Providing Leadership and Service

State Boards of Education

Purpose of the Session

Familiarize participants with the practices of effective boards and board members

Getting Up to Speed

Board Responsibilities•Meeting Dates Etc.•Public Responsibilities

•Committee Assignments•Policy Manual •Paper or Paperless•E-mail

Department Operations

•Who does what•Federal programs•Budget development•Legal obligations•What does it mean

Understanding Continuing and Emerging Issues

•What the Board is currently working on•What is the nature of the Board’s political relationships

•Governor•GEPA

•Legislature•Education Community

•What are the national issues impacting the Board’s work

STATE BOARD LEADERSHIP

The Role and Responsibility of the State Board of Education

•The State Board of Education is both a governing and an advisory body

•In that capacity it is:•proactive•reactive •interactive

A Governing Board

Regulatory and administrative rule and policy making body for education

An Advisory Board

Advisory body to the chief state school officer, the legislature and the governor

on education issues and policy

Legal Authority and Responsibility – the things you

must do e.g.•Approve or adopt state education goals and standards•Approve or adopt high school graduation requirements•Approve or adopt state testing and assessment programs•Approve or adopt standards for accreditation of local school districts

• Approve or adopt certification standards for teachers and administrators

• Approve or adopt standards for accreditation of preparation programs for educators

• Approve or adopt rules and regulations for the administration of state programs

Moral Authority and Responsibility – the things you should do

•Set the tone for educational leadership in the state•Advocate equity and adequacy for all students•Determine and hold a vision for education in the state•Ensure that all constituencies have a voice and have their concerns addressed

Maintain Stability

•Protect progress through political change while accommodating new ideas•Build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders

Practices of Effective Boards

•Engages in Strategic Planning•Develop, understand and support the mission,

vision and goals of the Board•Uses its time effectively

•Supports the vision in primary actions and positions

•Reflected in the Board agenda, workshops and priorities

•Engages in informed policymaking decisions•Presentations•Work sessions•Research

•Uses consensus decision making•Focus on strategic goals and priorities•Promotes diversity and unity•Maintains individual and collective responsibility

•Facilitates an effective working relationship with the Superintendent and the political structure

•Distinguishes between governance and management•Has an external focus•Uses public engagement

•Provides for new member orientation and ongoing professional development

How Boards Get Off Track

• Lack of clear, measurable goals• Time on trivia• Short-term bias and a reactive stance• Failure to engage the public in a meaningful

way• Reviewing rehashing, redoing• Individuals going around the collective board• Failure to conduct board evaluations• Personal agendas• Agendas driven by staff• Political agendas

An Effective Board Member

•Believes in and demonstrate support for the Board’s mission•Uses his or her personal and professional expertise to support the work of the Board•Demonstrates understanding of a statewide perspective•Understands the distinction between state and local policy issues•Has time for Board service, including time to prepare and attend meetings

Great Ways to Be an Ineffective Board Member

• Never, ever read your material in advance

• Talk or whisper to the person sitting next to you, preferably loud enough to be disruptive

• Take a little snooze during presentations

• Regularly abstain from voting on positions

• Don’t accept the consensus of the Board

Great Ways to Be an Ineffective Board Member

• Disappear for one to three months between board meetings

• Sit quietly throughout the entire meeting; make no comments, ask no questions

• Embarrass or insult staff members or your fellow board members during a meeting

Great Ways to Be an Ineffective Board Member

• Criticize every report from a committee on which you do not sit

• Leave your cell phone on and make sure you get calls during the meeting - if you don’t get any calls make some

• Read and respond to all the emails on your blackberry during the meeting

• Always leave early, try to go during the most important discussion of the meeting and make sure it is a surprise to the chair