what should i do? a guide to schoolboard member effectiveness

What

SHOULD

I Do?A Guide to School Board Member

Effectiveness

Florida School Boards Association

Citizens often run for school

board and find when elected, they

know little regarding the actual

role of school board member.

They may possess a strong

knowledge about the district, but

have a limited background in

working with a governing board

and conducting business in a

public setting.

Or, they may have some

experience in working with

other boards, but have very

little knowledge of education

and many functions of a

district.

Each board member brings

different experiences and

knowledge to the position.

FSBA is here to help Florida

school board members learn to

use this diversity to become a

highly effective school board.

New board members as well as

experienced board members

can benefit from the advice

offered here.

Oftentimes, the question asked

of FSBA is, “What should I

do?”

Here is a compilation of some

of the best advice and

suggestions for board service.

What Should I Do?

Place children at the

center of your decision-

making process.

Balancing the interests of

taxpayers and employees is

important, but not at the

expense of the student.

What Should I Do?

Be an advocate for

children.

This involves more than just

attending school

events, although that is an

important aspect of your job.

What Should I Do?

Form

collaborative and

cooperative

networks among

the school

district, the

community, and

the legislature to

benefit children.

What Should I Do?

Put your own

political

agenda aside

and focus on

the students.

What Should I Do?

Become informed on state

and national matters

regarding education.

Understanding the big picture is

the first step in preparing for the

future.

What Should I Do?

Your homework!

Read the information that

you have been given to

prepare for the meeting.

Being prepared and

informed on issues helps

you make better

decisions.

What Should I Do?

Ask questions!

Don’t make

assumptions!

and

What Should I Do?

Contact the superintendent

for clarification BEFORE a

meeting if there are

questions about an agenda

item.

This way there is ample time to

make sure the appropriate staff is

present at the meeting if necessary.

What Should I Do?

Take time to learn about

your district.

Research shows that boards from

high performing school districts

are knowledgeable about the

initiatives that are in place to

ensure optimal learning is

occurring.

What Should I Do?

Visit the schools and participate in

district and school activities.

• Your interest and visibility will be

appreciated.

• Be considerate of the

principal and staff.

• Don’t interrupt the

important business

they are conducting.

What Should I Do?

Understand that

individual board

members

represent the

entire school

system and, only

secondarily, repre

sent a

constituency.

What Should I Do?

Take advantage

of every

opportunity to

learn formally

and informally.

What Should I Do?

The Iowa Association of School

Boards conducted research to

find out what school board

members can do to impact

student achievement. One of

the five essential behaviors is

learning together as a board

team.

Never stop learning!

To see more on the research from the IASB, click herehttp://www.ia-sb.org/StudentAchievement.aspx?id=436

http://www.ia-sb.org/StudentAchievement.aspx?id=436






What Should I Do?

Take some time for

personal reflection.

Look for ways to improve

and think about what you

want to accomplish during

your time on the board.

You can only get

things done with a

majority vote on your

board.

You can’t do it alone.

Remember

What Should I Do?

Don’t take things

personally.

During your

term, some

decisions will go

your way and

some will not.

After a decision has

been

made, immediately

move on.

If the horse is dead, dismount.

What Should I Do?

Keep a sense of

humor.

“He who laughs,

lasts.”Mary Pettibone Poole

Don’t take

yourself too

seriously.

What Should I Do?

Maintain a

thick skin.If you “buy into”

the good things

that are said and

written about

you, you must

also pay

attention to the

critical things

that are said or

written.

What Should I Do?

What Should I Do?

Make the tough

decisions.

Don’t be afraid to take a

difficult stand. But, be

prepared with an

explanation as to why you

took the position.

It’s easy to make the

politically popular

decisions, but

sometimes you have

to pull up your boot

straps and do the

difficult—but right—

thing.

Your community elected

you to do just that.

Pull

What Should I Do?

Attend all regularly

scheduled board

meetings if possible

and become informed

concerning the issues

to be considered at

those meetings.

What Should I Do?

Always, always maintain

your integrity and be

ethical. It is Florida Law.

