Local School Boards

The board of directors of a local school district which helps to determine educational policy in a small regional area such as a city, county or province. School board members are generally elected by district residents, but in some places are appointed by the mayor of the jurisdiction or other public officials. Most school boards have between five and fifteen members. In some districts, especially small rural ones, they may approve the hiring and dismissal of every teacher; more typically they are responsible only for overall policies and procedures and leave the day-to-day operation of the district to a professional educator who is generally referred to by the title of superintendent of schools or director of schools.