School Board Effectiveness
School Board Effectiveness
4-17-09
Bright signs line the roadways reminding us that another school board election is just around the corner. The Cape Henlopen community will elect two new members in early May and this time there are five candidates vying for those seats. From my perspective, it’s refreshing to have concerned citizens step forward to serve the education community in this capacity. This is a major time commitment and a sometimes difficult job. We are lucky to have this type of involvement.
The Center for Public Education has published a study on the five characteristics of an effective school board. There is a wealth of information that would be helpful to consider before voting in this election.
School boards are often times in the center of controversy but they are charged with establishing policies that give the district ways to cope. The purpose of a school board is to provide a voice from the community to the schools. It is a plug-in, a special monitor that allows school policy to flow from community morality and values. The following findings are from the research published on their website.
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Effective boards focus on student achievement The study concludes that “the best school boards understand that student learning is job one. This emphasis necessarily means that policies and resources of schools are targeted to promote achievement for all students. School practices, which have their genesis in policy, ought to have a laser-beam orientation on high standards, a rigorous curriculum, and high-quality teachers. Issues a school board must consider are evaluated against the contribution toward student learning—the core business of schools.” Effective boards allocate resources to needs Not all students walk through the school doors with the same needs. Good school boards recognize this fact and allocate resources such as time, money, and personnel and adjust practices accordingly. Documents of the school district, such as the annual budget, are viewed as tools to reach student-learning priorities, and the district’s spending and practices do not protect sacred cows. Effective boards watch the return on investment We are all accountable to somebody. Effective boards are mindful of their own accountability to the communities that entrust their children to public schools; effective boards routinely and regularly measure and report the return on investment of the education dollars they spend. Effective policy makers today make their greatest gains by asking appropriate questions, and productive boards recognize the self-instructive value in making the following query an ongoing refrain: What services are we providing to which students at what cost and resulting in what benefits? Effective boards use data It has been said, “In God we trust. All others bring data.” By definition, informed policy making requires using data. Otherwise, effective boards cannot be assured that all students, regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic status, are progressing toward and reaching high standards. The challenges to student learning, and particularly to providing equity among all students in achievement, are complex. Communities expect measurable results, through data, from their tax dollars. Effective boards engage the communities they serve The best school boards look for ways to institutionalize parent and patron involvement in providing policy-making input. Specifically, effective boards have established mechanisms for community involvement in setting the vision for the school district, representing the values of the community, and identifying the district’s short-term and long-term priorities. Thinking about these characteristic, written by Carter Ward and Arthur Griffin, allow a discerning community to make wise choices. Does the candidate hold the kind of qualities that would enable him/her to collaborate for the greater good? How can Cape move forward to be the best it can be? |
