Parent Toolkit - Advocating for Quality Curriculum: Meeting with Local School Board Members

Meeting with individual school board members is a great way to fully understand their views on issues and obtain more information on given topics. School board member information is typically posted on the website (if you cannot find their email or phone number, you can call the district line), and many members will take time to meet with you or a small group of parents.

Strategies for Speaking with School Board Members:

• When setting up the meeting, be specific about what you are interested in discussing. Be clear if you are planning to discuss general topics or a particular policy.
• Consider bringing other parents with you for the meeting with a board member. Keep the meeting small and let the board member know who you will be bringing ahead of time.
• Parents and community members have a lot of expertise to bring to school board members. Be sure to connect with them by sharing a personal story of how the policy you are discussing is affecting your child or your family. Be sure to share your expertise on the issue as well as suggested solutions to the issue. Your expertise does not need to be your professional or educational background. As a parent, your expertise may be rooted in your experience as a mother or father or even a concerned community member.
• Follow up with the entire school board after your member meeting. It is always helpful to present your concerns or points officially to the entire school board through a letter or one-page summary on the topic. These notes will then become part of the public record and are included in the board minutes. You can do this by sending an email to all members of the school board or the board secretary.
• School board members typically have official email addresses with the school district. Letters, emails, and phone calls can also be a good way to communicate with them. A sample letter is linked below:

Sample Letter to the School Board 

**Below is a screenshot of the opening of the letter