Board Secretary Responsibilities

The board secretary’ position can be traced back to the office of the town clerk, who being charged with keeping minutes for the municipality, also assumed the same responsibility when towns undertook public schooling duties in colonial times.

From a mere recorder of minutes, the position has grown in statutorily described responsibilities to a point where, in many districts, it is second (or third) only to that of the district’s superintendent (and the business manager). In fact, in approximately 37% of school districts the board secretary is the business manager.

The first such law providing for a clerk of the school board was passed in Connecticut in 1794. Pennsylvania made its first provision in 1834 as part of the Free School Act.

As a result of changes in school laws, school reorganization, financial trends, court decrees, regulations, dates and collective bargaining, an ever-increasing burden of responsibility has been placed on the secretary. It is more important than ever in our rather litigious society that the secretary maintain complete and accurate records.

Accurate and complete school district records and well-documented business established and maintained by the board secretary.