Staff Board of Trustees
“Public oversight of local government is the foundation of American democracy. Nowhere is this more evident than in our public schools, where local boards of education are entrusted by their diverse communities to uphold the Constitution, protect the public interest in schools and ensure that a high quality education is provided to each student. To maximize the public’s confidence in local government, our local boards must govern responsibly and effectively.”
From: California School Boards Association Professional Governance Standards, www.csba.org.
The forum was broadcast on channel 23 during October and November. Videotapes of the forum can be borrowed from the CH-UH main library and from Reaching Heights.
For links to more information about school governance click here.
On October 14, 2003 nearly 200 people assembled at Forest Hill Church for a public forum on school governance. Reaching Heights organized the informative program that featured a panel of experts who described school board leadership that inspires public confidence. The League of Women Voters co-sponsored the event.
Steven Minter, Executive-In-Residence at Cleveland State University and retired Executive Director of The Cleveland Foundation moderated the panel discussion and the question and answer period that followed. The panel included
Reaching Heights held the forum to provide the community more information about effective board governance, qualities of effective board members and the public’s role in governance. The event preceded the fall school board election and followed public criticism of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education.
The panel described the work of boards of education, the responsibilities of the individual and the board, and many aspects of conducting the work of the board in ways that inspire public confidence. A brief summary of their observations about effective governance are described here.
Effective boards of education know their role and responsibilities and stay focused on those responsibilities. Mr. Brandt outlined five key school board responsibilities:
“There is no more precious resource than our children,” observed Rev. Fowler in explaining that effective boards stay focused on the educational mission of the schools and ensure decisions that provide children an education that serves them well.
The panel described the importance of boards conducting their business in an open way. This means they:
Mr. Brandt explained that by law, all board decisions must be made in a public meeting although there are several circumstances outlined in Ohio’s “sunshine laws” where sensitive topics may be discussed in executive session. Rev. Fowler acknowledged that it is not always easy to be as open as you want to be. It can be difficult and painful when attending to uncomfortable issues but worth it. Honest communication with the public leads to the kind of trust that allows for boards to make hard decisions and retain public confidence.
Boards that support successful superintendents focus on their policy agenda which Barbara Greene summed up as: “what services, for what impact, for whom at what cost.” They also avoid factionalism and over burdening the superintendent with personal agendas.
The evening brought home the fact that citizens are responsible for the successful governance of their schools. This is accomplished through the ballot box and sustained interest in the schools and the work of the board of education.
Evaluations of the forum indicate the attentive audience thought the informative panel and the chance to explore a timely and controversial issue were well worth the evening.
The forum was broadcast on Channel 23 during October and November. Videotapes of the forum can be borrowed from Reaching Heights.
For links to more information about school governance click here.
