Another look at Questions #2-6 of “49 Questions to Ask Your School Board”

Rick Maloney

Governance mindset as a prerequisite for board readiness A governance mindset is one necessary component of board readiness, the other being a governance approach. An effective governance mindset has several features, including two elements that make up a servant-leader mindset, and two elements that make up a growth mindset. Davis and Fullan1 describe a governance mindset as something that enables the individual board members to transcend their boardsmanship role to contribute to the governance role of the whole board: The Read More …

Questions 1-11 of “49 Questions to Ask Your School Board”

Rick Maloney

At this point, having reviewed the first 11 questions (the total number will be 49) and having considered at least a partial answer to each, let’s observe their connections, each with one another, and how they combine to illustrate the broader category of board readiness. Questions 1-11 deal with the board’s need to be ready with a foundation of knowledge, skills, and dispositions that enable it to carry out broad governance functions: One perspective from which to view board readiness Read More …

Question #11 – Does Your Board Take a Strategic Approach to Meetings?

Rick Maloney

(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) “The school board meeting is the community’s window to the school system. The public often will assume schools are run the same way school board meetings are run.“ ― Gemberling et al1 This caution from the Key Work of School Boards reminds us of the importance of treating board meetings seriously. Like policy, meetings have the potential to be truly strategic or merely operational. “The board meeting minutes from a $60 million district showed Read More …

“Skills for an Effective School Board Member” Article in the American School Board Journal

Rick Maloney

This article in American School Board Journal is the second in a series of articles about knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed by a new school board member.
Boardsmanship skills include connecting with the community, advocating for students, contributing to board meetings, referring issues for action, balancing confidentiality and transparency, each in appropriate situations, complying with law, etc. Other skills involve contributing to effectiveness in the board’s governance capacity.

Question #10 – Does Your Board Take a Strategic Approach to Policy?

Rick Maloney

(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) “Boards should avoid spending time on routine operating policies, but they should be deeply involved in the development of reform policies, policies designed to change the district, in fundamental ways to improve student achievement and district operations.” ― Don McAdams1 School boards should spend their finite available time primarily on what are clearly strategic policies rather than routine operating policies. A strategic approach to policy elevates the policy-making function, enabling it to make a Read More …

Question #9 – Does Your Board ‘Act’ in a Systematic Way?

Rick Maloney
Systematic, step-by-step

An effective board exercises discipline in a systematic approach to deliberation and decision-making, fitting each board action into a recognizable pattern of governing action that ensures the board’s structures and routines are guided by intentional decisions made in alignment with its strategic role. – more – (click on the image above)

Question #8 – Does Your Board ‘See’ With a Systems Perspective?

Rick Maloney

(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) Governing with a systems perspective means understanding not only that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, but that each of the parts is essential…effective governance flows from understanding and paying attention to all of these elements. – Katherine Gemberling et al1 A systems perspective enables a board to take a strategic view of the whole district before it acts. It ensures that the board considers how decisions targeting one part, Read More …

Question #7 – Does Your Board Take a Strategic Approach?

Rick Maloney

(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) “Boards are powerful. They select; evaluate; and, if they choose, terminate superintendents. They set goals, allocate resources, create policy frameworks, and oversee management and are the bridge between districts and the publics they serve.“ – Don McAdams1 The above succinctly describes the school board’s role and broadly outlines a strategic approach to carrying out that role. The effective board has a clear sense of its purpose. It distinguishes the strategic work of the board Read More …

Question #6 – Does Your Board Have the Work Ethic Needed for Growth?

Rick Maloney

(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) “On the most basic level, members have to keep up with continually changing state and federal mandates and laws, something that district staffers generally help with. They also need to keep up with promising initiatives to raise student achievement in and outside their district as well as continually evolving systems for monitoring data and engaging the community in school improvement. New board members especially need training in their roles and responsibilities and in laws Read More …

“Foundation of Knowledge” Article in the American School Board Journal

Rick Maloney

An article that offers advice on orientation/onboarding of a new school board member, focusing on a foundation of essential knowledge about the job, was printed in the August 2024 issue of ASBJ. Providing newcomers to your school board team with helpful knowledge informs them about serving in their role with knowledge that is critical to their success. It encourages that was take advantage of opportunities for learning and reflection about that foundation of knowledge over time. This article is the Read More …