North Clackamas
School District
School Board Chair Position Description
Duties and Authority of the Board Chair
Board policy designates most duties and obligations of the chair. It is important for any new Board Chair to review pertinent district policies to understand governing authorities and parameters. This will help clarify responsibilities from the moment the chair and other officers take their positions.
When the Board Chair speaks to an issue, the public and the media assume that the chair’s statement is the opinion of the entire Board of Education. Consequently, Board Chairs must be careful, thoughtful and clear when commenting on any issue in public or to reporters; they must clarify whether they are speaking for the Board or expressing their own opinion.
The Board Chair should be aware discussions with union leadership might be interpreted as official action. Therefore caution should be utilized in all discussions until the full board has taken official action and thereafter.
Serving on a Board of Education is a volunteer effort that requires many hours of diligent work. Serving as Board Chair requires significantly more time and effort. Don’t let the position of chairperson become overwhelming. Be willing to delegate work to other board members as appropriate. (For example, the NCSD Board Chair has typically assigned a sub-committee to develop the superintendent evaluation process.)
School Board Chair Position Information
- Typical Board Chair Responsibilities:
- The Board Chair’s Authority and Responsibilities at Board Meetings
- Parliamentary Skills of a Board Chair
- Board Chair and Superintendent Relationship