The Board Leadership Field Guide was developed as an easy-to-use quick reference for those serving as leaders of a board of education. Though it is less comprehensive than the Kansas Association of School Boards' (KASB's) Board Leadership Handbook, it compiles the most critical information in a shorter booklet designed to sit with presidents at…

This report by the Kentucky Department of Education states that "the school council shall have the responsibility to set school policy consistent with district board policy which shall provide an environment to enhance the students' achievement and help the school meet the goals established in KRS 158.645 and 158.6451." The report's 18…

This guide is intended to give individual school board directors an introduction to some of the legal issues they may encounter in their board service. This material is not intended to answer every question, even in the subject matter areas they cover. This guide is merely intended to alert directors to the legal issues that they will encounter…

This report by the Kentucky Department of Education states that "the school council shall have the responsibility to set school policy consistent with district board policy which shall provide an environment to enhance the students' achievement and help the school meet the goals established in KRS 158.645 and 158.6451." The report's 18…

"Updating Board Bylaws: A Guide for Colleges and Universities" represents the latest thinking on good governance in higher education by providing a concise deconstruction of the essential clauses in college, university, and system bylaws. Written by Robert O'Neil, former professor of law and president of the University of Wisconsin System and the…

Representative democracy relies on the informed trust of the citizens. School board members serve their communities at a crucial place, governing large sums of money and the future of the community's children. Without the informed trust of the citizens, this enterprise will fail. Trust may be lost directly, or through inattention to detail. One of…

Part of a 13-volume series designed to help Lutheran communities assess the feasibility of starting a Lutheran elementary school and to assist ongoing schools in current operation, this volume is intended to help Lutheran boards of education clarify their role and make policy. The first part of the document deals with role, function, and…

The school board president can ensure better board meetings by following tips on planning the agenda, conducting the meeting, and following up on board decisions. (MLF)

Conflict and controversy are facts of school board life. The former president of the Eugene, Oregon, School Board offers eight tips on ways to effectively handle controversy. (MLF)

Chicago's Local School Councils (LSCs) are the key to successful school reform efforts. Among the numerous decisions that LSCs make that have major effects on schools are the selection of a principal, the adoption of a school improvement plan, and the approving of a school's budget. Based on attendance of over 250 LSC meetings by staff of the…

Lack of public attendance at school board meetings could indicate public trust in the board. But to be sure that board meetings are running most efficiently, seven essential questions must be answered. (JW)

Research suggests four different metaphors of schools as organizations: (1) factory; (2) family; (3) jungle; and (4) cathedral. Each implies a leadership role and an ethical responsibility for board members. Integrating all four images might help provide a better map of the board's governance task and improve the board's ability to make wise…

This handbook is intended to help school boards become more effective governing bodies by becoming more efficient in conducting routine business, improving their abilities to reach constructive decisions and to solve problems, making their meetings sources of good will among members, students, and the community, and developing and following…

As superintendent, and with the support of this detailed book, board meetings can now be turned into productive, results-getting events that help one focus on teaching, learning, and achieving district goals. The authors, having chaired over 1,000 board meetings among them, discuss: (1) Creating role clarity and building the superintendent-based…

Over 100 former board of education members from Oregon completed a questionnaire originally prepared by the "American School Board Journal" for the purpose of investigating why school board members leave their positions. This document presents the full results of the Oregon survey and also provides a summary of the findings and an…