Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring School Board Members
Tanya, a Los Angeles Unified School District School Board Member, highlights teaching as a "great first step," but also notes other entry-level options like teacher's assistant, campus aide, after-school tutoring, or coaching, all providing valuable experience connecting with children. These roles, according to Tanya, are great ways to begin a career path toward roles like school board membership.
Education, Community Engagement, Youth Development, Public Service, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Tanya Ortiz Franklin
School Board Member
Los Angeles Unified School District
Columbia University 2005
Loyola Marymount University, MA Elementary Education; UCLA School of Law JD, Public Interest Law & Policy, Critical Race Studies
Political Science, American Studies
Education
Education
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Teaching is a common entry-level position for school board members.
2. Other entry-level positions include teacher's assistant, campus aide, after-school tutoring, and coaching.
3. Connecting with children through various roles is valuable experience for aspiring school board members.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
Many people consider teaching, and it's a great first step. I took that path, and most of the board members I serve with today were also teachers.
However, not all of them were. Some came from social work, and others were outside the education industry. They are connected because they are parents, and that's what motivated them to become school board members.
Generally, in education, there are many ways to connect people. Think about being a teacher's assistant or a campus aide. You could work on the playground with kids or do after-school tutoring.
Even coaching a sport on the weekend connects you with kids. I think these are great first steps if you ultimately want to serve children in a role like being a school board member.