Board-Savvy Superintendent
Ways for a Board to Show Its Accountability
BY KAREN RUE/School Administrator, September 2021

WORRIED BOARD PRESIDENT to superintendent: “You know we have an oversight role that we’re responsible for. Seems we need to do more about that, so we want a member of the board on the district textbook committee, on the curriculum committee, on the budget committee and on the athletic director interview committee.”

Superintendent to board president: “Let’s talk about that.” (Silent shudder.)

An Oversight Role

The board-savvy superintendent knows that school boards feel a heavy responsibility to attend to their multifaceted governance roles — as policymakers and in oversight of management, employment of the superintendent, budget adoption and evaluation. Ideally, governing boards focus actions on policy making, planning and evaluation and restrict involvement in management to oversight. Yet conflicts inevitably occur when oversight steps into management, particularly when boards are unsure of what oversight means or how to do it.

How can we support boards in fulfilling their oversight role in a way that gives board members confidence they are exhibiting accountability to the community for school district programs and student outcomes? And in a way that encourages school boards to become engaged advocates for public education?

What might be a win-win for boards and superintendents? Consider district effectiveness reports.

Brief But Impactful

District effectiveness reports, or DERs, are board meeting presentations, scheduled throughout the year or in a two-year cycle, on the performance of departments or programs in the district. Common subjects are academic disciplines, human resources, fine arts, advanced academics, athletics, summer school, food services and transportation.

The practice of DERs was introduced to me by colleagues in the Allen Independent School District in Texas and remain a part of board meetings in my former district, Northwest ISD in Justin, Texas.

District effectiveness reports focus on four key areas:

»The program. Whether targeting the math department, student transportation or early literacy, the report starts with purpose, grade levels or department impacted, program costs, and structure, including staffing and students served.

»Specific quality effectiveness indicators. DERs explain the assessments used for evaluation, include data charts demonstrating the successes and areas of need and share progress in achieving goals.

»Evidence of core beliefs and strategic plan. DERs include a clear tie to the board’s core beliefs and its goals as well as a tie to specific indicators of success that are found in strategic plans.

»Next steps in continuous improvement. DERs celebrate achievements yet are transparent in sharing areas for improvement, including adjusted goals and strategies based on student outcomes and data.

It’s not as complicated as it might sound when limited to a 15-minute presentation.

An Advocacy Benefit

District effectiveness reports keep board members informed and support proactive advocacy for public education. Information is placed at their fingertips for sharing the needs of the district in creating partnerships with the greater community. This is especially so if the effectiveness reports are posted on the district website for community consumption.

In regards to the school board president who wanted to ensure oversight, he and fellow members were thrilled to have such a robust and compelling way to stay informed about district progress, student participation and achievement.

Being the parent of a marching band student (and now an informed advocate), the board president was able to explain the impact of fine arts on student achievement when a community member questioned the cost during a time of state budget restraints.

Board-savvy superintendents let board members know they have their backs and will support them in fulfilling their oversight role. A win-win!