Familiarize yourself with the following:

“Ethics in Government”, Article II, Section 8, Constitution of the State of Florida

“Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees”, Florida Statute 112.311

And, as an elected official, know that you are always setting an example for others.

What Should I Do?Ethics 101


Only make

promises you

can keep.

Oftentimes when

running for

office, promises are

made that can’t be

kept.

The reality of the situation is

that it takes a majority to

make things happen—one

person can’t deliver on a

commitment without the

support of a majority of the

board.

If you have made

a promise and

realize that you

can’t keep it, be

up front and

honest about your

inability to follow

through.

Always operate

under the

Sunshine Law.

Courts have found that

both the letter and spirit

of the law must be

followed to remain in

compliance.


F.S. 286.011

In short, all of

the public’s

business and

discussion

about it must be

conducted in

public. F.S. 286.011

Always operate

under the Florida

Public Record Laws.

As an elected school board

member, you MUST ensure

that documents and records

used during the transaction of

official business are

maintained and accessible to

the public.


Article I, Section 24

Florida Constitution

F.S. 119

Regardless of

physical form, all

transmissions

made or received

in connection with

the transaction of

school board

business is

considered a

public record.

Remember

If you don’t want

to see

something on

the front page or

in the

headlines, don’t

write it in an

email, text, note,

blog, or letter.

Litigation and/or

criminal charges may

result from a failure

to comply with public

records laws or

Sunshine Laws.

School boards and

school board

members should

seek appropriate

legal advice on these

issues.

Article I, Section 24

Florida Constitution

F.S. 119

F.S. 286.011


Avoid situations that

might put you in a

position that could

cause a conflict of

interest.

“There is no right way

to do the wrong thing.”


Be trustworthy.

Maintain your word and

confidences, including

content shared during

executive sessions.

Action, indeed, is

the sole medium

of expression for

ethics.

Jane Addams


Think about it...

Ethics is all about doing the RIGHT thing.

As an elected official, the public is watching

what you do in ALL situations. Once your

credibility is put in question, it is difficult to

gain it back.

Keep your actions above reproach.

What Should I Do?Day to Day Operations

Understand your

role as a board

member and the

role of the

superintendent.

Board

Superintendent

1001.42, Florida Statutes



Focus on policy and

governance; avoid

micromanaging.

Board

Superintendent



Allow the

superintendent and

staff to manage and

administer.


Micromanaging confuses staff

and puts them in an

uncomfortable position. It also

undermines the authority of the

superintendent.


Learn the district’s

chain of command and

be sure it has been

followed before

stepping in to help

“solve” a problem.


Respond to individual concerns

by asking for an opportunity to

check into the situation.

It is important that YOU use the

proper chain of command when

getting involved in an issue.


Don’t expect to “fix” all the

problems (real or perceived)

people tell you about.


Get all perspectives of a

situation before forming

an opinion or

determining that

someone is at fault.


Avoid prejudging a

situation.

Listen to all sides, get the

facts, and then make your

decision.


Offer to share what you

learn at professional

trainings or conferences

with your other board

members.

Be open to all opportunities to

learn.


Try to make people

who appear before the

board feel welcome by

looking at them while

they speak.


Try to keep an open

face, warm voice and

positive body language

when speaking to the

public AND to your fellow

board members.

It is often not “what” you say

but “how” you say it.

Watch your non-verbal

communication!


Don’t get involved in personnel matters.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to direct all staff.1001.51(7) Florida Statutes


Keep your

comments positive

to the media, in

public or in private.

There is no such thing as “off

the record”.


One of your most important roles as a board member is to be an advocate for your school system. Negativity from board members is destructive.


Be patient!

Things don’t happen

overnight.


Answer emails, phone

calls, and all

correspondence.

Being responsive is key to being

an effective board member. You

serve the public and the

expectation is that their

concerns and requests will be

responded to in a timely manner.


Pick your battles.

You can win the battle and

lose the war if every issue

becomes a fight.


Be slow to

speak.

Once you say something, you can’t take it back.


Find a balance

between your

duties as a

board member

and your

obligations to

your family.

