What Role Does the School Board Play in Continuous Improvement?
Over the past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the National School Board Association (NSBA) conference in Chicago, IL. As I attended sessions and conversed with school board members from around the country, I became more aware of the important role that they play regarding quality and continuous improvement in education.
If quality and continuous improvement are going to outlast the revolving door of superintendents and central office administrators, the board of education has to determine that quality in education is critical to the success of the school district. One resource I found helpful to this end is the NSBA key Work of School Boards publications.
The NSBA's "Key Work" of school boards- is rooted in systematic theory that holds that no action is accomplished in isolation. This means that as one Key Work area is intentionally or unintentionally addressed, other Key Work areas necessarily are affected. Working effectively together, the Key Work components can optimize a local school board's ability to make positive and lasting school district improvements. The Key Work of School Boards is a framework of eight essential key action areas that focus and guide schools boards in their efforts to improve student achievement. The eight areas include:
- Vision
- Standards
- Assessment
- Accountability
- Alignment
- Climate
- Collaborative Relationships
- Continuous Improvement
If local school boards were to focus on these elements (in particular: Vision, Alignment and Continuous Improvement), they would create a culture of quality that would withstand any changes to the leadership of the school system. I believe that school leaders need to involve the board of education in the development of a vision of continuous improvment supported by a quality focus. Through board development and direct inolvement in the establishment of a "quality vision", school districts can endure the journey of quality and continuous improvement.
How supportive is your board of education when it comes to quality and continuous improvement? What methods do school administrators use to help school boards create sustaining visions and district direction? What role does the board of education play in quality?
