Looking to make your mark on local education policy? Here's your chance to apply for an open position on the Manhattan Beach Unified School District's school board - but act quickly, because the board aims to fill the position within two weeks.

There is one open position on the board due to last month's resignation of Trustee Jason Boxer.

The appointed board member will have all of the powers of a regular board member, and will serve until the next regularly scheduled board election, which is in November 2024.

To apply, a prospective candidate must fill out an application packet and submit it to the Superintendent’s Office, 325 S. Peck Avenue, Manhattan Beach, or sent it via email to [email protected] by 4:00 p.m. on February 10, 2023.

To be eligible:

• The candidate must be at least 18 years of age
• The candidate must be a resident of Manhattan Beach (and remain a resident for the duration of the term)
• The candidate must be a citizen of California
• The candidate must be a registered voter
• The candidate must not be disqualified from holding a civil office
• The candidate must be eligible to be elected or appointed a member of a governing board of a school district without further qualifications

The selection timeline will proceed as follows: 

February 11-13: Board members will review applications and verify residency, voter registration, and other applicants' materials. 

February 14: Applicants will be notified of an invitation to interview. 

February 15: Board members will interview and select a new board member at a special board meeting. Following the selection, the new board member will be sworn in and will participate in that week's regularly scheduled closed and open board meeting sessions. 

March 13: If for some reason the vacancy is not filled by this date, the L.A. County Superintendent may call a special election to fill the position. 

If a special election becomes necessary, the L.A. County Registrar/Recorder has officially estimated the cost of a special stand-alone election (which would have to be held in November 2023) as $879,000.