Ten Steps to
Good Governance
Presented by:
Amy Driesbach, Board Trustee
Gary Inmon, Board President & Former President
of Texas Association of School Boards
Board/Superintendent
Team of Eight
• A highly functioning “Team of Eight” is essential in achieving and sustaining high
student performance. Having a clear understanding of the essential roles and
responsibilities of the Board and Superintendent will help foster more effective
relationships and increase the likelihood for all students to realize their individual
potential and become responsible and productive members of society.
Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD Team of Eight
Gary Inmon
Board President
Robert Westbrook
Board Vice
President
David Pevoto
Board Secretary
Jerry Perkins
Board Assistant
Secretary
John Correu
Trustee
Amy Driesbach
Trustee
Mark Wilson
Trustee
Dr. Greg Gibson
Superintendent
Objectives of Session
• Share a successful Governance Model
• Introduce/Explain Good Governance
Inventory
• Demonstrate relationship between Good
Governance and High Performance
10 Steps to Good Governance
1. Start with a clear definition of Governance.
2. Start with a clean slate based on “Board Shall ...”
3. Clearly separate board processes and staff
processes.
4. Develop and maintain a clear, dynamic and
transparent board master calendar.
5. Develop and maintain a clear, dynamic and
transparent set of board operating guidelines.
10 Steps to Good Governance
6. Be clear and deliberate regarding complaint
management procedures.
7. Annually conduct “Good Governance”
Inventory.
8. Expand other appropriate means of board
communication (ie. weekly written updates).
9. Hold Superintendent and Senior Leaders
accountable to measurable results.
10. Celebrate Results.
#1 – Start with a Clear Definition of Governance
Definitions:
• TASB Effective Board Practices: An Inventory for School Boards:
o “The primary way a school board governs a district is by setting
direction for the district – articulating the culture it wants the district
to embody, establishing the outcomes the board would like the district
to achieve, and expressing and supporting the aspirations of the
community for the future of its children.”
https://www.tasb.org/services/leadership-team-services/resources/effective-board-practices-inventory.aspx
• Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework - Baldrige Excellence
Builder:
o “The system of management and controls exercised in the stewardship
of your organization.”
http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/publications/builder.cfm
#2 – Start with a clean slate based on “Board shall …”
http://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Code/551?filter=BAA
The Board shall... v. The Board may...
• The Board of Trustees and Superintendent should review
annually.
• Ask...”Why is this item on the agenda?”
• This item cuts both ways...Board micromanaging and staff
members justifying their position through public discussion.
• Does anyone really like a long meeting?
• Are long meetings really effective?
• The purpose is results...not hours of talking.
#3 – Clearly Separate Board Processes and Staff
Processes
•What is a key process?
•What is the difference between being a process owner and
a process participant?
•Critical to be disciplined in process execution so as to avoid
confusion.
•SCUC ISD Governance Model - Strategic Role, Tactical
Role, Operational Role.
Good Governance Model
#4 - Board Master Calendar and Board Service/Involvement
• On district website – transparent to staff and stakeholders.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qBjp3yyHYnXDR593REtLXZCA2ttbI9NSt8JW_OxTuew/edit#gid=206635315
http://www.scuc.txed.net/aboutus.cfm?subpage=54885
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HNIoDBVPb40cPZYaPuBKBqQqeHji4dws2pvJ8tSHmRA/edit#gid=1433311935
#5 Board Operating Guidelines
• It is easy to create them...the tough part is to follow them.
• Trustees must hold themselves and others accountable to
Board Operating Guidelines.
• Reviewed (formally) on an annual basis, but should be
dynamic and changed when needed.
Board Operating Guidelines – What to include…
Board processes pertaining to:
• Board Governance
o Duties/responsibilities
o Duties of the Board: Govern the District
o Board Policy/Regulatory Organization Alignment
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Evaluation of the Board and Superintendent
Duties of the Superintendent: Manage the District
Board Meetings
Board Officers
Board Training
Board Member Travel/Reimbursement
Addressing Public Concerns Outside of the Board Room
Request(s) from Individual Board Members
Board Member Visits to Campuses and District Facilities
Review/Revision of Board Operating Guidelines
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx48OqOMcV2SeVEzT0w5eEVTNlU/view
#6 Complaint Management Process
• Policy FNG (LOCAL) – Process for Student/Parent Complaints/
Grievances… Guiding Principles:
http://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Code/551?filter=FNG
#6 Complaint Management Process...cont.
