Board of Education

Board launches superintendent search

The City School District of Albany Board of Education's search for the district's next superintendent is underway.

Capital Region BOCES is assisting the board, at no cost to the district, in finding an experienced, visionary leader to guide the district into the future. Working in partnership with the community to identify the best candidates, the board will conduct a national search through the late winter and early spring, and anticipates an appointment in early summer.

We invite you to join us in making this critical decision for our school district and our community. Visit the Superintendent Search section for complete information about the process and timeline, including a schedule of community forums in late Janurary and early February, and an online survey to provide input to help guide the board's search.

About the board

The City School District of Albany Board of Education is made up of seven non-paid citizens of Albany who are each elected to serve a four-year term. New York state law does not limit the number of terms a board member serves.

The board typically meets twice a month, on the first and third Thursdays. The first meeting is considered the monthly business meeting and the board considers matters that require action at that time. The second monthly meeting is a “roundtable discussion” of specific items. Click here to read the board's mission, vision and values statement, adopted in October 2006.

You also can click here to review the board's committee assignments for 2012.

The board's responsibilities and duties are derived from the State Constitution, the laws of New York state and the rulings of the New York state commissioner of education.

The board's main responsibilities are to:

• Establish district policies;

• Develop an annual budget for public approval;

• Approve or disapprove the superintendent's recommendations on personnel matters and contracts;

• Review courses of study and textbooks; and

• Act as a communication link between residents and the superintendent.

Other duties include defining the district's philosophy, setting goals to achieve academic objectives, planning for future needs and authorizing certain contracts.

The district is committed to the belief that an effective school program can only be accomplished by nurturing a partnership between the schools and the community.

Decisions made by your elected school board affect the education of our children and, therefore, the well-being of this community. Your school board can best represent its constituents when members of the community take the time to observe the board in action, express their opinions, ask questions and communicate their wishes in the public setting. Your continued interest and support will guarantee the excellence of our schools.