Be wary of helicopter school board |
On Board Online • July 1, 2019
William Miller
NYSSBA President
In my last column, I highlighted the practice of "helicopter governing." I used that term, which is a twist on the popular phrase helicopter parenting, to refer to the well-intentioned but heavy-handed intrusion of government at the state and federal levels to influence even the smallest decisions at the local level.
In this column, I want us to focus our lens inward. Let's talk about helicopter school boards.
Again, it starts with good intentions. In our zeal to fix things or make things right, we school board members can sometimes overstep our bounds and commit the sin of micromanagement.
Sometimes entire school boards encroach on the ability of superintendents to make day-to-day decisions. And sometimes individual board members maneuver to establish themselves as the gatekeepers of a specific area of school operations, such as athletics. Both are forms of helicoptering, or micromanagement.
Let's not fall into such traps. As we begin the official start of the school year on July 1 and conduct our reorganizational meetings, I thought it would be a good time to offer a few tips on the roles and responsibilities of a school board as distinct from those of the superintendent and school staff. I hope these tips are especially useful to the 586 new board members who were elected to a first term on May 21.
The roles and responsibilities of school boards is such an important topic that the state requires governance training for all newly elected school board members, in addition to the six hours of financial training. My first piece of advice: While newly elected board members have a year to complete this training, I recommend they take training right away. Why wouldn't you want to get properly oriented to your new role before making decisions?
While reading this column is no substitute for governance training, I think we can cover two key concepts: (1) School boards set policy and provide oversight. (2) School staff - from the superintendent to the food service manager - run the day-to-day operations of the schools.
Show me a district where the school board members make decisions on day-to-day operations or the superintendent follows a vision that is not the one articulated by the school board and I will show you a dysfunctional school district.
A school board governs and the superintendent administers the school district. The school board sets priorities on WHAT needs to be accomplished, and the superintendent gets to decide HOW to accomplish it. "Governance" refers to the actions of administrators being guided by and supported by the school board in a relationship full of constructive dialogue and collaboration.
Trust your professionals to make decisions that should be theirs to make. For instance, it is not the proper role of a school board member to seek to influence how biology teachers talk about evolution, how social studies teachers discuss world events or what books are assigned by English teachers. Ultimately the school board oversees curriculum and authorizes book purchases, but any decisions should be made as a board and with appropriate consideration of the professional judgment of educators.
School boards are full of former teachers and other individuals with various forms of specialized expertise. But having knowledge in a particular area doesn't give a board member license to micromanage. If a school board member runs an auto repair shop, should he or she show up at the school bus garage and check timing belts?
Respect your professional staff. Ask them questions and hold them accountable for results. Good decision-making at the board level is a group process. Learn to listen to everyone impartially before you make a decision. Don't be unduly influenced by anyone. Cast your vote based on the facts, not gossip.
For newly elected board members, know that it will take several months to learn your role and understand why things are done a certain way. Keep in mind that opinions of members of the public may be based on erroneous information. Ask for facts. Begin your analysis with respect for the recommendations of your superintendent, listen to your colleagues on the board, and then make up your own mind.
I hope these tips prove helpful to this year's crop of new school board members and provide a bit of a refresher for those seasoned veterans of board service. Board service is tough but rewarding. If you follow these guidelines, you will avoid being a helicopter board member.