what school boards can learn from school district leadership that works
DESCRIPTION
What School Boards Can Learn From School District Leadership That Works. WSSDA – November 2007. Rick Maloney, University Place SD & Director Area 3. Board Response. School Board Perspective: Nature of Boards Nature of Board-Supt Relationship Advice for Boards Findings…’translated’ - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
1
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
2
Board Response School Board Perspective:
Nature of Boards Nature of Board-Supt Relationship Advice for Boards
Findings…’translated’ Further Research?
3
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
4
It’s alive!
School Board
5
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
6
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
7
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
8
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’
9
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”
10
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”
11
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”
12
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”
13
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
14
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
15
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
16
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
17
3. Board Alignment and Support of District Goals
BoardWork
SuperintendentWork
Goals for
Achieve-ment and
Instruc-tion
18
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
19
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
20
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
21
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
22
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
23
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
24
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
25
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
26
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”
27
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
28
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”
29
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]
30
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…
31
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?