• Include in Board Operating Guidelines: Addressing Public
Concerns Outside of the Board Room
Board Members are often confronted with individuals who wish to voice
their concerns or complaints outside of the board room. Trustees should
listen to the individual’s concerns but politely explain the chain of command
for addressing complaints and direct the individual to communicate concerns
to the superintendent. The superintendent will then re-direct the individual
to the appropriate district employee. Most often when the individual
understands who to request information from, he or she is able to resolve the
issue without entering into the formal process. A Trustee should not get
overly involved in a matter that may come before the Board as a complaint in
order to preserve the Trustees unbiased judgment. An overly biased Trustee
may need to recuse himself or herself from hearing the Level III grievance.
#7 Good Governance Inventory
https://www.tasb.org/Services/Leadership-Team-Services/Resources/documents/Effective_Board_Practices_Oct2014.pdf
Good governance produces Trustees and boards who not only
know what to do, but know what’s right...who take extras steps
to be as effective as possible by networking, mentoring, and
embodying the principles of effective board service.
The Good Governance Inventory examines board effectiveness
in four areas:
1. Planning and Governance
2. Oversight of Management
3. Board-Superintendent Team Operations
4. Advocacy
#7 Good Governance Inventory...cont.
Planning and Governance:
1. A vision statement is in place for the district.
2. A comprehensive statement of goals for the district is in place.
3. Board actions reinforce the central importance of the goals to the
work of the district.
4. The board monitors plan implementation and district success in a
formal, scheduled manner.
Oversight of Management:
5. Goals, standards, and/or benchmarks have been established for
major aspects of district operations.
6. The board is familiar with the broad outlines of the systems the
superintendent has put in place to manage district operations.
#7 Good Governance Inventory...cont.
Board-Superintendent Team Operations
7. The board and superintendent team regularly checks
expectations and assesses board-superintendent operations.
8. Written operating procedures for the board and
superintendent are in place.
Advocacy:
9. The board is an active advocate for the district within the
community.
#7 Good Governance Inventory...cont.
- Good Governance Inventory placed online for electronic submission.
#7 Good Governance Inventory...cont.
Result Sample – Section 3 of Good Governance Inventory:
#8 Expand other appropriate means of board
communication (ie. weekly written updates)
• Weekly written updates.
• When one Trustee asks a question, the response goes to all in the
“Friday” update.
• Background reading and follow up reports.
• Monitoring student enrollment and attendance.
• Links to pertinent items on district website:
o
o
o
o
o
Board Master Calendar
Quarterly Housing Data Reports
Bond/Non-Bond Construction Updates
Staff and Community Blog
Board Briefs
#9 Hold Superintendent Accountable
• We have 3 district priorities and 19 measurable goals – all work must
align to that work.
• If everything matters, then nothing matters.
#9 Hold Superintendent Accountable, cont.
•
Strategic Plan Priority Updates are
presented to the Board of Trustees
monthly throughout the year.
•
Strategic Plan Priority Updates
presented to the Board are placed
on district website – transparency to
stakeholders.
http://www.scuc.txed.net/Excellence.cfm?subpage=67340
•
Update on status of incremental
goals (District Scorecard) is
reviewed with Board of Trustees on
an annual basis.
•
Scorecard is placed on district
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx48OqOMcV2SeHJjT2ZSUGJrdW8/view
website
- transparency to
stakeholders
#9 Hold Superintendent Accountable, cont.
• Strategic Plan Scorecard – Priority 1 Results
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx48OqOMcV2SeHJjT2ZSUGJrdW8/view
#9 Hold Superintendent Accountable, cont.
• Strategic Plan Scorecard – Priority 2 and Priority 3 Results
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx48OqOMcV2SeHJjT2ZSUGJrdW8/view
#10 Celebrate Results
The practice of good governance will help produce and maintain
student-focused and process results which have the aim of
demonstrating educational program and service quality and
value that lead to student learning and to student and
stakeholder satisfaction and engagement.
Now, in plain language Good Governance is required for
high student performance.
www.scuc.txed.net
-Click on School Board
Find all the areas we showed in presentation
CE#