What School Boards Can Learn From School District Leadership That Works

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What School Boards Can Learn What School Boards Can Learn FromFrom

School District Leadership School District Leadership

That WorksThat WorksWSSDA – November 2007WSSDA – November 2007

Rick Maloney, University Place SD & Director Area 3

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Board Response School Board Perspective:

Nature of Boards Nature of Board-Supt Relationship Advice for Boards

Findings…’translated’ Further Research?

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The Nature of Boards How they ‘speak’ How they ‘act’ A board’s composition

Elected as individuals Whole is different…it has a ‘life’ of its

own

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It’s alive!

School Board

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The Nature of BoardsA board is ‘alive’ only when it meets

…between meetings… A board ‘acts’ thru others A board ‘speaks’ in writing

Policies…Budget…Strategic plan…Annual goals

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The Nature of theBoard-Supt Relationship

Superintendent acts thru the

Board

School School

District

School

CEOBoard

Board acts thru the

Superintendent

School

Board

School

District

School

CEO

School School

District

School

CEO

Superintendent is independent of

the Board

Board

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Advice for Boards “Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way!”

- Thomas Paine

Effective leaders employ each of the three

The trick is to know when to do which

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McREL FindingsI. “District-level leadership matters”II. “Effective superintendents focus their

efforts on creating goal-oriented districts”

III. “Superintendent tenure is positively correlated with student achievement”

Find and Replace:‘superintendent’ … ‘school board’

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McREL FindingsI. “District-level leadership matters”

Implies: Superintendent leadership matters

Implies: School board leadership mattersII. “Effective superintendents focus

their efforts on creating goal-oriented districts”

III. “Superintendent tenure is positively correlated with student achievement”

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McREL FindingsI. “District-level leadership matters”II. “Effective superintendents focus

their efforts on creating goal-oriented districts”

III. “Superintendent tenure is positively correlated with student achievement”

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McREL FindingsI. “District-level leadership matters”II. “Effective superintendents focus their

efforts on creating goal-oriented districts”

1. Collaborative Goal-Setting2. Non-negotiable goals for achievement/instr.3. Board alignment/support of district goals4. Monitor goals for achievement/instruction5. Use of resources to support ach/instr goals6. “Defined autonomy”

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McREL FindingsI. “District-level leadership matters”II. “Effective school boards focus their

efforts on creating goal-oriented districts”

III. “Superintendent tenure is positively correlated with student achievement”

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1. Collaborative Goal-Setting

“Effective superintendents include all relevant stakeholders, including central office staff, building-level administrators, and board members, in establishing goals for their districts.”

Creating goal-oriented districts

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1. Collaborative Goal-Setting

Effective school boards include all relevant stakeholders, including superintendent, staff, and community, in establishing goals for their districts.

Creating goal-oriented districts

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2. Non-negotiable Goals for Achievement and Instruction

“Effective superintendents ensure that the collaborative goal-setting process results in non-negotiable goals…

(Ends)…specific achievement targets for schools and students

(Means)…consistent use of research-based instructional strategies for all classrooms

Creating goal-oriented districts

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2. Non-negotiable Goals for Achievement and Instruction

“Effective school boards ensure that the collaborative goal-setting process results in non-negotiable goals…

(Ends)…specific achievement targets for the district

(Means)…consistent use of research-based instructional strategies for the district

Creating goal-oriented districts

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3. Board Alignment and Support of District Goals

BoardWork

SuperintendentWork

Goals for

Achieve-ment and

Instruc-tion

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3. Board Alignment and Support

of District Goals “The local board of education is

aligned with and supportive of the non-negotiable goals for achievement and instruction.

“…the primary focus of the district’s efforts…”

“…no other initiatives detract attention…” This is more likely if the board…

‘Owns’ district goals Doesn’t just review them

Creating goal-oriented districts

Author~PublisherAuthor~Fan Club

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4. Monitoring Goals for Achievement and Instruction

“Effective superintendents continually monitor district progress toward achievement and instructional goals to ensure that these goals remain the driving force behind a district’s actions.”

Creating goal-oriented districts

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4. Monitoring Goals for Achievement and Instruction

“Effective school boards continually monitor district progress toward achievement and instructional goals to ensure that these goals remain the driving force behind a district’s actions.”

Their meetings (where boards are alive) spend considerable board time on this monitoring function

Creating goal-oriented districts

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5. Use of Resources to Support Achievement and Instruction

Goals “Effective superintendents ensure

that the necessary resources, including time, money, personnel, and materials, are allocated to accomplish the district’s goals.”

Creating goal-oriented districts

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5. Use of Resources to Support Achievement and Instruction

Goals “Effective school boards ensure that

the necessary resources, including time, money, personnel, and materials, are allocated to accomplish the district’s goals.”

They do so by speaking thru policy/budget… directing goal-directed allocation of resources

They do so by acting…spending board time monitoring allocation and use of resources

Creating goal-oriented districts

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6. Defined Autonomy Continuum of Autonomy

The district sets non-negotiable goals Autonomy in how to meet goals

Sets parameters, but does not overprescribe

Defined autonomy = “bounded freedom” to act

TotalDistrictControl

TotalBuilding

Autonomy

Creating goal-oriented districts

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6. Defined Autonomy “Effective superintendents may

provide principals with ‘defined autonomy’…

…clear, non-negotiable goals……yet provide school leadership teams with…

…authority for determining how to meet those goals.”

Creating goal-oriented districts

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6. Defined Autonomy “Effective school boards may provide

superintendents with ‘defined autonomy’…

…clear, non-negotiable goals……yet provide district leadership teams with…

…authority for determining how to meet those goals.”

Creating goal-oriented districts

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McREL FindingsI. “District-level leadership matters”II. “Effective superintendents focus

their efforts on creating goal-oriented districts”

III. “Superintendent tenure is positively correlated with student achievement”

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McREL FindingsI. “District-level leadership matters”II. “Effective superintendents focus

their efforts on creating goal-oriented districts”

III. “Superintendent tenure is positively correlated with student achievement”

Stability is + correlated w/achievement Can be directly related to board action

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McREL Findings - Modified

I. “School board leadership matters”II. “Effective school boards focus their

efforts on creating goal-oriented districts”

III. “Superintendent tenure is positively correlated with student achievement”

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Advice for Boards Lead

What boards can do – leadership role[e.g. – monitor goal achievement]

FollowWhat boards can do – support role[e.g. – allocate $$ on district goals]

Get out of the wayWhat boards can avoid doing [e.g. – inciting political instability]

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General Conclusions Inferences/assumptions…

Board leadership matters Boards are separate from, yet work thru,

their superintendents Board leadership is not defined merely by

what the superintendent does Board effectiveness is defined by whether

or not district leadership is effective Questions for further research…

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Some Research Questions

1. Does board leadership matter?2. On what do effective boards focus their

efforts? On what do effective school boards focus their

superintendents’ efforts? How do effective school boards focus their

superintendents’ efforts?3. What ‘board effects’ [on supt leadership]

correlate with student achievement?4. Is there a relationship between defined

autonomy of the superintendent and student achievement?