As pressure on schools mounts, jobs of school board members grow more important

Of course, the attentiveness of a school board depends largely on the candidates who run for open seats and the voters who go to the polls. The latter has gained attention at the Legislature in the past year.

The focus has been on whether moving the election date would generate better turnout. It's an idea worthy of continued discussion, but it ignores the challenging issue of attracting quality candidates and the value of political contests that ask and encourage voters to engage in the issues.

As the filing period draws near, we're hopeful a bevy of qualified candidates will step up and pursue open school board seats across the state. Students and taxpayers need representatives and advocates committed to the hard work of serving on a school board at a time when their role is vital.