City of Boston Opens Applications for Boston School Committee

The City of Boston today announced that applications for three four-year terms on the Boston School Committee are now being accepted by the Boston School Committee Nominating Panel. The Nominating Panel is a thirteen-member body composed of Boston Public Schools (BPS) parents, educators, school leaders, and representatives of the business and higher education communities. 

In January 2026, two current Boston School Committee members’ current terms are set to expire, prompting the beginning of the Nominating Panel process this fall. The selected members for these terms will begin on January 1, 2026 and expire on January 7, 2030. 

In addition, the Nominating Panel will accept applications for candidates to serve the remainder of the term currently expiring on January 2, 2029 due to a third vacancy to happen when Michael O’Neill, who currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Boston School Committee, steps down at the end of December.  

Applications to fill the upcoming vacancies are due Friday, November 7, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. The application can be found here.

Virtual interviews will be held in the early evening on Tuesday, November 18; Wednesday, November 19; and/or Thursday, November 20. Candidates must be Boston residents and should expect that service on the School Committee involves a significant time commitment to connect with school departments and leaders and prepare for and attend biweekly meetings that run into late hours in the evening.

The Boston School Committee is the governing body of the Boston Public Schools. The School Committee is responsible for:

• Defining the vision, mission, and goals of the Boston Public Schools;
• Establishing and monitoring the annual operating budget;
• Hiring, managing, and evaluating the Superintendent; and
• Setting and reviewing district policies and practices to support student achievement. 

The seven members of the School Committee are Boston residents appointed by the Mayor. The Mayor appoints members from a list of candidates recommended by the Boston School Committee Nominating Panel. The School Committee also includes a non-voting student member of the Boston Student Advisory Council. 

The School Committee meets approximately twice per month during the school year to adopt, review and modify policies and practices that support teaching, learning, and improved student achievement. With the exception of executive sessions, Committee meetings are open to the public, feature public comment periods, and are broadcast on Boston City TV.  

Please direct all questions and submit completed applications to scnominatingpanel@boston.gov or to Boston City Hall, Mayor’s Office, 5th floor, Boston, MA 02201. You can learn more about the Boston School Committee online.

Applications will be available in English, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Spanish, Haitian Creole and Cape Verdean Kriolu. For more information regarding the Boston School Committee Nominating Panel and the application process, please visit this link.