The Sunnyvale School District is governed by the Sunnyvale School District Board of Education. Each Board Member is elected by their respective trustee area and serves a four-year term. Board elections are held in November of even-numbered years.

Roles and Duties of a School Board

According to the California State Education Code, the School Board’s responsibilities are to:

• represent the people of the district
• provide leadership in the establishment of policies, and
• guide the governing of the school district in a manner consistent with the goals and purposes of the community, and in accordance with the State Education Code.

The powers and duties of the Board include governance, executive, and judicial functions. Among its many duties, the Board adopts the annual budget and approves all expenditures; establishes district policy; authorizes the employment of personnel; approves curriculum, textbooks, and courses of study; and makes decisions on all contracts.

Community Participation

The Board of Education believes strongly in parent and community participation, and you are encouraged to express your views on matters affecting our schools. The Board of Education of the Sunnyvale School District welcomes you to Board meetings and will be glad to listen to your opinion on issues that the Board is considering.  The Board of Education follows a written agenda, a copy of which is available online no later than 72 hours before a scheduled meeting.

Topics not specifically listed on board agendas may be addressed by the public under “Comments from the Public.”  This is an opportunity for community members to make suggestions, identify concerns, or request information about matters affecting the school district.  In an open session, the Board will not hear personal complaints about school personnel nor complaints against any person through name or inference connected with the school system.  These complaints should be referred to the Superintendent.  Speakers are asked to fill out a speaker card and turn it in to the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent. When called by the Board President, speakers are to approach the podium if in person or raise their hand if online, state their full name and affiliation if any, and limit their comments to three minutes.

School Board Meetings 

Board of Education meetings are generally scheduled at 6 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of the month at the Sunnyvale School District Administrative Office, 819 West Iowa Avenue, Sunnyvale. Please visit the Board calendar for the most up-to-date schedule. Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting in person or online. A link to join online can be found on the meeting's written agenda, a copy of which is available online no later than 72 hours before a scheduled meeting.  You can find the Board agendas by going to www.sesd.org and clicking on the Board Agenda icon or by clicking here. Zoom participants can enable automated captions by clicking on CC Live Transcript and selecting Show Subtitle. Zoom participants can also enable live Spanish interpretation by clicking on Interpretation and selecting Spanish. Participants can then click "Mute Original Audio" to hear the interpreted language only.