Being a school board member can be both rewarding and challenging, and school boards provide a vital public service for Oregon students. Student success relies on great volunteer school board leaders.                                                                                                  

The Phoenix-Talent School Board is comprised of seven elected members serving four-year terms. Every year, the Board elects their Chair and Vice Chair. Board members are community volunteers and do not receive compensation for their work. The School Board is the policy-making body of our school district. It is responsible for providing an education program for students living within the District. Board meetings are generally held twice a month and are on the first and third Thursday of the month with a few exceptions - please see our board Meeting Dates for more detailed information. 

School Board elections are held in May every odd-numbered year. The term of office for Board members begins on July 1, immediately following the election. The seven members are elected as follows:

• Position #1, zone 2
• Position #2, zone 2
• Position #3, zone 1
• Position #4, zone 1
• Position #5, zone 1
• Position #6, zone 2
• Position #7, zone 2

Please click here to see the maps for the different zones within our district. Zone 1 includes precincts 25 & 37. Zone 2 includes precincts 16, 22, & 39.

Vacancies, outside the election cycle, can occur for a variety of reasons and are filled through board appointments according to policy BBE. The Board appointee must be:

• a legally registered voter
• a resident within the District for one year immediately preceding the appointment
• reside within the applicable zone, unless the position is "At-Large" 

All vacancies will be announced to the public prior to filling the position. If the vacancy is not an at-large position and occurs in a specific zone, the Board shall advertise for a 20-day period in an attempt to find an eligible resident from within the same zone that qualifies. If an eligible zone resident cannot be found that meets all qualifications as stated above, the Board shall appoint an eligible “at-large” resident of the district to fill the vacancy. In the event of multiple vacancies, the position vacated first will be filled first. Upon appointment by the Board, the new member(s) will be sworn in and seated immediately.

When a board member is elected, they serve a four-year term. Appointed members only finish the remainder of the term they are appointed to and then they must register to run for election with Jackson County if they wish to continue serving on the board. 

To be eligible to serve on the board, a person must be a registered voter in the school district, must have been a resident of the district for one year immediately preceding the election, and may not be an employee of the district of any charter school within the district. 

Resources provided by the Oregon School Boards Association:

How to Become a School Board Candidate
School Board Candidate Guide