Serving On School Board

The Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) offers a number of materials on this topic, including videos, a candidate handbook, and a website.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Planning, setting and monitoring goals (Fundamentals and Operational Expectations)
• Employing and evaluating the superintendent
• Setting district policy
• Adopting an annual operating budget
• Making decisions about placing levies and bonds before voters
• Approving the instructional program
• Ratifying contracts negotiated with local bargaining units.

A candidate for the School Board must be:

• A resident of Mercer Island
• A registered voter in the school district

(To register to vote, you must be a citizen of the United States, a legal resident of Washington State, and at least 18 years old by Election Day.)
 
Neither a board member nor his/her spouse or dependent family members may be employed by the school district, except when the board member’s spouse was employed by the district before the election or appointment to the board. All candidates and elected officials must file a financial disclosure statement and must report all campaign finances to the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC). Annual filing is required if elected.

Candidates who meet the legal qualifications above must file a Declaration of Candidacy with King County Elections during the filing period in May. There is no filing fee. The general election is in November but the primary election is in August. If no more than two people file for a position, there will be no primary election for that position.

Election Day is November 7. Newly elected board members take office at the first official board meeting following the certification of election results by the county auditor or county elections officer. Typically this is the first week in December.

Board meetings are usually held the second and fourth Thursday of each month during the school year, beginning at 5:00 p.m., in the district office boardroom. The meeting schedule and start times are subject to change. The board also holds study sessions, executive sessions, and exempt sessions in compliance with the Open Public Meeting Act, RCW 42.30.080. (https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=42.30.080).

Board agendas, videos of past meetings, and the annual calendar can be found here.

The duties of a School Board member involve an average minimum of 18-20 hours per month to prepare for and attend board meetings and other functions, such as community meetings and graduation exercises. Every member of the Mercer Island School Board is asked to serve either on four additional district committees or on three additional district committees and in a board leadership role (president, vice president, or legislative representative). 

Members are obligated to attend board meetings regularly. Whenever possible, each director is asked to give advance notice to the president or superintendent if they will be unable to attend a meeting. A majority of the board may excuse a director’s absence if requested. The board may declare a board member’s position vacant after four consecutive unexcused absences from regular board meetings.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact a member of the current School Board to learn more about what is involved.

School Board members are elected to a term of four years.

In case of a board vacancy, the remaining board members will appoint someone to fill the vacancy until the next regularly scheduled board election, at which time a director will be elected to the unexpired term, if any. The vacancy and application process will be posted on the district website. Candidate interviews will take place during a meeting open to the public.

Two board candidate orientations will be conducted by the School Board in March of 2023 to answer additional questions about running for the office. The dates of these two candidate orientations are Thursday, March 16 from noon to 1pm and Thursday, March 23, 5-6pm. Both candidate orientation sessions will take place in the Board Room in the MISD Administration Building.

The links below have information and resources for Board Candidates. 

Information For School Board Candidates

2023 MISD School Board FAQ

2023 MISD School Board Candidate Information

King County 2023 Candidate Manual

WSSDA - Get On Board

Serving On Your Local School Board - From the Washington State School Directors' Association