School boards used to be perceived as mundane entities that conducted routine district business, an afterthought in the education reform movement. However, more recently, not a week goes by without another battle in a school boardroom somewhere in America. Across blue, purple, and red states, school boards have become the epicenter of contentious debates, reflecting society’s deep divisions. In Why School Boards Matter, Levy explains that school boards are uniquely positioned to strengthen our public education system and our overall democracy. Drawing on history, research, and his personal journey from Wall Street to a school board seat, Levy makes the case that school boards have transformational power even as polarization and social media trends make governing more difficult. A call to action for board members, administrators, teachers, parents, students, and policymakers, Levy returns boards to the center of our education governance ecosystem. Board governance can be messy, but airing differences in a public forum is quintessentially American. Board meetings require us to make tough decisions with transparency and encourage us to engage in civil discourse and listen to our neighbors who do not always think like we do. As policymakers debate the federal government’s role in K-12 and states pursue sharply divergent policies, Levy reminds us of the essential role school boards play in shaping education and our country.
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