There are 4,509 school board members in Pennsylvania: nine members per district in each of the 501 districts.
The school board is designated by state law to govern the policies, procedures and operations of the school district.
School board members are volunteers; they receive no compensation for their service.
School board members devote an average of 16-20 hours a month to school board business.
The "typical" school director is male, well-educated and married with two or three children attending public schools.
Requirements to be a school board member are that the individual must be 18 years or older, a resident of the district in which the person wishes to serve and a person "of good moral character."
School boards are required by law to meet once every two months. Most boards meet once or twice a month.
School board members serve four-year terms. School board elections are held every two years, with five elected one term and four elected the other term.
