I have the privilege of presenting school board training sessions focused on the board’s role in policy development, implementation, and oversight on behalf of the Michigan Association of School Boards. The Association schedules these training sessions, part of the Certified Board Member Award Program, throughout the academic year in various locations around the state. I get the opportunity to meet school board members from many different districts across Michigan and we share ideas on one of the board’s most important governance responsibilities: making policy.
There is a close relationship between the school board’s vision for the district and board policy. The board articulates its vision (intent) for the district expressed through policy that specifies what the board wants or does not want (outcome). The board expects the superintendent to devise administrative procedures to implement policy to attain its vision.
The school board may periodically review the extent to which the policy outcome is achieved either through discussion or requiring the superintendent to report. If policy revision is necessary, then the board will direct the superintendent to recommend a revision. The board must be clear on what it expects and allow the superintendent to draft a policy revision. Once the draft meets the board’s expectation, then the board will formally act to adopt the revised policy.
The revised policy is an expression of the school board’s revised vision for the district. The board’s vision is expressed through board policy that is established through board action. If the board’s vision, policy, and action are closely related, then should the board take action that is not policy related and therefore not related to the board’s vision?
A school board that deliberates issues that are not policy related may be wasting its time. Furthermore, a board that spends time deliberating non-policy issues is regressing dangerously close to micro-managing the superintendent. Board leadership should focus on governing, while superintendent leadership should focus on managing.
One way to avoid school board micro-management is for the superintendent to include a policy reference for every action item recommended to the board. If there is no relationship between policy and the recommended action, then the board should not consider something that could be handled administratively. If board policy and board action are not related, then why is the board taking action? Board action and policy have a fundamental relationship ultimately focused on achieving the board’s vision for the district.
