Effective governance training for school boards: Where to begin
A new school board member — or even an experienced one — can have questions about where their responsibilities begin and end. This is especially true now, because evolving ideas of school board responsibility mean today’s school board members are performing a different role than previous generations.
So how does a board member today ensure they are excelling at their role? Let’s take a look at the modern vision of the school board member, how training can shape performance and success and how technology can help.
Oversight of management versus governance
First, let’s define two important terms: oversight of management and governance.
Oversight of management
Oversight of management is the core function of a school board member. Not only is oversight more tangible than governance, but board members typically have more experience in it. Almost all adults manage something in some capacity: people at work, a budget, children, a home.
In these arenas, most people feel like fairly competent managers, so they feel they can competently oversee management activities. Additionally, management typically includes tasks that can be quantified in some way. Even a board member who does not feel completely competent can read a facilities report, track teacher attrition or get training in budgetary matters.
Governance
Governance is an altogether different matter. Literally, it can be defined as the processes of interaction and decision-making among the actors involved in a collective problem that lead to the creation, reinforcement or reproduction of social norms and institutions.
The roots of the word “governance” mean “to steer,” and that more closely represents what board members should be doing in their governance role. So how is it that they default away from the primary role of their positions — the one that has the potential for the biggest impact on the culture of the community? The answer is two-fold:
- Lack of understanding of what governance entails
- Lack of confidence about the impact governance can have (and how to go about it)
The changing role of the school board
The school board’s role, and its perception in the community, has shifted over the years.
Jeanetta Smith, a former Denton ISD (Texas) school board member, recalled her father, as a school board member in the 1940s, stopping his plowing to interview a potential teacher in the field where he was working.
Since then, board work has moved away from this granular level of participation to more of an oversight role as legislation became increasingly specific about the roles of district administrators, while largely ignoring the board. School reform of the late 1980s and early 1990s focused on district employees, from administrators to teachers. Very little attention was paid to the board itself.
Yet with the professionalization of education, the role of board members changed. School boards were encouraged not to play an active role in student achievement. Generally, boards felt more comfortable leaving instructional matters solely in the hands of professional educators. Boards have been excluded from the school reform literature and from consideration as key leaders in the school change process.
That is, until recently.
As research studies have begun to examine the impact of school boards on educational improvement, beliefs about school boards are shifting once more. Empirical evidence shows the correlations between school board behaviors and student achievement. Look at these examples:
- A 2011 paper found that student achievement is correlated with two sources of social capital of school boards: internal and external ties. “Internal ties refer to the bonding of members within a school board; external ties can be conceptualized as the bridging between board members and all other stakeholders.”
- In his 2008 work, Thomas L. Alsbury found “student test score decline as board turnover increased, particularly in smaller districts and when delineating politically motivated board turnover.”
"Even though school boards are removed from the teaching and learning that goes on every day in classrooms, there are critical linkages between the policymakers who guide local school districts and the behaviors of those who regularly interact with students. Efforts to improve student learning must include efforts to support and develop the knowledge and skills of local school board members as vital parts of the leadership continuum providing guidance and direction around the urgent need to improve learning outcomes for students." — Iowa School Boards Foundation
Governance training is key to an effective board
With school boards’ role more clearly influencing district success, how can our boards be best prepared to do the work?? Most states require some degree of school board training. While this training varies from state to state in terms of amount, method of delivery, topics and accountability, there is a shared understanding that boards need training.
Missouri focuses on initial training, requiring 18.5 hours in the first 12 months; other states, such as Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Washington and New Mexico, require additional annual training. A cursory glance at the approved topics in Missouri shows that while the balance of training topics is still skewed toward oversight, governance topics are appearing with increasing representation: Student Achievement, School Law, School Finance, Board Policy, Board Relations, Board Operations, Goal Setting/Strategic Planning, Advocacy and Communications, to name some examples.
Align the school board
Aligned leadership or organized chaos — how cohesive is your school board? Join us for a panel discussion "From roles to results: Getting your school board on the same page"
Register nowA deeper understanding of school board governance discourages micromanagement of staff by creating a proactive role for board members in monitoring student outcomes — bringing student achievement to the fore. Boards must be trained on setting high-end goals for student learning and the means to reach those goals. School board training can help board members understand the need for setting a vision and adopting goals to help make tangible progress toward that vision.
This training requires a deeper exploration than most board members can receive at a single conference. Effective board training that brings about real change needs to be focused, specific and ongoing — embracing a full board training lifecycle. In this lifecycle, members’ entire experience, from their first days to their departure, offer opportunities for deepening their understanding of their roles, the issues they face and their ability to work together as a strong team.
Technology and good governance
If board members are expected to be the leaders of the district, all their actions matter. It is not enough to charge teachers and administrators with empowering future-ready students; boards must lead by example. Take technology. Its use is expected in today's classrooms, to prepare students for tomorrow’s careers. That expectation needs to be reflected in today's boardrooms, too.
Moreover, board cohesion matters. The research shows that the more contentious and disorganized a school board is, the lower the student achievement. Technology is the key to board members becoming better organized and demonstrating that organization through positive teamwork. Yet many board members are reluctant to adopt new technologies — concerned about security, being overwhelmed by complex new tools or feeling that the same old solutions are good enough. However, they aren’t good enough for today’s demands on the board and the students they inspire.
Consider some of the benefits the board will realize by adopting a high-performing board management solution like Diligent Community:
- One tool for the entire leadership team and support staff. No matter where or when they work, Diligent Community is available and accessible from a variety of devices.
- Ease of use. Build meeting agendas quickly, with template-based authoring, and add supporting materials in a consistent, searchable interface. Agendas can be published in a click.
- Greater transparency. With Diligent Community, parents and the public can access policy information, meeting materials and outcomes and other data about school progress.
- Quick access to training resources. Board administrators can provide resources accessible to the entire board, from early onboarding hours to team-building to specific school issues.
Good governance training will not only serve the board members, but a better understanding of the job will help board members educate the community, propagating the next generation of leaders.
Board members need the right tools to perform their role well, both now and as it further evolves. Diligent Community is designed to support board members as they develop their skills to better serve their schools. Let us know how we can support you!
More to explore
6 smart ways to use technology to support training for school board members
Board development is key to successful school board service, so it’s no wonder that support and training are mentioned among reasons why school board members would choose not to pursue office again. Using technology can help board training be more efficient and effective.
What makes a good school board member?
Effective school board members have certain key qualities but also work hard to understand their role, continue their own development and training, and leverage technology to push for growth and achievement.
Best practices for school board member training
School board member training and development allows board members to make use of training resources and implement practices to best serve the public.
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