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Connecticut Association of Boards of Education

Candidates' Online Resource Kit

"School board members are dedicated volunteers committed to meeting the needs of all students in their community.  School board members are a premier example of civic engagement.  Those willing to take on this challenging and rewarding role will have support from CABE and experienced board members in their community and around the state."

- Patrice McCarthy, Executive Director and General Counsel


Be the Voice for Public Education!

Are you considering public service on your local board of education? Running for your local school board can be an exciting and at times challenging experience.

CABE’s Candidate Online Resource Kit provides important resources for anyone considering running for their local board of education.

What all prospective school board members should know.

Commitment to Public Education

Community service is a civic duty. Serving on a public board of education requires a commitment of energy, time, and talent. The school board works as a team to help children and adult students in your community.

The men and women elected to represent their communities on Connecticut’s school boards provide valuable leadership to public schools.

The board member

Connecticut’s school board members, one of the largest groups of elected officials in the state, are charged with one of the major responsibilities in government – to provide the best educational opportunities possible for the children of Connecticut.

In these challenging times for public education, school boards are seeking people who find excitement and satisfaction in confronting tough challenges and working collegially to rise above them and help students in their communities succeed.

The board of education is a uniquely American institution. It oversees and manages the community’s public school system. It ensures the public schools are flexible and responsive to the needs of the community.

School boards are comprised of volunteers within the community who dedicate their time to better public education. In most districts in Connecticut, except Hartford and New Haven, board members are elected.

The size of a school board varies between 5 and 13 members. Most school board members serve two- or four-year terms.

What is the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education?

The Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) was founded in 1906 to serve the needs of Connecticut’s local boards of education. CABE is a non-partisan, non-profit.

Our Mission

To assist local and regional boards of education in providing high-quality public education for all Connecticut children through effective leadership.

Our Vision

CABE is passionate about strengthening public education to inspire success for each child through high-performing, transformative local leadership teams comprised of school boards and superintendents.

Our Members

CABE represents nearly all boards of education across Connecticut. School boards are comprised of citizens, elected or appointed, who work with their superintendents to provide the best education possible in their communities. They devote countless volunteer hours to provide leadership and oversight and connect the will of the community to the education of its children.

CABE is an association of member boards of education. Members have a wide range of services available to them, including professional development, advocacy, legal assistance, negotiation assistance, policy development, superintendent searches, and more.

Need more information?

For more information about school boardsmanship, contact CABE at 860-571-7446.