Transcript The School Board of The Future

The School Board of The
Future
Boards of Education in 2025
NSBA Federation of Trainers and Conference Planners
Annual Conference
June 25, 2015
Our Vision and Mission
We remain bullish on school boards, understanding
that the challenges they face also will be the challenges
that our associations face. If we can describe the school
boards of the future, we can help them get there by
identifying programs, services and activities that both
NSBA and the state association can establish.
Trends and Challenges for School Boards and
Public Education
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B.
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D.
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F.
G.
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I.
World-Class education for ALL students
Demographics and barriers to learning
Social/Technology changes
Over-regulation at the state and federal levels
State and mayoral takeovers
Resources
Choice
Vouchers and privatization
Negative perception of public schools
Strengths in Effective Local Governance
Strengths in Effective Local Governance
A. Bedrock of Democracy
B. Legislative Authority
C. Representatives of All of The Community
D. Connections To All levels of Government
E. Credibility in Addressing Issues of Concern in Education
F. Taxing Authority in Most States
G. Dedicated, hardworking Board members
Challenges in Effective Local Governance
•Student achievement
•Board and superintendent relationships
•Advocacy by boards
•Labor unions and negotiations
•Community leaders on boards
A Vision for School Boards
A Call to Leadership for School Boards
A. Accountability
B. Advocacy
C. Innovation
D. Collaboration
E. Customer-Service oriented
The Role of State School Boards Associations and NSBA
It is the responsibility of NSBA and state
school boards associations to harness the
strengths of school boards so they can
flourish and serve the nation’s children
Initiatives Underway
•A. Public advocacy campaign
•Key Work of School Boards
Ideas for State and National Action
•A. A Statutory and regulatory authority for
innovative School Board leadership.
•B. Legislative policy to strengthen school boards
Consider:
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Mandatory training for board and their members
Alternative governance options, such as augmenting board
composition with appointed board members with specific
knowledge or skills.
Operational or statutory changes to remove boards from
perfunctory approvals of operational issues such as personnel
hiring.
Collecting and illuminating the absurdities of state policy and
over-regulation to bolster the case for better decision making.
Eliminating or limiting categorical funding or earmarks so schools
have more flexibility to fund priorities and meet student needs.
C. Low - Performing Schools:
Present an alternative to governance model we can support,
or at least support for a specified amount of time, before
local control would return.
D. Competition, Choice, and Charters:
School Boards must have a level playing field with charter
schools and other schools of choice.
E. Candidates for Board Service:
It’s important that we encourage high-quality individual to
run. We also need to encourage candidates from diverse
groups, such as minorities, to serve on boards.
Conclusion
• Boards use their experience, knowledge of their communities, legal
authority and their roles as conveners of the community to best
understand and make the best use of reformers’ solutions to the
challenges in public education.
• State associations and NSBA have critical roles including tools to help
boards and make the case before the state and federal governments.
We must provide our boards with assistance, advocacy and other
services that can help get them to our idealized board of the future.
• We must all work hard to save this cherished institution of our
democracy. It must be a team effort.