Operations, Community Issues, & Mismanagement

QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES

• Question: Why shouldn't we get more involved in operations if we see things going poorly? Aren't we accountable for operations as well?    -- Board Member in Missouri
• TESBM: Let's start by clarifying who the "we" is in that question. If "we" means individual board members, then the answer is that individual school board members have absolutely no authority whatsoever over the organization or any staff members. Individual school board members can't give direction to any staff member, including the superintendent. So if the "we" is individual school board members, you shouldn’t get involved because you completely lack the authority to have an impact. Moreover, attempting to usurp the board's authority individually will likely create more operational dysfunction, not less, regardless of the board member's intentions. Imagine each individual board member giving direction to staff; it's easy to see how quickly that would devolve into chaos. This will probably be good for ego and re-election, but harmful for children and the school system.
• If "we" refers to the school board, that's another matter. Boards that focus on everything are boards that focus on nothing. Focus and prioritization are key to effectiveness. If the school board chases every single issue that pops up via email / social media / the grocery store aisle, then it will never be effective. This demonstrates the triumph of adult ego and re-election over improving student outcomes. It's a pleasant fiction to pretend the board can focus on everything that comes its way, but it is purely pretending. Inside of this reality, the school board has to prioritize; it has to focus its attention over time on just a few things that it says matter most. So to answer your question, if the board considers an operational issue that comes up to be a top priority over the next 3-5 years, then it should first look to see if it's addressed by an existing Guardrail. If not, then it should ask itself what a potential new Guardrail might be and then whether or not the new Guardrail is worth deleting an existing Guardrail for. If the board isn't willing to unseat one of its existing priorities for the potential new priority, then the board should probably delegate the issue to the superintendent.

• Question: What should we do when our community expects us to take positions on issues outside of the board's jurisdiction?   -- Board Member in California
• TESBM: There is unlikely to be a student outcomes focused answer to this question that is going to help you get re-elected. This is typically one of those situations where you'll have to choose between being popular and being effective.
• School systems exist to improve student outcomes. In pursuit of improving student outcomes, school boards exist to represent the vision and values of the community. That sounds simple, but people often hear that and misinterpret the intent.
• As a school board chair, I recall a time when a regional tragedy struck and a time when there was cause for regional celebration. Neither of these events had anything to do with the school system or improving student outcomes. In both cases -- tragedy and celebration -- many people in the community insisted, and even demanded, that the school board take a position or pass a resolution or in someway be vocal about the situations. In both cases, we declined. Not because they weren't important and worthy events, but because they were not central to our purpose: representing the vision and values of the community in a manner that focused on improving student outcomes.
• None of that is to say that the school system was tone deaf in either case. Regarding the tragedy, the superintendent dispatched additional counselors/social workers to potentially impacted schools. Regarding the celebration, the school schedule was modified because of disruptions the celebration and parade would cause with getting students to/from school. But those are managerial responses, not governance responses.
• So if the school board believes that responding to external issues is the central strategy for causing improvements relative to the Goals or honoring the Guardrails, so be it. Otherwise, by choosing to divert attention away from what the board has said are the community's priorities, it is willfully undermining focus on the community's vision and values. In those cases, the school system's response is better managed through by management team.

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  WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

• In the last newsletter, we shared about a district where the teachers' union alleges that the school board is mismanaging school system funds. Comments were all over the place: some pointed at the board, some pointed at the union, some wrestled with the definition of mismanagement.

• At its core, the claim being made is that the board is not doing its job. But that analysis hinges on the question: what is the board's job? Our coaching is that the board exists to, in the context of improving student outcomes, represent the vision and values of the community. So the question of board effectiveness as it relates to funds is this: is the school board aligning the school system's resources -- through budget adoption, board item adoption, etc -- with the Goals and Guardrails? If the answer is yes then, even if people disagree, the board is doing its job to govern the funds. If the answer is no then, even if people agree, the board isn't doing its job to govern the funds.

• In this district, members of the public demanded that superintendent contract extension discussions be held in open session rather than closed session. What would you do? Go here to share what you would do in this situation. In the next newsletter, we'll share your responses and our coaches' thoughts.

INTERESTING READS

• Rick Maloney penned two new pieces on accountability: the board's role in superintendent accountability and the board's role in board accountability.

• A helpful video explainer about Goals and Guardrails.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

• Want to attend an ESB 2-day school board transformation workshop this month (July)? Hurry and contact organizers today!

  • To learn more about attending the one in Oakland, email Greg.

  • To learn more about attending the one in Houston, email Janice.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

• Effective Board Norms / Guardrails for the Board?
  • We are hosting a 30-minute webinar on how the board puts in place policies to help the board steer toward effectiveness and address ineffectiveness.

    • 11am central on Friday, July 11th, 2025

    • RSVP Here

  • Did you miss last month's 30-minute webinar? Email Greg for a make-up session on any of our growing list of topics, including effective budgeting, superintendent evaluation, professional services management, strategic planning, or consent agendas.

BONUS MATERIAL

For paid subscribers, here are links to additional resources (to gain access to the links below, please consider subscribing):

• A guidance document on how boards can navigate conflict effectively.
• A guidance document for school systems on how to engage in inclusive decision making.

Thank you for reading The Effective School Board Member. You ask tough questions and twice per month we get nationally certified school board coaches to provide answers. We help school board members tell their stories and provide additional resources to help them be more effective.

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