Demographics

Age: Forty-four percent of school board members were 65 years or older. By contrast, just 2 percent of board members were between ages 18 and 34. More than half fell between 35 and 64, with 16 percent aged 35-44, 21 percent aged 45-54, and 16 percent aged 55-64. (N=141)

Sex: Forty-three percent were male, and 57 percent were female. (N=139)

Ideology: Twenty-nine percent identified as liberal, 32 percent as moderate, 34 percent as conservative, and 4 percent as “other.” (N=137)

Political Party: Thirty-nine percent identified as Democrats, 23 percent as Independents, 31 percent as Republicans, and 7 percent as “other.” (N=133)

Experience: Twelve percent had accumulated less than one year of experience on school boards. Forty-nine percent had 1-4 years of experience, 23 percent had 5-10 years of experience, and 15 percent had more than ten years of experience. (N=217)

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