WSBA Code of Conduct for School Board Members
As a member of my local board of education, I shall do my utmost to represent the public interest in education by adhering to the following commitments;
Representation:
- I shall represent all school district constituents honestly and equally and refuse to surrender my responsibilities to special interest groups or partisan political groups.
- I shall avoid any conflict of interest or the appearance of impropriety which could result from my position, and shall not use my board membership for personal gain or publicity.
- I shall recognize that a board member has no legal authority as an individual and that decisions can be made only by a majority vote of the board.
- I shall not take private action that might compromise the board or administration and shall respect confidentiality of privileged information.
- I shall support an “atmosphere of mutual respect” recognizing that all students, staff, parents, and community members take their lead from the beliefs, values, and behaviors of the board of trustees.
- 6. I shall abide by majority decisions of the board, while retaining the right to seek changes in such decisions through ethical and constructive channels.
- I shall encourage and respect the free expression of opinion by my fellow board members and others who seek a hearing before the board.
- I shall be involved and knowledgeable about not only local educational concerns, but also about state and national ones.
Actions:
- I will be fully prepared for board meetings.
- I will work cooperatively with other board members, staff, parents, and community members.
- I will make decisions to uphold the rights and welfare of all students.
- I will make decisions to ensure equal access to public education and that respect and accommodate diversity.
- I will promote a positive and caring school climate that meets the educational needs of students, staff, parents, and community members.
- I will strive to understand the policies and procedures of the district and the state and federal laws and regulations that guide them.
- I will support the role of the superintendent to be the executive officer of the school district and the differentiation of the roles of the board and the superintendent in the administration of the school district.
- I will respect the professional expertise of district staff.
- I will support processes to involve parents in the education of their child and to keep them informed about their child’s progress in their schooling.
- I will support effective communication processes inside and outside of the district to keep staff, parents, and community members informed about the district’s goals, needs, and expectations.
- I will support the involvement of all educational stakeholders (students, parents, staff, community members, and others) in the development of district goals and expectations for student achievement.
- I will support continuous monitoring and evaluation of district programs and goals on a frequent basis and make decisions based upon this information.
- I will consider educational research, best practices, and parent, staff and community input in making decisions.
- I will keep up to date on educational issues, trends, and research.