Boston Municipal Research Bureau

 

 

The Boston School Committee Needs You!

by · June 24, 2021

Two Open Seats:  Apply by July 8, 2021

In early June 2021 two Boston School Committee members resigned, leaving vacancies on the seven-member committee that must be filled. All residents of Boston interested in becoming civically engaged and helping to strengthen Boston’s education system are encouraged to apply. The Mayor appoints School Committee members, but first a Citizens Nominating Panel comprised of parents, teachers, principals, and business and higher education representatives convenes to review applications and develop a short list of qualified nominees for the Mayor to choose from. The law requires the Mayor to “strive to appoint individuals who reflect the ethnic, racial and socioeconomic diversity of the city of Boston and its public school population.”

Apply Here – Interested applicants are encouraged to apply here by July 8, 2021. School Committee members play an essential role in setting the education policy agenda for the City of Boston. They define the vision and goals of the Boston Public Schools, craft and monitor the annual BPS operating budget, and select and evaluate the Superintendent. Typically a School Committee member serves a four-year term, but the terms of both currently open positions expire at the end of the Acting Mayor’s term due to restrictions on the Acting Mayor position.  The term of the Acting Mayor will conclude after the results of the November election are certified.

Appointment Timeline – The Nominating Panel is required to prepare a list of 3-5 nominees per vacancy and submit the list to the Mayor for consideration. The Mayor then has 15 days to choose and appoint one of these nominees to each vacancy.  If the Panel fails to submit candidate recommendations to the Mayor in a timely manner, the Mayor has the authority to appoint any candidate deemed suitable to fill the vacancy. The Research Bureau previously reported on the appointment process to fill a vacancy after a member’s resignation.

  • June 4 – Dr. Lorna Rivera submitted her resignation
  • June 7 – Ms. Alexandra Oliver-Dávila submitted her resignation
  • June 16 – Boston School Committee Citizens Nominating Panel convened
  • June 17 – Acting Mayor Janey announced that the School Committee applications were opened
  • July 8 – Applications must be submitted by 11:59pm
  • July 13 & 14 – Interviews with nominees will take place between 2:30pm and 5:30pm
  • July 16 – Deadline for the Nominating Panel to submit recommended candidates to the Acting Mayor
  • July 31 – Deadline for the Acting Mayor to make appointments

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