BOARD OF EDUCATION - GENERAL INFORMATION  

The Board of Education is a branch of state government, elected locally by the citizens of Binghamton.  Every school district has its own school board.  The primary responsibilities of the board are to:   

• set policy;
• levy property taxes to help meet the district budget; and
• hire a superintendent to run the schools in the district.

Board members are elected to five (5) year terms.

Elections:  School board elections are held annually, on the third Tuesday in May.  One or two of the seven (7) board members stand for election in any given year. As a citizen or parent, voting in the election is your opportunity to voice your opinion of the board.

Vacancies: If a board vacancy occurs between elections, the board may appoint a replacement; however, the replacement serves only until the next election.

Running for the Board: Any city resident (who does not hold a city office) is eligible to run for the board. To qualify, candidates must:

1. Must be able to read and write. 
2. Must be a qualified voter in the district - a citizen of the United States, 18 years of age or older, and not adjudged to be an incompetent. 
3. Must have been a resident of the district for a continuous and uninterrupted period of at least one (1) year immediately preceding the election. 
4. Must not simultaneously hold another incompatible office - district superintendent, supervisor, clerk, tax collector, treasurer or librarian. 
5. May not hold any city office other than that of a police officer or firefighter. 
6. May not resident with another member of the same school board as a member of the same family. 
7. May not be a current employee of the school board. 
8. May not have been removed from any school district office within the preceding year. 
9. May not be a convicted felon whose maximum prison sentence has not expired or who has not been pardoned or discharged from parole.

Voter Qualifications: To vote, you must be: 

1. a U.S. citizen; 
2. 18 years of age or older on the date of the election; 
3. a resident of the school district at least 30 days prior to election day; 
4. a registered voter.

To register to vote or for more information, contact the Broome County Election Commissioner's office at 778-2172 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Absentee Ballots: Eligible voters (who are not on the "permanently disabled" list with the Broome County Board of Elections office) who will be out of the district on election day must submit an application prior to obtaining an Absentee Ballot.  Applications may be obtained M-F between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. by calling the Clerk to the Board of Education at 762-8100 ext. 318.

Board Meetings: The Board of Education holds open Board meetings for the purpose of conducting school business. The open board meetings are not public meetings or hearings, but meetings of the Board held in public. Any person wishing to attend open Board meetings of the Board of Education in the capacity of an observer is entitled to do so and is welcomed by the Board. The Board meets on a regularly scheduled basis. The regular monthly meeting is held the 3rd Tuesday of each month commencing at 7:00 p.m. unless this falls on a day when school is not in session. In such case, the meeting scheduled for such date shall be held on the 4th Tuesday of the month and held at the appointed place (164 Hawley Street, 3rd floor Board Room) and hour (7:00 p.m.). On occasion, the meeting date is changed, so please check with the District Clerk for exact dates and times. The Board will also meet in special sessions when necessary.

Public Comment: The Board of Education schedules public presentations in conjunction with each Board meeting. Pre-registration for public presentation is required. If you wish to present to the Board, you must submit a written request to the Clerk to the Board ten (10) days prior to the scheduled meeting and indicating the name of the presenter, the group/delegation they represent, the topic, and a summary of the presentation. Because the Board must address a lengthy agenda at each meeting, presentations generally run about 10 minutes, with five minutes for questions and answers.

Board Representatives to Schools: Although the Board of Education represents the entire district, individual members also act as representatives to each school. Board members visit their assigned school(s), attend concerts, plays and other school-related activities as often as possible. Board members will also conduct a building inspection with the principal before the beginning of the budget process.

Representatives are:
BHS - Maura Kammerman, Thomas Scanlon, Thomas Gray
East - Valerie Hampton, Thomas Scanlon
West - Carl Cohen, Thomas Gray
Coolidge - Valerie Hampton
Franklin - Valerie Hampton
Jefferson - Maura Kammerman
MacArthur - Dave Hawley
Roosevelt - Brian Whalen
Wilson - Brian Whalen

Clerk to the Board: District Clerk Sanya Brown 164 Hawley St. P.O. Box 2126 Binghamton, NY 13902-2126