School Board Engagement

We urgently need to turn up for school board meetings and school board races.

Across the country, right-wing politicians have been passing anti-history, anti-truth legislation in the guise of banning “divisive” curricula. These statewide attacks on teachers and students have been joined by a concerted, Koch funded effort to take over school boards. 

Those of us who value the importance truth-telling in schools do not have as much funding as the right. However, we do have the numbers. We need to put those numbers into action in defense of teachers and in defense of young people learning from history to shape a better future.

Here is what you can do.

School Board Meetings

Attend school board meetings and speak out.

Testifying at school board meetings to let Board members know how the anti-truth bills impact the entire community. School Board School offers a guide for speaking at board meetings.

School Board Elections

1. 1. Find out if there are school board elections in 2026 in your area here.

   2. Find out who is running for school board and what they are saying.

      • Search their social media accounts and review their public commentary.

      • If they are running for re-election, find out how they have voted on issues.

   3. Get the word out about school board candidates good or bad. Tell colleagues. If you have a union, make sure their endorsements are solid.

   4. Make score cards for candidates in your district, following the example of Texas school board candidates by Authors Against Book Bans.

   5. Vote on election day. In mid-terms, every vote counts!

   6. Consider running for school board. The School Board Integrity Project provides training, resources, and information to current and potential school board candidates as they run for office.

Workshops and Resources on School Board Engagement

Equity Policy Toolkit for School Boards from HEAL Together/Race Forward Toolkit for school board members and district leaders provides examples of equity-based policies that have been implemented in school districts around the country and model language that can be used in policymaking.

School Board School provides resources for school board members and advocates on how to run for how, testify at meetings, and more.

Background Information

The right-wing operatives orchestrating the attack on America’s school boards by Judd Legum, Tesnim Zekeria, and Rebecca Crosby in Popular Information

School Board Elections Are Often Overlooked. They Shouldn’t Be by Charlie Wilson in Education Week

Right-wing groups training activists to take over school boards as part of ‘critical race theory’ campaign strategy: Wealthy Republican-affiliated groups are raising money to ‘train’ candidates to run for office as the GOP seeks a second Tea Party movement by Peter Montgomery in Flux