What Should I Do?The Leadership Team

The school board and the

superintendent comprise

the district leadership

team.

How this group of people work

together and interact will set the tone

for the district.


Start with

the basics.


Be a good listener.

Listen to the public, to the

staff, to the superintendent

and listen to each other

very carefully.

Practice active listening.


Show respect to

fellow board

members when

they are speaking.

Side conversations, paper

shuffling, and disinterest

while they have the floor is

simply rude.


Be aware of non-verbal

communications with

your leadership team

also.

Of all the things you wear, your

expression is the most important.


Spend time getting to

know your leadership

team members.

Building a positive, personal

relationship based on trust and

respect will payoff in the long

run. You don’t have to like your

teammates but you do have to

create a successful working

environment.

I had no

idea! I

grew up in

Michigan, t

oo!


Avoid surprising your

teammates.

Bombshell issues cannot be

satisfactorily resolved when

others are caught off guard.


Advocate for your

position, then

support the

board’s majority

decision even if it

wasn’t what you

wanted.


Always speak the

truth.

Don’t tell people what

you think they want to

hear. It isn’t fair to the

team.


Hold on to your

beliefs and share

them clearly with

others.

“The man who pays an

ounce of principle for a

pound of popularity gets

badly cheated.”


Be careful about

speaking on behalf

of the board.

YOUR opinion is not always THE opinion of the

board. Don’t speak for them unless you have been

delegated to do so.


Don’t throw your

leadership team

members under

the bus.

Who is it going to be this week?


Develop a

process with the

superintendent

for requesting

information from

staff.

I have three

board members

asking me for

five different

things. How will

I ever get my job

done?


Always be mindful

of the amount of

staff time you are

using with your

calls, drop-in

visits, requests, et

c.


Attack the

problem, not the

people.


Take the high road.

Don’t put

down, criticize or

embarrass staff, fellow

board members, or

members of the

audience at a board

meeting.


Don’t allow others to

criticize or embarrass

staff, fellow board

members, or members

of the audience at a

board meeting.


Focus on

developing

policy.

It is THE fundamental

part of a board member’s

job description.


Be proactive with

your policies.

Don’t allow the

legislature to write your

entire policy manual.


Have a plan in

place for those

board meetings

when controversial

issues will be

discussed.

How will the public’s

concerns be handled?


Refrain from

responding to

citizens during

public comment.

This is the time to listen.

Make sure that a staff

person is designated to

handle someone who

needs immediate

attention.


Let the district Chief

Negotiator do his or her

job.

Don’t try to be a “hero” and attend

bargaining sessions or contact

members of the union in an attempt

to individually settle the contract.

This can result in an unfair labor

practice (ULP) against the district.


Set high

expectations.

have highexpectations of

EVERY student.


Accept nothing

other than

improved student

achievement.

What Should I Do?Final Thoughts

The school district

functions as a system.

There are many things to consider when deciding how to vote on an issue or when making an alternative motion.


Once you begin altering one part of the school system, other departments and areas are impacted as well.


Consult with the professionals in your district. Ask how a decision might impact operations.

Direct impact

Indirectimpact

Inducedimpact


You were elected to the

position of school board

member because your

community believes that

you can be trusted with its

most valuable assets—its

children and its money.


You have been

given an

absolute trust.

Do not violate it.

Earn points toward your Certified

Board Member (CBM) distinction.

Now that you have viewed this presentation, click the link below to fill out the CBM Reflection form. You will be awarded 1 point in Communications/ Public Relations once your form has been received by the FSBA Board Development Office. A written response is required on all CBM reflection forms in order for points to be awarded in the CBM Program.

Return completed CBM Reflection forms to Andrea

Messina, Director of Board Development. Email to

[email protected], send to 203 S. Monroe

Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301 or fax to (850) 414-2585.

CBM REFLECTION FORM

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mailto:[email protected]

http://www.fsba.org/cbmform.asp


If you need any assistance or

have any questions, please

contact the Florida School

Boards Association.

Phone 850-414-2578 www.fsba.org Fax 850-414-2585

203 S. Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301

http://www.fsba.org/

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