School Boards Make a Difference, Improving Education: The Role of Local School Boards*

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School Boards should adopt a policy to commit to all National School Board Association best practices. While the National School Board Association has excellent best practices are This recommendation directly affiliated with the California School Board Association (CSBA). will not be CSBA provides the district with essential resources, research, effective board implemented because strategies and board policies align to California rules, regulations and it is not warranted or is California Education Code. SCESD will continue to attend and utilize not reasonable. CSBA's services as it pertains to this recommendation. www.csba.org/GovernanceAndPolicyResources

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School Boards should adopt a bylaw to make initial training and ongoing workshops mandatory. SCESD Superintendent have procedures in place for initial overview with This recommendation potential board members which include review of the district's vision, will not be mission, goals, accountability structures and as well as review of Board implemented because it Bylaws and Handbook. Upon being elected, the Superintendent conducts is not warranted or is department and site visitations with the newly-elected board members. All not reasonable. board members are encouraged to attend MCOE's School Board Summit, CSBA's annual leadership summit and all school board related local trainings. To date we have had most of our board members attending both state and local trainings, activities and events. Our Board has adopted Board Bylaws as recommended by CSBA Policy Manual. These include the Role of the Board and Members, Organization of the Board, Protocols for Board Members and Governance of Board Members. While there is no law for mandatory training SCESD school board members and Superintendent recently engaged in a retreat to establish best practices and board protocols. This resulted in newly adopted School Board Handbook which outline effective practices for school board members.

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School Boards along with their superintendent and teacher union representatives should make annual public presentations on school district goals and student achievement. This recommendation While the school board and the Superintendent are responsible for progress on will not be student achievement based on the district's goals, teacher union representatives implemented because it are not directly accountable to the board. Administration is responsible and is not warranted or is presents progress towards districts goals annually at pubic school board not reasonable. meetings. However, all stakeholders, including teachers' union have voice and feedback in the development of the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). The LCAP is a data driven document that focus on sub group achievement and progress to California's eight priority areas. SCESD has a very inclusive process in place for stakeholder feedback on goal and resource development. Our unions are part of the LCAP leadership team that make direct recommendations of the LCAP funding allocations. The Superintendent has established a short and long term goal setting at every level of the organization. This process begins at the beginning of each school year with goals and objectives reset based on current data. A mid year review of these goals are presented to leadership team and board is invited to attend and site administration are held accountable to these goals as part of their evaluation cycles. Annual reports are presented at school board meetings.

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School Boards should provide clear, concise, and easy to find communications on their district's goals and outcomes on their district's website. This recommendation is in progress. While the district goals and LCAP are This recommendation posted on the website we agree that a much easier and user friendly has been implemented communication is needed. We are currently developing an info graphic format for all stakeholders. We will share the document in the fall of 2018. School Boards should provide information on their district's website about the role and

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responsibilities of school board members to educate parents, the public and potential school board This recommendation is in progress. Our website is under construction and This recommendation we will place the Board Bylaws as well as our new Board Handbook under the has not been Board tab on the website by Dec. 2018. implemented but will be in the near future. School Boards should provide access to informational sessions to educate potential school board

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candidates on the duties and commitment associated with serving on a local school board. SCESD Superintendent have procedures in place for initial overview with This recommendation potential board members which include review of the district's vision, has been implemented mission, goals, accountability structures and as well as review of Board Bylaws and Handbook. Upon being elected, the Superintendent conducts department and site visitations with newly-elected Board Members.. All Board Members are encouraged to attend MCOE's School Board Summit, CSBA's annual leadership summit and all school board related local trainings. To date we have had most of our board members attending both state and local trainings, activities and events. Our Board has adopted Board Bylaws as recommended by CSBA Policy Manual. These include the Role of the Board and Members, Organization of the Board, Protocols for Board Members and Governance of Board Members. While there is no law for mandatory training SCESD school board members and the Superintendent recently engaged in a retreat to establish best practices and board protocols. This resulted in newly adopted School Board Handbook which outline effective practices for school board members.