In anticipation of retiring from my superintendency and working with school boards, I informally polled many of my superintendent and board members friends. I asked them the most difficult questions that job interviewers ask, and interviewees fret over: “Tell me about a time you made a mistake.” In the case of a job interview, the employer wants to know how you approach challenges, what you learned from the experience, and how constructively you apply that knowledge to other situations. In my case, I simply wanted to validate my own experiences while at the same time learn more about how I should structure my governance workshops and focus my energy as a facilitator.
Here's a list of the most common mistakes governance teams make, followed by corrective actions and strategies.
Lack of Clear Vision and Goals One of the most common mistakes school boards make is failing to establish a clear vision and set of goals for the district. Without a well-defined direction, the board can struggle to prioritize initiatives, allocate resources effectively, and measure progress. This lack of focus can lead to fragmented efforts and misalignment among stakeholders, ultimately hindering the district's ability to improve student outcomes. Corrective Actions/Strategies:
Strategic Planning: Develop a comprehensive strategic plan that outlines the district's vision, mission, and specific goals. This plan should be revisited and updated regularly to reflect changing needs and circumstances.
Stakeholder Engagement: Involve teachers, parents, students, and community members in the planning process to ensure that the vision and goals align with the broader community's values and expectations.
Ineffective Communication Effective communication is essential for building trust and fostering collaboration among board members, administrators, teachers, parents, and the community. School boards often struggle with maintaining transparent and open lines of communication, leading to misunderstandings, misinformation, and a lack of trust.
Corrective Actions/Strategies:
Transparent Communication Channels: Establish multiple communication channels, such as newsletters, social media, and public meetings, to share information and gather feedback from stakeholders.
Regular Updates: Provide regular updates on board decisions, policies, and progress toward goals to keep the community informed and engaged.
Micromanagement
School boards sometimes fall into the trap of micromanaging district operations, interfering with the superintendent's responsibilities and undermining the administration's ability to lead effectively. This can lead to confusion, inefficiencies, and a lack of accountability.
Corrective Actions/Strategies:
Role Clarity: Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the board and the superintendent. The board should focus on policy-making and governance, while the superintendent handles day-to-day operations.
Trust and Empowerment: Trust the expertise of the superintendent and administrative team, empowering them to make decisions within the framework established by the board.
Failure to Provide Adequate Oversight While micromanagement is a concern, the opposite problem—insufficient oversight—can also be detrimental. School boards must hold the administration accountable for performance and ensure that resources are used efficiently and effectively.
Corrective Actions/Strategies:
Performance Metrics: Develop clear performance metrics to evaluate the district's progress toward its goals. Regularly review data and reports to assess performance and identify areas for improvement.
Financial Oversight: Implement robust financial oversight mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability in budget management.
Neglecting Professional Development
Board members may lack the necessary training and expertise to effectively govern a school district, leading to poor decision-making and governance challenges. Continuous professional development is essential to equip board members with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
Corrective Actions/Strategies:
Training Programs: Provide ongoing training and development opportunities for board members to enhance their understanding of educational policies, governance practices, and leadership skills.
Board Retreats: Organize regular board retreats to foster collaboration, reflection, and strategic planning.
Ignoring Diversity and Inclusion School boards often overlook the importance of diversity and inclusion in their decision-making processes and district policies. This oversight can result in inequitable outcomes for students and a lack of representation for marginalized communities.
Corrective Actions/Strategies:
Diverse Representation: Strive for diverse representation on the board to reflect the community's demographics and perspectives.
Equity Policies: Develop and implement policies that promote equity and inclusion, ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education and opportunities.
Reactive Decision-Making School boards may become reactive, making decisions based on immediate pressures or crises rather than proactive, strategic thinking. This approach can lead to short-term solutions that fail to address underlying issues.
Corrective Actions/Strategies:
Proactive Planning: Anticipate challenges and opportunities by engaging in long-term planning and scenario analysis.
Data-Driven Decisions: Use data and evidence to inform decision-making, focusing on sustainable solutions that align with the district's goals.
Poor Collaboration with the Superintendent A strained relationship between the school board and the superintendent can hinder the district's ability to function effectively. Misalignment, lack of trust, and poor communication can exacerbate challenges and lead to dysfunctional governance.
Corrective Actions/Strategies:
Regular Meetings: Schedule regular meetings between the board and the superintendent to discuss priorities, challenges, and progress.
Unified Leadership: Foster a culture of collaboration and mutual respect, recognizing the superintendent as a key partner in achieving the district's goals.
I wish I could say that I never made any of these mistakes. But the truth is that it took me quite a few years and a lot of trial and error before I learned how to work effectively and efficiently as a governance team member. Effective governance teams put the team before themselves and are willing to listen and learn. It's not as though mistakes still won't happen, but it's more likely that a "team" will be able to overcome them and avoid finger pointing and other distractions that add insult to injury.
Other recent articles on governance: The Team Within the Governance Team Role Conflict and Governance Caught in the Crosshairs Succession Planning in the Era of the Superintendent Exodus School Board Members Beliefs About State Education Policymaking and Policymakers (Research article)
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