Roanoke City Public Schools

Roanoke City School Board 2024-2025
From left: Liz Quintana, Joyce Watkins, Natasha Saunders-Cotton, Chair Dr. Eli Jamison, Mike Cherry, Vice Chair Franny Apel, and Deidre Trigg

About the School Board

The Roanoke City School Board governs Roanoke City Public Schools. Article VIII, Section 7, of the Constitution of Virginia establishes the legal basis for local school boards by providing that, "The supervision of schools in each school division shall be vested in a school board to be composed of members selected in the manner, for the term, possessing the qualifications, and to the number provided by law."  

Each person appointed or elected to a School Board shall, at the time of his appointment or election, be a qualified voter and a bona fide resident of the district from which he is selected if appointment or election is by district or of the school division if appointment or election is at large; and if he shall cease to be a resident of such district or school division, his position on the school board shall be deemed vacant. For more information, visit the Code of Virginia.

In the City of Roanoke, School Board members are appointed by City Council for a three-year term of office. The terms of the seven-member Board are staggered, and no more than three Board seats are appointed each year. Board members may apply for reappointment to the Board and serve a maximum of three three-year terms. The Clerk's Office for the City of Roanoke (540) 853-2541 provides information regarding the qualifications required of a prospective Board member. Visit Roanoke City Code for more information.

Priorities, Duties, and Responsibilities

• Achieve academic excellence for all students.
• Ensure the safest schools for our students and staff.
• Attract, train, and retain the best staff for our urban division.
• Ensure efficient use, maintenance, and improvement of the division's facilities and infrastructure.
• Enhance arts, athletics and extracurricular activities.

The Board's duties and responsibilities are to:

• Provide a program of quality instruction.
• Manage and direct the school system through the employment and evaluation of the superintendent, establishment of policy, and monitoring of budget, bond elections, fiscal accounting, tax and debt management, and plant construction and renovation.
• Guide the school system through the adoption of policies related to fiscal management, facilities development, personnel, instruction, students, and school/community/education agency relations.
• Enhance communications between community and staff by ensuring the public understands school system goals and programs; secure public support for the schools; promote the public's presence in the schools; establish effective communications with staff; encourage citizen attendance at Board meetings; and ensure response to public concerns.

School Board Documents

The Roanoke City School Board utilizes BoardDocs Pro for the production and dissemination of Board-related documents. School Board meeting agendas, policies, and other public Board-related documents can be accessed through BoardDocs.