Effective school boards build a base of competencies (knowledge and skills) that help them succeed in their roles. They know the difference between boardsmanship and governance. They use individual board member competencies (boardsmanship) that contribute to the work of the board, and whole-board competencies (governance) that can only be performed by the board working together. These competencies increase a board’s potential for success. However, to fully realize that potential, boards need the right beliefs, values, and attitudes—a mindset for success Read More …
Tag: #governance
On the Value of Board Training
5 Topics that are useful for board member training, and 2 topics that are of no value (or even cause harm) to board member development.
What’s Wrong with Board Professional Development?
This month’s issue of the American School Board Journal includes my article on board PD. In the article I discuss 6 shortcomings that limit the board’s ability to renew and enhance its governing performance and 5 ways that we can recalibrate our understanding of and approach to board professional development. Here’s a link to the article: What’s Wrong with Board Professional Development? (nsba.org)
Gaining New Members? Renew Your Whole Board (Part 3 of 3)
The Board Takes Responsibility for Accountability “Whenever the board gets a new member, a new board is formed.” Part 1 of this post introduced the idea of making the new members’ first day on the job one of intentional induction, not only for the new member but for the “new board” that is being formed. What if the board, seriously accepting responsibility for its own performance, took the opportunity to induct its newest members, while at the same time guiding Read More …
Boards Matter – Part III
Boards Matter – Part III In the high-achieving districts, the board/superintendent team and school personnel consistently expressed an “elevating” view of students. Students were viewed as emerging and flexible and the school’s job was seen as releasing each student’s potential. Bartusek, L (ed.), Iowa School Board COMPASS: A Guide for Those Who Lead Board beliefs/behaviors correlate with student learning. Research specifically looking at school board effectiveness (the Iowa studies conducted in the late 1990s and subsequent work over the next Read More …
Boards Matter – Part II
Boards Matter – Part II …we found five district-level leadership “responsibilities” or “initiatives” with a statistically significant (p < .05) correlation with average student achievement. Ensuring collaborative goal setting. Establishing nonnegotiable goals for achievement and instruction. Creating board alignment with and support of district goals. Monitoring achievement and instruction goals. Allocating resources to support the goals for achievement and instruction. Timothy Waters and Robert Marzano, District Leadership That Works The board influences student learning through district-level leadership Can board leadership Read More …