New Haven Public School students vying for one of two student positions on the new “hybrid” Board of Education will have to collect signatures to get their name on a ballot, but they’ll have access to resources to help them campaign, and they’ll have a whole election week to vote instead of just one day.
The Board of Alders Monday night approved the rules, with three amendments introduced by East Rock Alder and Legislative Committee Chair Jessica Holmes, that will govern the election and appointment of members, including two non-voting student members of the Board of Ed.
The approval comes after months of public hearings and discussions that included input from students, board members and other community members. Monday night’s vote at City Hall makes the rules final.
A 2013 charter revision required the Board of Education to become a “hybrid” body with four mayoral appointees, the mayor, two members elected by the public and two non-voting student members. Until now all its members have been appointed by the mayor.
To run for a seat on New Haven’s reconstituted Board of Ed, students must obtain 100 petition signatures from fellow students, including 50 from five different schools other than their own. A seven-member election committee will over see the election process for students and include the chairs of the Education and Youth Services committees of the Board of Alders, or their designee; two community leaders selected by the president of the Board of Alders; two members of the Board of Ed., or their designee; and one member of the mayor’s staff.
One of Holmes’ amendments extends the election period to a week, rather than a single day, “to maximize participation” and avoid any conflict with school and class events. Holmes offered additional amendments that require the Board of Ed and the Election Committee to work together to provide resources for students to conduct their campaigns while avoiding any “undue financial burden” on students running for a seat. Her amendment also clarifies the dates of the terms that students serve. The first term will now begin July 1, 2015, and end June 30, 2017, for the rising junior who wins the race.
All the members of the Board of Alders supported Holmes’s amendments.t Newhallville Alder Delphine Clyburn abstained from voting on the full adoption of the ordinance; she said she was uncomfortable with language that would allow charter school students to run for the student positions on the board.
In addition to fleshing out the election process for students, the new rules establish the two districts for the elected adult members of the Board of Ed. Education District One will include Wards 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 and 26. Education District Two will include wards: 1, 2, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 and 30.
The person elected initially to represent District One will serve a two-year term, and the person elected to serve District Two will serve a four year term. Candidates for the elected positions will participate in the petitioning and primary election process for the 2015 municipal election.
Previous coverage of this issue:
• Rules Set For “Hybrid” Ed Board Elections
• Students May Petition Way To School Board
• Grades, Attendance Still On Table As Factors For Student Board Of Education Hopefuls
• Should Board of Ed’s Student Rep Earn Cs?
• Students: Grades Shouldn’t Matter For Board Seat
