The School Board's Responsibilities

• Engages the Community
  The board represents the community's voice in education, encouraging public involvement and making decisions that reflect the needs and values of local residents.
• Sets the Vision
  The board sets the overall direction for the district by establishing goals that reflect the community's educational values and priorities.
• Ensures Accountability
  The board oversees the district's performance, ensuring that students are achieving and that the district is using resources effectively.
• Hires and Evaluates the Superintendent
  The board is responsible for hiring a superintendent to manage the district and evaluating their performance.
• Adopts Policies
  The board develops and adopts policies that govern the district's operations, from curriculum to budget management.The Illinois State Board of Education establishes grade-level standards and approves curricula and textbooks to meet those expectations.

WA129 School Board Resources

• Meetings
  Visit the district website to learn about the board meeting schedule, to read agendas, and to watch or listen to past meeting recordings.
• Financials
  Official District Financial Reports
  FitchRatings District Credit Summary
  Illinois Report Card Record
• Policies
  Read the WA SD129 Policy Manual online, last updated for the 2024 school year.
• Contracts
  Along with those contracts listed on the district's financials page, the union and employment contracts listed on the district's website are noteworthy.
• News
  District happenings are always in the news. Use resources from your local public library (Aurora, North Aurora, Montgomery, & Sugar Grove) to search and read current and past news articles for free!

Frequently Asked Questions

• When is the Election?
  The Consolidated Election is on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. Go add that date to your calendar and register to vote online now! Visit Aurora.vote to learn more candidates in the 2025 Consolidated Election.
• "School Board" vs "Board of Education"
  The terms "school board" and "board of education" are used interchangeably. However, don't confuse the office with the Regional Office of Education (elected at by the county) or the State Board of Education (appointed by the Governor).
• Are School Board Members Paid a Salary?
  State law prohibits school board members from being paid a salary to ensure that board service remains a voluntary, community-focused role rather than a professional or financial opportunity.
• What are the Qualifications?
  Basically, the candidate must be at least 18 years old, a citizen of the USA, a resident of the district, and a registered voter. Qualified candidates must receive a certain number of signatures to make it on the ballot. Read more in the Illinois 2025 Candidate's Guide (page 52).
• Who Else is Running?
  The West Aurora SD129 School Board has seven members, three of which are up for re-election. The following candidates are running: Austin FitzCorbett, Julie Stone, Ana Cuevas, Richard A. Kerns II, Cesar A. Valdez, and Erika Garcia.