The Board of Education (BOE) sets policy and goals, with input from all district stakeholders. The BOE hires the Superintendent and provides oversight, with input from administrators, staff and other stakeholders, to achieve district goals, implement policy and manage the day-to-day operations of the schools. As part of policy setting, the BOE also addresses and plans the implementation of state mandates and adheres to applicable regulations, such as the Open Meetings Act, which limits the manner in which issues are deliberated and resolved to promote transparency.
What does the Township High School District 113 Board of Education do?
The D113 Board of Education (BOE) is a governing body consisting of seven elected community members from all areas served by the district, including Highland Park, Deerfield, Highwood, Bannockburn and Riverwoods. Elections are held every two years; members serve 4-year terms, unless a seat opens up unexpectedly.
The BOE, “sits in trust for its entire local community,”[1] to set policy, make decisions and approve actions; its powers are granted by the Illinois School Code. The BOE sets policy; it does not run the schools. One of its most important jobs is to hire the Superintendent, with input from administrators, staff and other stakeholders, to implement policy and manage the day-to-day operations of the schools.
As part of policy setting, the BOE also addresses and plans the implementation of state mandates. The BOE works with the Superintendent in the management of a business; however this business is a public entity that is bound by specific and enforced laws. Hiring and firing employees is regulated by law; hiring contractors is regulated; the process of outsourcing work is regulated; how the BOE works together is limited by stipulations in the Open Meetings Act.
What is the time commitment for serving on the Township High School District 113 Board of Education?
There is no set list of responsibilities for BOE members. The BOE functions as a unit: no one person singly represents the BOE and, though the BOE has power, individual members do not.
Learning the protocols, laws, financial processes and etiquette requires a few hours early on in a school board member’s tenure.
How many hours per week or per month would you say is needed as a D113 board member?
Each month, there are two regularly scheduled meetings. Agendas are usually released the Friday before. Board packets could take 4-6 hours to review/prepare and send questions to the superintendent. The timing of meetings is typically 6:00-7:00 pm for Closed Session meetings and 7:00-9:30 pm for Open meetings. If the Closed Session business is not completed in the allotted time, a second Closed Session meeting is scheduled.
There are months when special or emergency meetings are called. Those will fall on Tuesdays if feasible and involve a similar time commitment.
Typically, how many committees do individual board members sit on and what is the time commitment?
Each board member typically sits on two committees which have usually fallen either on opposite Tuesdays of board meetings, or before board meetings. There is not a hard and fast rule for when committees convene, they could be monthly or quarterly, but seldom more frequently. If the committee meeting falls on the same night as a board meeting, they might start at 4:00 or 5:00pm. There is flexibility when scheduling committee meetings, and the 113 team has been great at establishing a meeting schedule that works for each board member on the committee.
Community engagement is an ongoing important piece of a school board member’s role, to get regular input from the community.
I would like to run as a candidate for the Township High School District 113 Board of Education. What do I need to do?
To run for office, a candidate must follow a regulated, multi-step process to “file”. Detailed information about filings and requirements can be found online at Lake County Clerk’s office in Waukegan. In particular, the candidate's guide provides the information needed to successfully submit a filing for the Board of Education, as well as other offices.
In general, each candidate must file the following papers:
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Statement of Candidacy;
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Receipt for the filing of a Statement of Economic Interests;
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Loyalty Oath (optional);
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Nominating petition sheets (containing a sufficient number of original signatures).
For District 113, petitions must be signed by at least 50 qualified voters who reside within the district. It is important that Board candidates and petition circulators understand the detailed rules and requirements around the completion and filing of these petitions.
The petition filing date timeline for the Township District 113 Board of Education is November 12-18, 2024. Please consult the county clerk's office for exact dates and requirements.
How do I seek Caucus endorsement for the Township High School District 113 Board of Education candidacy?
Individuals interested in running for the Board of Education are encouraged to seek District 113 Caucus endorsement. Candidates should email the caucus at [email protected] as soon as possible, but no later than October 8, to alert the caucus officers of their intent to run for the BOE. The endorsement process for candidates is outlined below.
- Now thru October 8, 2024: Interested individuals seeking caucus endorsement to inform caucus leadership (at [email protected]) of their intent to run for one of the open BOE positions.
- September 20, 2024: District 113 School Board Caucus to make the candidate application/questionnaire available to prospective candidates for completion.
- October 8, 2024: Last day for interested individuals seeking caucus endorsement to inform caucus leadership (at [email protected]) of their intent to run for one of the open BOE positions and to request candidate application/questionnaire.
- October 11, 2024 at 11:59 pm: Completed candidate questionnaires are due back to the caucus at [email protected] in order to be considered for endorsement.
- October 19, 2024: Candidate Meetings: Board candidates appear before the caucus to present themselves and answer questions from the caucus. This 'interview' is typically 20-30 minutes per candidate.
- October 19, 2024: Endorsement Meeting following the interviews. The caucus meets in private to determine whether to endorse up to four candidates for the four open board seats and announces the results in the following days.
The above timeframe is established so candidates may know whether or not they are "caucus-endorsed" prior to the required county petition filing deadline (please consult the lake county website for the exact filing deadline and requirements).
The chair and vice-chair of the District 113 caucus are available to anyone interested or potentially interested in running for the District 113 BOE. We can provide input on BOE requirements and expectations. We can also provide input on the caucus process and considerations. Anyone interested in a conversation should simply email [email protected].
[1] Guide to Recruiting School Board Candidates; Illinois Association of School Boards; p. 2