A person with short hair and glasses writes on a piece of flip chart paper about the importance of community organizing. Talking to your school board is a powerful way to uplift issues you care about.
Photo by Franklin Ikenna Ikekwere

When you think of someone elected to serve the public, who do you think of? Mayors, senators, and even the president all qualify. But the largest group of elected officials in the country isn’t in Washington—it’s school board members.

Across the country, about 90,000 school board members serve on 15,000 different boards. And while they may not have the same power as Congress, school boards have a lot of say in what school is like for kids in their communities. 

Regardless of the federal policy landscape, school boards are an excellent place to advocate for policies supporting healthy, happy kids. Read on to learn how to get started. 

What is a school board?

Your school board is made up of people elected by your community to make decisions on behalf of your school district. The board is accountable to residents of the school district, and it is their responsibility to consider public opinion and the experiences of their constituents when making decisions. 

What power does the school board have? 

School boards shape a school district’s curriculum, budget, personnel, disciplinary policies, and other decisions affecting what goes on in schools. They must comply with federal and state laws, such as non-discrimination policies, and act in accordance with certain ethics standards. 

While the National School Lunch Program is federally funded and operated, school boards play a role in how school meals are administered. In states without school meals for all policies, the board can decide to opt into the Community Eligibility Provision (if eligible) to make school meals free for all students. 

How do I advocate to my school board?

The most direct way to advocate to your school board is to attend a meeting and voice your opinions there. Here’s how to do that:

  1. Do your research. Meeting dates and agendas are typically posted on the school district website in advance. It can be helpful to attend a meeting or watch a livestream first in order to understand how meetings work. Be strategic in choosing which day you’ll speak based on agendas, committee meetings, or other indicators that your issue is relevant to the conversation happening that day. 
  2. Find allies. Learn about your school board members, and contact those who share your values and/or have expressed interest in school food. Reach out to others in your community—via social media, neighborhood newsletters, the school PTA, or word of mouth—and encourage others to join on the day you plan to speak to the school board. There’s strength in numbers!
  3. Get organized. Reach out to the school board in advance and share which meeting you’ll attend and the topic you’ll speak about—you don’t want the meeting to be the first time they’ve heard about this issue. Make a plan with any other community members who will be there. Follow the protocol for signing up to speak in advance. 
  4. Prepare your remarks. You have a short amount of time to communicate your thoughts, and you’ll want to write them down ahead of time. Include a brief mention of who you are and why you’re there; the issue at hand; the stakes; and the action you’d like the school board to take. Your comments will go further if they’re personal and specific, so consider including anecdotes about kids in your life who are affected. Practice reading your remarks aloud, and time yourself to be sure you’re within the time limit.
  5. Show up! Get to the school board meeting early and sign up to speak, if you haven’t already. When it’s your turn, give your remarks calmly and confidently. (It’s okay to bring a hard copy of your speech to the mic with you!) Don’t forget to thank the board for their time.
  6. Follow up. After the meeting, follow up with members of the school board and other interested community members to determine the next steps. 

What else can I do?

Policy happens at the local, state, and federal levels, and you can make a difference across all of them. You can stay up-to-date on the latest advocacy opportunities by creating an advocacy profile with FoodCorps. Just share a bit of information about yourself, and we’ll share advocacy opportunities tailored to where you are and how you’d like to engage. 

Related read: Maine student Ben Rivers, a then-fifth grader, spoke to his school board about the importance of food and garden education. Watch the video here.