Updated for the 2026 Spring Election
What are the legal qualifications for being a school board member?
A board member must be an eligible elector of the school district. According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, in order to qualify for placement on the ballot as a candidate in a school board election, a person must:
(a) Be a citizen of the United States;
(b) Be 18 years of age or older;
(c) Have no disqualifying prior criminal convictions; and
(d) Be a resident of the school district for at least 28 consecutive days at the time of filing a declaration of candidacy.
How are school board seats elected in the Appleton Area School District?
All school board seats in the AASD are elected at-large. This means that school board members represent the district in its entirety; there are no specific seats for “representative areas'' in the Appleton Area School District.
How do you determine if a primary is necessary?
The school board shall require a primary election if there are more than twice as many candidates as there are members to be elected. As there are three (3) seats on the ballot for 2026, a primary will be necessary if seven (7) or more individuals file ballot access documents prior to the filing deadline.
Do school board members get paid for their service?
School board members in the Appleton Area School District do not receive a salary or stipend for their service.
How much time will be required for school board duties?
Please review the current meeting schedule here. The Board of Education typically meets for regular business meetings on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month. These meetings are held in the evenings. Board members may be requested to attend additional meetings throughout the school year for various reasons, such as professional development, targeted work sessions, and student expulsion hearings. These meetings may occur at differing times, including during the regular business day.
In addition, meeting preparation/review of materials, checking board emails, and other school board duties require time outside of meetings. The best way to help you determine the answer to this question is to talk to current and past Board members. They will be able to provide tremendous insight into this question, along with helping you to understand the roles and responsibilities of this important and rewarding opportunity.
Where can I find out more about school board policies?
The Board of Education governs through policy. All of the Appleton Area School District policies can be found on our website using the following links:
