pitch Night Presentations
Click the titles below to watch the 2023 Education Policy Night Pitches
An Integrated Approach to Student Mental Health - Kendra Mapp
Creating a committee for community input to the CPS board - Marjorie Bazin, Bryce Cannon, Larry Hodge, Brice Mickey, Amy Thompson
Proposing a more equitable admissions policy for Walnut Hills High School-Rashanna Freeman, Andrea Granieri, Estee Harris, Cindy Jones, Dionne Thrower
Starting a Joint Safety Initiative between CPS and the City of Cincinnati-Elyse Jenkins, Jess Link, Junius Smith, Dr. Lori Wright
Building a user-friendly IEP implementation tool-John Espy, Katie Gracia, Deon Mack, Erynn Townsend, Mariette Wade
Addressing healthy food options in CPS-Alex Hill & Sanaa May
Who is on my school board?
How do I contact them?
Now that you know what a school board member does, you may have a question, concern, or kudos for your school board members. When contacting school board members, it's important to note that as public officials, all emails, texts, and voicemails sent to school board members are public records.
Every school district's website is different, but you can generally follow the instructions in this video to find out how to contact your school board members.
State Board of Education
2022 is an state Board of Education election year here in Ohio! To find out more about the candidates running in your district, check out the candidate guide that we at School Board School made in partnership with Honesty for Ohio Education and the League of Women Voters.
Cincinnati Public School Board
Here's where you can find out how to contact CPS board members, as well as information about the board members from the 2021 election.
Other Local Cincinnati School Boards
And here's where you can find out how to contact some other Cincinnati area school boards:
When does my school board meet?
All school board meetings are open to the public and by law, they must be publicly noticed. While many districts’ websites are different, you can generally find school board meeting dates and times either on a calendar page or on a page devoted to the school board.
I live inside the Cincinnati Public School District:
If you live in the Cincinnati Public School (CPS) district, you can find information on board and committee meeting times, as well as broadcasts of past meetings, using the buttons below.
I live outside the Cincinnati Public School District:
To find information on when and where your school board meets, use XQ's school board look-up tool:
How can I get involved?
There are so many ways to get involved, from the school site level to the district level. Check out these resources, and decide how your skills and passions can best be utilized.
Opportunities with School Board School:
Apply to be a member of our next class! Our application opens annually in May, and the application can be found on our website's "application info" page.
Join us at our public events; follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn OR sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about events and opportunities.
If you live in the Cincinnati suburbs and are concerned about attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion work in your district, email us at hello@schoolboardschool.org or through our Contact Us page to be connected with people and resources working on this issue.
Get involved:
If you have a strong opinion about an issue that affects a wide range of people in your community, writing an op-ed is a great way to have your voice heard.
Your school board members have been elected to represent you. They can only do that if they know what you're thinking about issues affecting students in your district. Check out these tips for how to craft a compelling testimony.
If you live in the Cincinnati Public Schools district, a great way to make an impact at a specific school is to apply to join their Local School Decision-Making Committee (LSDMC).
Is there something you think your community should be discussing? If so, get the right people in the room, and start a conversation! A good example of this is when our School Board School members wanted to figure out how to inform the community about covid's impact on our students' mental health and spark a conversation about what we all can do to help. Watch this video for the session they led.
In addition to School Board School, there are many organizations in Greater Cincinnati that are looking for engaged constituents to help accelerate their work. This list is not exhaustive, but is a great place to start, if you're looking for places to volunteer your time or learn more about organizing.
A house party or house meeting is a great way to organize your friends and neighbors to take action on the issues that matter most in your community! You can use this toolkit to plan every step of your party, from the invitations to the big questions that will guide your discussion.
Our sessions are designed to help grow your understanding of how to navigate your school system, impact policy, and effectively advocate for students. Each session will provide opportunities for you to build your knowledge and skills + take action. Find resources from all of our sessions here.
