Governing Effectively via a Framework for School Governance
(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) “A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” ― Thomas Paine Paine offered the above advice to America’s Founding Fathers, who were debating how best to limit the power of government. Considering Paine’s advice as it applies to the board member role: If board and board member performance were evaluated and made public, many board members might be a bit more restrained in their actions. ― Read More …
(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) A school board, being composed of persons, may find self-assessment distasteful. Implicit in the process, after all, is the assumption that its members will admit to some failures. They must be ready to see themselves as lacking in some areas. But board members, like most people, may get defensive when asked to account for their shortcomings. It is easier for boards to critique the performance of their main employee, the superintendent. ― Gene Maeroff1 Read More …
(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) The unexamined life is not worth living. – Socrates Becoming a Better Board Member offers advice to boards for monitoring their own performance: Reviewing our own performance can be a healing experience. Scenario: A year and a half after two new members joined the South Valley School Board, deep divisions remain among board members and between the board and top district leadership. The board and senior staff, interviewed anonymously by an outside consultant, said Read More …
(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) High-performing boards are characterized by a number of observable behaviors. They know what their job is, and they do it efficiently. They plan their own work and perform their work at the policy level, focusing more on organizational outcomes than process. They are responsible for their own performance; they follow their own rules and deal fairly and consistently with staff and each other. They set the vision for themselves and the organization. They clearly understand Read More …
(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) Scenario: Bernie and Maria were discussing remarks made about the swimming pool during the public comment period at the Coalville board meeting. An elderly man had accused the board of reneging on an implied promise made during the recent bond campaign: “You folks need to understand that we paid for these facilities, and we expect them to be made available for our use.” “We need assurance that the swimming pool is accessible to retirees Read More …
(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) [School boards] establish a strong communications structure to inform and engage both internal and external stakeholders in setting and achieving district goals They are masterful in two dimensions of community leadership: advocating for their school districts and developing and maintaining strong strategic partnerships. – NSBA1 Advocacy is the responsibility of a school board to speak on behalf of students. Using its platform as community representative, the board informs the public, including (especially) state and Read More …
(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) Vision without action is a dream, and action without vision is aimless. Board policy represents the intersection of vision and accountability…Policies can and should reflect local values and principles designed to address local needs and what the board cares about. – Katherine Gemberling et al1 Policy can be strategic when it gives broad guidance to district leadership, including the board itself. It can be operational when more routine district activities receive detailed direction. Scenario: Read More …
(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) This program first provided a solution by bringing the district together under a unified goal, our communities’ health. During regular monthly meetings, members discuss new and innovative ways to provide health education to students, families, and staff…Initially, there was pushback by the community, but with more education provided, the community began to understand the importance of this issue. They also began to understand that they were able to make the transformation…the committee solicited help Read More …
(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) …reforms that seek greater transparency are increasingly on the rise…information empowers citizens to hold public officials accountable…disclosure of information about government institutions, policies, and programs empowers citizens to hold officials responsible for their spending and performance…leading, eventually, to more accountable, responsive, and effective governance. – Kosack and Fung1 The importance of transparency in the governance of public schools cannot be ignored and must therefore be a non-negotiable value in assuring accountability to the school Read More …
(49 Questions to Ask Your Board) Are the means that the administration uses in reaching the desired ends beyond the scope of the school board’s concerns? Of course not. The methods should be fair and ethical. They should be affordable. They should be gauged against the best interests of students, taxpayers and staff. A school board that turns its back on questionable practices that lead to desired results is derelict in its duty. ― Gene Maeroff1 The board continuously connects with its Read More …