- Effective school boards commit to a vision of high expectations for student achievement and quality instruction and define clear goals toward that vision.
- Effective school boards have strong shared beliefs and values about what is possible for students and their ability to learn, and of the system and its ability to teach all children at high levels.
- Effective school boards are accountability driven, spending less time on operational issues and more time focused on policies to improve student achievement.
- Effective school boards have a collaborative relationship with staff and the community and establish a strong communications structure to inform and engage both internal and external stakeholders in setting and achieving district goals.
- Effective boards are data savvy; they embrace and monitor data, even when the information is negative, and use it to drive continuous improvement.
- Effective school boards align and sustain resources, such as professional development, to meet district goals.
- Effective school boards lead as a united team with the superintendent, each from their respective roles, with strong collaboration and mutual trust.
- Effective school boards take part in team development and training, sometimes with their superintendents, to build shard knowledge, values and commitments for their improvement efforts.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards
I haven't read the whole report yet, but I will. I will encourage my colleagues to do the same. Have a look at the list below, and ask yourself whether this describes the Loudoun School Board. Ask yourself whether Loudoun demands (or even supports) these characteristics from its school board representatives.
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Effective school boards are not cockholded by a Board of Supervisors who alone have the ability to levy taxes for school budgets.
ReplyDeleteEffective school boards do NOT increase taxes year after year after year! Instead they cut staff and programs based on current priorities. It is remarkable that in the worst economic downturn since the great depression LCPS has let go ZERO employees to cut costs.
ReplyDeleteRather than blindly increase or decrease funding, maybe more attention should be paid to HOW current funds are being invested. A start would be to require that all programs have measurable goals -- and then assess performance against them.
ReplyDeleteThen we either drop unproductive programs or get a bigger bang for our buck.
anonymous 9:31--- which employees do you suggest LCPS let go? Hopefully it is not teaching staff..we are already busting at the seems in some schools and are building more. Who is going to educate these children? I don't want my kids in a class with over 30 kids some of whom have special needs and have only 1 teacher to teach them. There are cuts that can and should be made but NOT at the expense of MY child's (or yours) education.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said mentioned that zero "employees" have been cut and the other anonymous immediately jumped to defending teachers. There are MANY other positions in the school system that could be considered if cuts were deemed necessary. Most schools have the luxury of having way more "non-teaching" employees (admin, guidance, etc) than they probably need. Again - the key is need - not want. I'm sure everyone is providing an appreciated service...but in tough times, the difference between "need" and "want" has to really be looked at. Education must be the single highest priority.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see number 3 and 6 implemented in LCPS.
ReplyDeleteI think Loudoun could use a lot more of 3 and 4. And a whole lot less of # 7.
ReplyDeleteAn effective school Board needs common sense. An effective school board understands a school budget and can make the necessary cuts when needed. I'd give out school Board a C- and Dr Hatrick a D. I can't recall either ever cutting anything out of their school budget(from year to year), unless the BOS cuts their budget.
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