No, candidate trustees should be nominated by the current board, and elected by the board exclusively.
It is significant to note that when most charter laws were written, there was healthy debate about whether to call the boards “school committees” or “boards of trustees.” In most states, the term “board of trustees” was chosen, to imply following the nonprofit model. Typically, most nonprofits nominate their own trustees rather than hold a general election or ask candidates to run for office.
The most effective charter school boards have a clearly defined nominating process that recruits candidates based on skills and other attributes that they will bring to the board, rather than on popular vote.
Learn more about how to build a clearly defined nominating process:
- Nominating: How to Nominate Candidates to Join Your Board
- Nominating: Sample Trustee Nominating Policy
- Nominating: Sample Policy for Nominating Non-Board Members to Committees
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