The Jefferson Parish School Board is an independent legislative body created under Louisiana Revised Statute 17:51. The School Board has the power to make rules and regulations for its own government consistent with the laws of the State of Louisiana and the regulations of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and to levy taxes and collect revenues through state-approved means.

The School Board consists of nine members elected from districts. Each Board Member serves a term of four years, and the terms are concurrent.

The chief duties of the Jefferson Parish School Board are to:

• Appoint the Superintendent 
• Establish school attendance boundaries
• Establish public schools as it deems necessary to provide adequate facilities
• Determine the number of teachers to be employed and to determine local supplement to their salaries
• Approve the central office and school-based administrative staffing formulas and the associated salaries
• Formulate educational and other policy
• Establish short-and long-range planning processes
• Adopt a balanced annual budget, and
• Exercise oversight authority for all financial matters.