The role of the parent representative
All state schools, state-integrated schools, and kura have parent representatives on their boards.
A standard school board will have five parent representatives.
Some boards have an alternative constitution, allowing as few as three or as many as seven parent representatives.
Section 119 of the Education and Training Act 2020open_in_new covers the structure of school boards, and we're unpacking the role of the parent representative in this article.
What is a parent representative?
A parent representative is a full member of your school board.
They have the same standing, voice, vote, and accountability as any other member.
They do not act as an advocate for the parents of the school.
Their role is to bring the perspective of parents and the community to your board table, much like the staff-elected representative brings a staff view.
Like all board members, they should vote in a way that best suits the interests of the school, its students, and its staff.
A parent representative can also be appointed to the role of the presiding member.
How does a parent representative join the board?
A parent representative can join your board in several ways.
The most common way is through an election process when they are nominated and receive enough votes to be appointed to your board.
All parents of students (including international students) enrolled full-time in a state school, state-integrated school, or kura are eligible to vote in elections.
"Parent" also includes legal guardians and immediate caregivers such as whānau whāngai (foster parents) and grandparents.
Adult students (over the age of 20) enrolled full-time can also vote.
Board elections are held every three years and are known as triennial elections.
Some boards have staggered (mid-term) elections.
This means they elect some of their parent representatives at the triennial elections and some 18 months later in the mid-term elections.
Having two election cycles helps boards avoid having their whole board change at the same time.
Check out our School Board Electionsopen_in_new website for everything you need for elections.
A casual vacancy occurs if a parent representative resigns or can't fill the position until the end of their term. It can be filled by selection or a by-election.
If this occurs, your board will go through the steps to manage a casual vacancy for a parent representative.
Your board can also co-opt extra members, over and above the number of parent representative positions in your constitution.
Co-opting can be used to strengthen gender, ethnicity, or skill diversity around a board table.
Who can be a parent representative?
Just about anyone!
Parents of students, immediate caregivers, guardians, and people from the wider community can all be elected to a school board.
Board members do not have to be parents or have children at the school or kura, but the parent of an enrolled student must nominate them.
Like any potential candidate, they must also meet the eligibility criteria (as outlined on the reverse of the eligibility declaration form) for becoming a board member.
Elected candidates confirm their eligibility on the eligibility declaration formopen_in_new (nomination form).
Selected, co-opted, and other appointed members must also sign this form.
Ideally, all board members will bring valuable intentions, skills, and experience to the board table.
A good parent representative will have:
-
Passion and energy
-
Honesty and integrity
-
Compassion and empathy
-
The ability to work with and within teams
-
The ability to respectfully scrutinise and challenge
-
The ability to think and communicate strategically
-
The ability to consider the needs and wellbeing of all students and staff
Should a parent representative bring concerns and complaints to your board?
No, not directly.
In the same way, staff and student representatives cannot bring complaints from staff and students to your board; a parent representative cannot bring one from the community.
All board members must use the school's internal processes and tikanga if they have any concerns or complaints.
Can a parent representative be excluded from dealing with certain matters?
A parent representative has the same rights as any other board member.
They are entitled to attend all board meetings, including public-excluded discussions, provided they don't have a financial interest in or conflict of interest with the matter being discussed.
If they do, they only need to be excluded from that particular part of the meeting.
Ideally, they will make the board aware of their financial interest or conflict of interest before the meeting, but that's not always possible.
They may declare and exclude themselves during a discussion.
What is a parent representative’s relationship with the staff and the school community?
Parent representatives are both school board members and part of the school community.
While at board meetings, they are part of the governing and employing body of the school. For the rest of the time, they interact with school staff and students the same as any other community member, parent, or caregiver.
The same goes for when a parent representative is dealing with other school community members.
Outside of board meetings, they do not represent or speak on behalf of the board.
This may not be clear to everyone. Be mindful of people who see all actions of board members as if it were official board business, rather than just the actions of members of the community going about their everyday lives.
Your school board may consider creating and making a role description publicly available. It could outline the parent representative's role and responsibilities, helping to ensure parent representatives are kept safe.
Being a parent representative on a school or kura board is a role that carries with it whakapapa or legacy and lays the path for future boards and school generations.
Parent representatives should take care not to inadvertently place their board into disrepute by speaking publicly about issues that may be currently or soon to be dealt with at the board table.
It is good to err on the side of caution before expressing your thoughts that could be misconstrued as an official board position.
Questions your board could ask
-
How many parent representatives do we have on our board?
-
Were they elected, selected, or co-opted to their positions?
-
Do our parent representatives understand their role on the board?
-
Does our community understand the role of the board?
-
Do our parent representatives know the resources and support available to them?
Templates, resources, and references
Click on the link(s) below to access this topic’s templates, resources, and references.
These may download or open in a separate browser depending on your device.
School board elections website
Education and Training Act 2020