U.S. Term Limits applauds Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for signing the bill that enforces eight year term limits for school board members. This momentous achievement is a result of USTL’s tireless advocacy for term limits for members of school boards, which began in 2017. Our efforts included active participation in town hall meetings, engagement with the Florida State Supreme Court, involvement in the Constitution Revision Commission, and multiple legislative sessions. The statute will have a significant impact as it applies to 358 Florida school board members across 69 districts.
USTL played a crucial role in initiating and driving the advocacy for this critical reform. We organized a group of passionate activists who testified in Tallahassee in favor of this bill. Additionally, we actively attended town halls during the Constitutional Revision Commission battle over the past few years to champion this cause.
The bills in support of term limits for school board members were sponsored by Florida State Senator Blaise Ingoglia and House Representative Alex Rizo. Their efforts led to a resounding victory in both the state senate, with a vote of 30-7, and the state house, with a triumphant margin of 79-29. Term limits for school board members in Florida are particularly crucial due to the generous compensation received by board members, which amounts to a full-time salary for part-time positions. Similar to members of Congress, incumbent members of school boards often enjoy the advantage of strong connections and campaign contributions, making it extremely challenging to unseat them.
Nick Tomboulides, Executive Director of U.S. Term Limits, views term limits for school board members as a unifying issue in Florida that transcends party lines. He remarked, “With the passage of this bill, I am confident this proposal will bring new energy and ideas to school boards that too often suffer from the same untamed incumbency that paralyzes Congress.”
Tomboulides further explained the importance of term limits in the context of school districts, highlighting that the responsibilities entrusted to boards are too vital to be influenced by politics. He emphasized, “When deciding how to direct the $21 billion in funds they receive, board members should be asking ‘how will this improve our schools?’ rather than ‘how will this benefit me personally?’”
By implementing term limits for school board members, we can ensure that the needs of students and their communities take precedence, leading to more effective, efficient, and accountable school board governance.