Model Code of Conduct


To be considered, amended as necessary and then adopted voluntarily by the Board of Directors in each school district

Recommended by K-12 Governance Report of
The Education Policy and Leadership Center - March 2004


Code of Conduct for Board Members __________ School District

Each member of the Board of Directors of the __________ School District shall:

  1. Be committed to board decision-making that is focused on helping all students achieve success in reaching high educational standards;


  2. In the performance of their duties, demonstrate the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct, and treat all others with dignity and respect;


  3. Devote time, thought, and study to the duties and responsibilities of a school board member in order to render effective and creditable service;


  4. Attend all regularly scheduled board meetings insofar as possible;


  5. Participate annually in professional development activities for board members and the board provided by the state and national school boards associations and other organizations;


  6. Remember at all times that as an individual the member has no authority outside of meetings of the board, and conduct all relationships with the school staff, media, and all others on the basis of this fact;


  7. Work with fellow board members in a spirit of harmony and cooperation while respecting the right of other board members to have opinions and ideas which differ;


  8. Enact policies and other official actions only after public notice and full discussion at meetings of the board;


  9. Welcome and encourage active cooperation by citizens, organizations and the media with respect to establishing policy on current school operations and proposed future developments;


  10. Recognize that the primary functions of the board are to establish policies by which the school district is to be administered and to hire and then annually evaluate the performance of the superintendent, but that the administration of the educational program and the conduct of school business shall be delegated to the superintendent and his or her professional and nonprofessional staff;


  11. Support the employment of those persons best qualified to serve as school staff, and insist on a regular and impartial evaluation of all staff;


  12. Communicate concerns and public reaction to board policies and school programs to the superintendent and other board members in a professional manner;


  13. Represent the interests of the entire school district when making decisions;


  14. Base personal decisions in all school district matters upon the available facts in each situation and honest and independent judgement, and refuse to surrender that judgement to any other individual, group or organization;


  15. Avoid all conflicts of interest and refrain from using the board position for personal or partisan gain;


  16. Take no individual action that will compromise the integrity or reputation of the board, the administration or the district, and respect the confidentiality of information that is privileged under applicable law;


  17. Insist that all board and district business is ethical and honest;


  18. Comply with all laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States of America.