Responsibilities of a Board Member

The board of education provides governance by way of policy, not management. School board members act together, not individually, to accomplish the district's mission, vision, and goals. Those can be best accomplished by: 

* Creating a shared vision for the future of education
* Setting the direction of the school district to achieve the highest student performance
* Developing a budget that aligns district resources to improve achievement
* Sporting a healthy school district culture for work and learning
* Creating strategic partnerships with community stakeholders
* Building the district's progress through continuous improvement
* Adopting and maintaining current policies
* Hiring and evaluating the superintendent
* Ratifying collective bargaining agreements
* Maintaining strong ethical standards

Characteristics of a board member

Below are attributes that all effective board members should possess:

* Effective communicator, but also a good listener. 

* Consensus builder: Capable of working toward decisions that all can support and willing to compromise to achieve goals. 

* Community participant: Enjoys meeting a variety of people, can identify the community's key communicators, reaches out to the community. 

* Decision maker:  Is comfortable making decisions and can support group decision-making. 

* Information processor: Can organize priorities and schedules to handle large amounts of verbal and written information. 

* Leader: Willing to take risks, be supportive of board colleagues, district staff, and community. 

* Team player: Helps promote the board's mission, vision, and goals. 

More information about the duties and responsibilities of a school board member can be found on the NYS School Boards Association website at the following link: https://www.nyssba.org/member-services/running -for-the-school-board/. 

Once you have made the commitment to run for your local school board, there are qualifications you must meet as well as important deadlines and processes that must be followed. 

Running for the Board:

Any resident of the City of Binghamton who meets the following qualifications (Board Policy #1120) may be eligible to run for a seat on the Board of Education:

a) Must be able to read and write.

 

b) Must be a qualified voter in the district, a citizen of the United States, 18 years of age or older, and not adjudged to be an incompetent.

 

c) Must have been a resident of the district for a continuous and uninterrupted period of at least one year immediately preceding the election.

 

d) Must not simultaneously hold another incompatible public office - District Superintendent, Supervisor, Clerk, Tax Collector, Treasurer or Librarian.

 

e) May not hold any city office other than that of a police officer or fire fighter.

 

f) May not reside with another member of the same School Board as a member of the same family.

 

g) May not be a current employee of the School Board.

 

h) May not have been removed from any School District Office within the preceding year.

 

i) May not be a convicted felon whose maximum prison sentence has not expired or who has not been pardoned or discharged from parole.

If you meet these qualifications and are interested in running for a seat on the board, please contact the District Clerk (phone: 762-8100 x319 or email: [email protected]) and inquire about a nominating packet.

*Board members are typically elected to five-year terms. 

Nominating packet

Nominating packets can be picked up (after February 1) from the District Clerk, 164 Hawley Street, Binghamton, NY, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm. Please contact the District Clerk at 607-762-8100 x319 to schedule an appointment.

The Binghamton City School District is considered a small city school district; therefore, nominating petitions must be signed by at least 100 qualified voters. The petition with original signatures must be filed in the office of the District Clerk by 5 pm no later than 20 days prior to the election.

Campaign Statements (3 required)

1. Due 30 days prior to the election
2. Due 5 days prior to the election
3. Due 20 days after the election

Candidate information for budget newsletter (voluntary)

Candidates may submit a personal headshot and complete a profile document (in 500 words or less) for inclusion in the budget newsletter. However, this information must be received no later than 30 days before the election. Submissions received after the deadline will be posted and available on the district website.