The study, tenth in a series sponsored by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and the National School Boards Association, proposed to determine salient factors in the recruitment and selection of school board members and, further, how these factors related to selected demographic and personal variables and/or the method (elected or appointed) by which school board members' were selected. In addition, the study examined board members' preferences for a trustee versus delegate role in relation to their communities.

The study utilized descriptive research methodology and survey technique to gather data from a national sample of school board members. A stratified random sample of board members was selected from the list of subscribers to The American School Board Journal. The survey was designed to collect attitudinal, personal, and demographic information about school board members and obtain information regarding selected characteristics of their school board and factors related to their recruitment and selection to that board. Appropriate descriptive research methodology and statistical treatments were utilized. Findings were related to six major research questions as well as historical information and previous research on this topic.

The study's results described respondents by region of the United States, enrollment size, type of community, sex, race, age, educational level, occupation, length of board service, size of school board, coterminousness of boundaries, and fiscal relationship of the school districts. Ten factors related to the recruitment and selection of school board members were described including prior community service, sources of encouragement, reason for seeking membership, representative structure, political status, format and competition, the campaign process, selection, recall, and future intentions. Data were analyzed to provide a descriptive summary and determine differences according to method of selection (elected versus appointed) and 12 variables related to demographic, personal, and school board characteristics. Differences between elected and appointed board members were viewed as representing statistically significant as well as "true" phenomenological differences. Data revealed a preference for a trustee role suggesting that the majority of school board members sought, were selected, and were motivated to represent the interests of their communities.