Education is primarily a State and local responsibility in the United States. Most Tennesseans
support local control of public education by the district board of education. This includes the
autonomy of the local school district to adopt curriculum, assessments and programs to
meet recognized educational goals and objectives. The most important role of a board of
education is to hire its superintendent.
It is clear in the Tennessee Constitution that the responsibility for control and support of
public schools is delegated in the Tennessee General Assembly, while in large measure
the operation is entrusted to local school boards. The school board is the community’s
watchdog on public education, thus ensuring that taxpayers get the most for their tax dollars.
Taxpayers must hold school board members accountable for spending and results. School
boards represent the public’s voice in public education.
Local school boards reflect the needs and aspirations of the communities as well as the
interests and concerns of professional and nonprofessional employees. We believe non-
partisan control is what is best for our communities. This is best ensured when educational
policy is made by representatives vested in the community they live, and whose undivided
attention and interests are devoted strictly to education of the children in that district. What
we stress in a nutshell: Public education is a federal concern, a state responsibility, and a
local operation.
State and federal education policies should be designed to assist local school districts in
improving student achievement for all children and not be disguised as a means to label
public schools as failures. Prior to any state or federal intervention based on a school’s
or district’s failure to meet performance or accountability standards, governments should
ensure that local schools and districts receive the necessary resources, support and time
to improve. Tennessee, to its credit, has done a lot right in public education. However, no
system is perfect.
The authority of the local school board is established in code, and this authority should not
be delegated to others. Local boards of education must not relinquish their governance
responsibilities in any situation, especially in management and oversight. We believe all
children should have equal access to an education that maximizes his or her individual
potential.
School boards are subject to the requirements of existing law and are the governing and
policymaking bodies for schools in their district. They should refrain from agreements that
compromise their responsibility for representing general public interest in education. Local
The Role of a School