Voter education
What a school board can and cannot do
A lot of people vote for school board without a clear picture of the job. Here it is in plain language. No campaigning on this page.
A school board sets direction and approves the money. It does not run the schools day to day.
What the board CAN do
- Approve the district budget and decide what gets funded
- Hire the superintendent, and let that person go
- Adopt district policies, from cell phones to student discipline
- Choose the curriculum the district uses, within state rules
- Decide about school buildings and long-term facility plans
- Vote in public, so anyone can see how each member voted
What the board CANNOT do
- Set how much money California sends the district
- Write the state academic standards
- Hire, fire, or reassign your child's teacher
- Run a single school day to day — the principal does that
- Change one child's grade, class, or discipline decision
- Decide anything about city services, parks, or housing
One more thing worth knowing. A board member is one vote out of five. No single member can decide anything alone. What one member can do is ask for the real numbers, say the trade-offs out loud, and explain their vote.
The board's jobs, one at a time
Open any of these for a little more detail.
How decisions flow
A simplified overview — including the state's role and the two-way relationship with the community.
Community
Residents & families
Elects the board — and can also speak directly to it at any meeting
State
CDE & Legislature
Sets mandates & funding (AB 1454, LCFF) the board must adopt
School Board
Superintendent
District Administration
Schools
Voters elect the board, and influence doesn't stop at the ballot box — residents can address the board directly at any public meeting. The state sets mandates and funding through laws like AB 1454 and the LCFF formula, which the board has to adopt into local policy. From there, the board sets direction and hires the superintendent, and the superintendent and district administration run the schools.
Who does what
Three jobs, three different sets of people. Mixing them up is how nobody ends up accountable.
The Board
Governs
- Sets direction and policy
- Approves the budget
- Hires and evaluates the superintendent
The Superintendent
Manages
- Runs the district day to day
- Implements board policy
- Leads district staff
School Sites
Teach & support
- Principals lead each school
- Teachers and staff work with students directly
- Day-to-day decisions happen here
The board governs. The superintendent manages. Schools teach.
From a question to a decision
What actually happens between “why is it like this?” and a board vote.
A question is raised
By a parent, teacher, student, or board member — anyone.
Staff study it
Data, costs, and legal constraints are gathered.
Public discussion
The board discusses it at open meetings and hears community input.
Public vote
The board votes in open session, where the public can watch.
Implementation
The superintendent and district staff carry out the decision.
Report back
Results return to the community — and new questions begin.
It's a loop, not a line — every decision creates the evidence for the next question.