Board delegations
Regulation 8 of the Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020open_in_new allows your board to delegate most of its powers and functions to an individual or group of specified people to act on its behalf.
Delegations can be made to:
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A board member or members
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The principal or any other employee or office holder of your board
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A committee consisting of at least two people, at least one of whom is a board member
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A person approved by the Minister
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Any group of any of the people listed above
No one may exercise any of the board's functions or powers without delegation.
What can you delegate?
Your board can delegate any board powers and functions unless the Education and Training Act 2020 specifies otherwise.
For instance, you cannot delegate the power to borrow money. Nor can your board delegate the general authority of delegation.
Any sub-delegations must be approved in writing by your board.
What can you delegate?
Your board can delegate any board powers and functions unless the Education and Training Act 2020 specifies otherwise.
For instance, you cannot delegate the power to borrow money. Nor can your board delegate the general authority of delegation.
Any sub-delegations must be approved in writing by your board.
How often should you review your delegations?
It's a good idea for your board to review its standing (current) delegations at the start of each year and following school board elections.
Your board should record any delegations by keeping an up-to-date delegations register.
Delegations can be made to a position such as "the principal" rather than to the current principal by name.
Delegations to the presiding member should be reviewed every time the person holding this position changes and at the beginning of each school year.
Delegations to ad hoc (as and when needed) board committees should be written to expire when the committee is revoked.
Your board may already have a register that you can look at, or you can download our sample school delegations listopen_in_new.
Questions your board could ask
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Are there any board powers or functions that we have already delegated or would like to?
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Have we delegated by a board resolution and recorded this in our meeting minutes?
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Have we set terms of reference (conditions and restrictions)?
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Have we notified the delegate(s) in writing?
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Have we recorded the delegation and its duration in a board delegations register?
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Have we established how we will be informed of the activity around delegated powers and functions?
Templates, resources, and references
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Links from us
The Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020