Who's on Board? School Boards and Political Representation in an Age of Conflict
| Title: | Who's on Board? School Boards and Political Representation in an Age of Conflict |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | David M. Houston; Michael T. Hartney; Thomas B. Fordham Institute |
| Source: | Thomas B. Fordham Institute. 2025. |
| Availability: | Thomas B. Fordham Institute. 1701 K Street NW Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20006. Tel: 202-223-5452; Fax: 202-223-9226; e-mail: thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org; Web site: https://fordhaminstitute.org/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 45 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Wallace Foundation; Thomas B. Fordham Foundation |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Governing Boards; School Administration; Politics of Education; Culture Conflict; Political Attitudes; Controversial Issues (Course Content); Ideology; School Effectiveness; School Choice; Unions; Educational Attitudes; School Budget Elections; Charter Schools; Grade Inflation; Governance; Surveys; Political Affiliation; Demography |
| Abstract: | School boards have become ground zero for America's education culture wars, with fiery debates over race, gender, curriculum, and pandemic policies making national headlines. But beyond the noise, how well do these elected bodies actually represent their communities? To find out, political scientists David Houston and Michael Hartney conducted the largest national survey of school board members in decades, gathering responses from more than 5,000 board members across 3,000 districts. They compared members' political and demographic identities, as well as their views on controversial education issues, to those of the communities they serve. The findings complicate common narratives. While board members' partisanship and ideology largely mirror the American public's--and often align with local voters on hot-button cultural issues--they diverge more on questions of school quality, school choice, and teachers' unions. The report sheds light on the surprising ways representation works, and doesn't work, in one of the country's most important democratic institutions. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | ED677313 |
| Database: | ERIC |