Ana Dos Reis-Couto

School Board Members establish a shared vision for the schools that they represent which reflects a consensus of the board, community and district staff. The school board has a wide variety of additional responsibilities, such as adopting annual budgets and issuing interim financial reports, adopting the school calendar, negotiating contracts with employees (including the hiring of superintendents), approving curriculum materials and closing or constructing schools. Rhode Island has 36 locally governed school boards which provide education to approximately 143,000 students, and the school boards can have 5, 7, or 9 members. Board members serve for four year terms, elections are held during even years, and some school board members receive a financial stipend (depending upon district).