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PSBA election survey shows steady pattern of board turnover

The 2007 PSBA Research Inquiry on School Board Election Results indicates a 21.6% turnover of school directors or nearly 1,000 new board members taking office in December 2007. An average of 5.1 members per district were up for re-election this year, of which 3.6 or 71% chose to run. Of those incumbents running, 89% were re-elected.

“Board turnover appears to have settled into a steady pattern,” said J. Curtis Rose, PSBA assistant executive director for School Board & Management Services. “We're going to have between 800 and 1,000 new board members each election depending on the cycle.

“Incumbents run for re-election and win or lose at a constant rate,” Rose said. “What is most important is that regardless of how many new board members there are, they all become trained, experienced, contributing members of their local boards.”

Some highlights of the 2007 survey (based on 344 responding districts) are:

  • Nearly one-fifth (19%) of all districts had all incumbents run for re-election.
  • Of the reporting districts, 536 (30%) incumbent directors chose not to run for re-election, and 132 incumbents were defeated.
  • Six reporting districts (2%) had no incumbents run for re-election.
  • Candidates who cross-filed and won on both tickets totaled 1,299; 821 of those were incumbents.
  • 13% of all districts did not have enough candidates file to fill all positions.
  • The percentage of boards having employees of other districts serving as school directors is 28% for 2007. Of those districts, 74% have one, 24% have two, and 2% have three.
  • Only a slight shift occurred from 2007 in the method used to elect school directors: 62.2% are using the at-large method of election, 29.9% the three-region plan, 4.7% the nine-region plan and 3.2% the combined at-large/region plan.
  • The total board turnover rate increased to an estimated 21.6% in 2007 from 18.6% in 2005, and the re-election rate remained the same at 62%.
  • A total 2,209 candidates filed for the 1,769 available positions in the reporting districts, an average 6.4 candidates for the 5.1 positions.

For more information, contact J. Curtis Rose at (800) 932-0588, ext. 3359.