School Board Candidate Guide
1ST EDITION • 2025
GETTING ORGANIZED
Running individually has become more challenging given that entities opposing public education are willing to spend large sums in local school board elections. Running as a slate, whether as at-large or regional candidates, can help with fund raising, recruiting volunteers, and executing an effective campaign strategy. Typically, slates of candidates are supported by local political action committees (PACs), established through the County Board of Elections. Identifying a campaign manager was also viewed as important for a slate of candidates, because a campaign manager can make sure the candidates and volunteers are executing the plan and let the candidates focus on canvassing and securing donations. Trust between candidates and a campaign manager are critical to developing an effective campaign strategy.
“Recruiting candidates should be ongoing and interacting with local boards, community volunteers, parent organizations, and youth sports can create a network of potential candidates.”
Amy Smith
community volunteer,
Methacton School District
It can take more than one election cycle to be effective in electing a more pro-public education school board and candidates and volunteers should be aware that engagement is over the long haul. Organizing and building support in rural communities where school boards have been taken over by extremists is viewed as challenging as there may be no local papers or other media to help shine a light on the harm that an extreme school board may be doing. Volunteers will need to rely on building a network of supporters through social media.
To make sure there is a strong slate of candidates, there needs to be:
- alignment on the value of public education,
- diverse expertise, and
- broad representation from the community.
The year between school board elections is the best time to identify, recruit, and train prospective candidates. That way the candidates can hit the ground running with securing signatures on ballot petitions and introducing themselves to the broader community. But it is never too late to make sure there is a strong slate of candidates for a school board.
Securing signatures to get one’s name on the ballot is the first step to running for office. For most school districts in Pennsylvania, a candidate for school board only needs 10 signatures on a ballot petition. Signature requirements may vary in city school districts with at-large elections. County board of elections staff can explain the petition requirements, timing, and process.
Checklist:
- Develop your elevator speech for why you are running
- Evaluate whether to run with other candidates as a group or not
- Identify a campaign manager
- Attend Board and committee meetings
- Hone in on a tight biography that reflects your links to education and the community
- Know what it takes to create a tax-exempt organization and a local PAC
- Know how many signatures you need and what it takes to cross file
Know reporting requirements for both individual candidates and any local PAC
“Cross filing shouldn’t be viewed as distasteful. School boards should be nonpartisan.”
Virginia Zimmerman
former Lewisburg School Board member
To cross-file in a primary election (to run on the ballot under both political parties), a registered Democrat or Republican must circulate a proper petition for the signatures for that party. The candidate can circulate the petition for the party in which they are registered. Some campaigns use the petition signing process to build initial support for their campaigns gathering hundreds of signatures on the petition, as well as contact information of potential volunteers for the campaign. Sending thank you notes to petition signers is helpful in showing the candidate’s appreciation and attention to detail.