1 What School Boards Can Learn From School District Leadership That Works WSSDA – November 2007 Rick Maloney, University Place SD & Director Area 3

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What School Boards Can Learn What School Boards Can Learn FromFrom

School District Leadership School District Leadership

That WorksThat Works

WSSDA – 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 Boards

A 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 Findings

I. “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 Findings

I. “District-level leadership matters” Implies: Superintendent leadership

matters Implies: School board leadership matters

II. “Effective superintendents focus their efforts on creating goal-oriented districts”


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McREL Findings

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

their efforts on creating goal-oriented districts”


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McREL Findings

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


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 Findings

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



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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.


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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


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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


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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 themCreating goal-oriented districts

Author~Publisher

Author~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.”


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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


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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.”


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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


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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


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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.”


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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.”


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McREL Findings




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McREL Findings




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



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Advice for Boards

LeadWhat 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?

Documents

1 What School Boards Can Learn From School District Leadership That Works WSSDA – November 2007 Rick Maloney, University Place SD & Director Area 3