School boards have the responsibility to represent the wishes of the people and to exercise lay control of educational goals and directions. Individual board members have no legal powers. A board member's power can only be exercised through the collective board action at a publicly convened meeting. In Mattoon, board meetings are regularly scheduled on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 P.M. These meetings are held in the boardroom at the Administrative Service Center, 1701 Charleston Ave., Mattoon, IL or available on our YouTube channel. Any person who wishes to address the board should contact the superintendent's office to be placed on the agenda at least a week prior to the meeting.

In Illinois, school boards are comprised of seven elected members who serve four-year terms of office. In Mattoon board members are elected at-large; however, no more than three members may reside in any one township.

Basically, the responsibilities of all school boards fall into the following categories:

Policy Making
A board's major function is to develop and adopt district policy governing many facets of school operation, including employment of staff personnel, administration of pupil services, educational programs, instructional material, school facilities, equipment, finance, and support services. A board can adopt policy on the recommendation of the superintendent, but the final decision on policy cannot be delegated. A board delegates the implementation of policies to the superintendent of schools. It evaluates the execution and effect of policy through observation, special oversight studies, and periodic reports by administrative officers.

Planning, Goal Setting and Appraisal
The vital leadership role of the board cannot be delegated. Each board member must establish the current and long-range educational plans and programs for the district. Board members are responsible for obtaining from the administration and other sources reliable information on which to make the best possible decision about the scope and nature of all school programs. The board is ultimately responsible for evaluating the results of these programs, a task that is frequently delegated to the administration.

Designating the Chief Executive
A board is responsible for recruiting, hiring, and evaluating the performance of the superintendent who will carry out its policy. This task cannot be delegated. The board exercises daily supervision and control primarily through its chief administrator and does not deal directly with individual staff members employed to assist the superintendent in implementing board directives.

Staffing and Appraisal
The board delegates the task of recruiting, interviewing, evaluating, promoting, and disciplining staff (in accordance with board policy) to the superintendent. The board is responsible for establishing policy governing salaries and salary schedules, terms and conditions of employment, fringe benefits, leave, and in-service training. The board must ratify all collective bargaining agreements.

It is the policy of the Mattoon Board of Education to hire the best-qualified personnel consistent with budget requirements, staffing patterns, and organizational practices of the district. Notwithstanding, the board desires to recruit and hire minority personnel. The board hires personnel upon the recommendation of the superintendent.

Instruction
Working closely with the school administration, the Mattoon Board has set general goals and has adopted policy upon which instructional programs are based. The board has the power to accept, modify, or reject the superintendent's recommendations on the scope and nature of its educational offerings, as well as on which textbooks will be used.

School Facilities
The board is responsible for determining school housing needs; communicating those needs to the community, purchasing, disposing of, or leasing school sites; and for approving building plans that will support and enhance educational programs.

Students
Although the board does not deal directly with students and solve student-related problems, it does set policies that guide the actions of administration and other school staff. A board can accept, modify, or reject policies recommended by the superintendent regarding school admissions, placement, promotions, attendance, expulsion, suspension, graduation, conduct, discipline, safety, health services, food services, and transportation services. All such polices must be viewed in light of their effect on all students' equal access to educational opportunities in accordance with state and federal guidelines.

The regularly scheduled board meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at 1701 Charleston Avenue in Mattoon, IL .