School Board Candidate Guide
1ST EDITION • 2025
BACKGROUND
In recent years, Pennsylvania’s public education system has been politicized by groups seeking to limit what students can read, what lessons about history they can be taught, how educators develop curriculum, and how diverse groups of students should be treated. There also has been a greater focus by individuals and groups seeking to expand funding for private schools at the expense of adequately funding public schools.
While political issues typically play out in state and federal capitals, increasingly they have become part of local school district governance. There are numerous examples from across the state where school boards have been taken over by individuals with more extreme views regarding public education. This has resulted in:
- Higher turnover of superintendents and teachers
- Changes to curriculum (particularly history, science, and language arts)
- Enactment of policies that discriminate against students identifying as LGBTQ
- Financial practices that may jeopardize the long-term fiscal stability of a school district and its ability to maintain up-to-date facilities and technology.
Pennsylvania has 500 public school districts serving more than 1.5 million children. Public school districts are governed by an elected school board. Governance includes establishing policies under which the school operates that impact curriculum, school culture, hiring, compensation, student discipline, finances, and community relations. School boards hire the superintendent who manages the day-to-day operations of the district, and work with the superintendent to set district priorities. School board members are elected volunteers and represent a long tradition in the commonwealth of being non-partisan.
“Success of the schools is the success of the community.”
John Neurohr
former Mars Area School District
community volunteer
Most Americans would agree that ensuring a well-informed citizenry and preparing students for a more economically competitive society are major focuses of the nation’s public education system. It is locally elected school boards that make this happen. Withstanding the political divisiveness that is playing out in communities across the country is a challenge, but one well worth pursuing.
Now more than ever, electing qualified school board members can make all the difference for Pennsylvania’s students. This guidebook, developed from insights from 20 school board candidates, parent activists, and campaign managers, is for individuals running for school board who believe in the value of public education in a democracy.
To be eligible to run for school board in Pennsylvania one must be:
- A citizen of Pennsylvania and resident of the school district for at least one year
- Of good moral character
- At least 18 years of age
There may be other restrictions impacting specific individuals under state or federal law.
School boards in Pennsylvania have nine members who serve four- year terms. The elections are timed such that only about half of the board is up for election every two years. School board members are elected by the voters living in their district and serve without pay.
Some boards elect members districtwide; others are elected by residents of a geographic region within the district. While the school board for Philadelphia has nine members, they are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by city council.
“Running for school board is not for the faint of heart—it takes bravery.”
Peg Pennepacker
member, Upper Perkiomen School District
Pennsylvania allows individuals running for school board to cross file on both the Republican and Democratic primaries. The intent of this is to encourage nonpartisanship, allowing voters to focus on the candidates and not political parties. While there have been bills introduced in the Pennsylvania General Assembly to eliminate the ability of cross filing for school boards, most school board members encourage it and believe that public education governance should not be partisan.