School boards set policies, goals and objectives for a public school district, making decisions about policy, budget and leadership. As part of an elected governmental body, school board members function as representatives of their constituents to provide governance that guides the day-to-day operations of the schools.
In their roles, school board members are expected to abide by ethics rules and a code of conduct, as well as state and federal laws. In return, depending on individual State laws and Board policy, the school district may provide indemnification for costs incurred by the board members in the execution of their role. In today’s political climate, many districts face increased tensions and potential risk exposure.
The risks come in many different forms, and mitigation can be tricky. In some cases, the situation is a simple misunderstanding by a board member who oversteps their role. For example, if a board member reaches out directly to a vendor to negotiate pricing on behalf of the district, despite clear rules that outline a formal process for proposals, they’ve committed an ethics violation. In many cases, this can be addressed through a review of the process and a…
