FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q:  What are the roles and responsibilities of a school board member?

 

A:  Per the California School Boards Association, ‘School board members are locally elected public officials entrusted with governing school districts and county offices of education in the community. While school board members are elected as individuals, they serve as part of a governance team — one which includes each board member and the superintendent.’

 

Major responsibilities of a school board are as follows:

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• Setting direction - e.g., strategic planning

• Establishing an effective and efficient structure - e.g., employing the superintendent, setting a direction for and adopting curriculum and collective bargaining agreements; adopting annual budgets and plans; and overseeing facilities issues

• Providing support - e.g., modeling professionalism and communicating with the public

• Ensuring accountability - e.g., monitoring and revising policies and budgets, monitoring student achievement, ensuring fiscal long-term sustainability

• Providing community leadership as advocates for children, the school district, and public schools

 

Q:  How do school board elections work?

 

A:  Depending on the school district, board members may be elected ‘at large’, ‘by area’ or ‘from area.’

 

Cabrillo USD transitioned to a ‘by area’ format starting in 2020, with five board members from five areas from Montara to San Gregorio.  For the current elections in Cabrillo USD, Trustee Areas B and D are open, and I am seeking re-election to continue representing Area D.

 

Despite the shift in election format, the Cabrillo USD Board adopted a resolution reaffirming member responsibilities across the district, and I remain committed to serving the full population of Cabrillo Unified students and families in our community.

 

Q:  What are the rules for running a school board campaign?

 

A:  While school board campaigns may vary depending on the candidate and the community, in all case, the use of district resources (e.g., school sites, printers/copiers, email) is prohibited and candidates must comply with other State rules (e.g., campaign finance and reporting and advertising disclosures).

 

Campaign finance disclosures filed electronically are available on Netfile by searching for the candidate’s name or committee number (e.g., ‘Sophia Layne for CUSD Board 2024’ or Fair Political Practices Commission number ‘1474135’).  Depending on the amount raised or spent, different forms are required (e.g., filing Form 460 is required for candidates raising or spending $2,000 or more).

 

Agencies overseeing elections (e.g., San Mateo County Elections Office) and others (e.g., City of Half Moon Bay) provide additional guidance specific to their jurisdictions.

 

I am grateful to the pro bono professional support of S.E. Owens & Company for their compliance and financial services.

 

Q:  How can I register to vote, update or check my registration (e.g., change my address)?

 

A:  Eligible San Mateo County residents can register to vote, change their registration, and/or access election information on the San Mateo County Elections website.

 

Other eligible California residents can do so at www.registertovoteca.gov, and all eligible voter in the US at www.vote.gov.