Education Leadership Policy Toolkit

School governance - at both the state and district levels - defines who controls the different processes, requirements and programs of the education system, and how responsibilities are to be carried out. While governance structures do vary from state to state, and from district to district, they have some key elements in common which provide basic stability in order for day-to-day school operations to run smoothly and efficiently. Governance structures also influence leadership strength through the creation of a common, unified vision among everyone with a stake and accountability in the system.

The State tab allows you to see some key policies and practices statewide which support the development of effective governance structures in districts and schools.

The District tab allows you to see the key leadership factors at the district level that promote effective governance structures among district staff. These characteristics have a direct impact on the principals, teachers and students at the school level.

The School tab allows you to see the key leadership factors at the school level.

The Resources tab provides links to additional information.

The Interviews on the right provide some insight into what teachers, staff and leaders think and feel in a system that cultivates these governance structures. The interviews are saved as mp3 files and will open in whatever media player you have installed on your system.

State policies and practices that support district leaders' ability to manage the governance systems in their district and schools:

The teacher's union and state board of education are involved in and apprised of all decisions. A process is in place for effectively working together and solving problems.
State rules and policies allow for granting authority and flexibility (with regard to staffing and budget decisions) to both superintendents and principals, where warranted.
Structures are in place that provide checks and balances in the education system while giving management authority to the people closest to the decisionmaking.
State policymakers interact in a positive, problem-solving way with district leaders to fully understand challenges, barriers and successes of the education system.

At the district level, leaders create both policies and practices of effective governance structures when the following conditions exist:

There is consistency in the relationships within the governance structure. Most of the districts visited for this study are very stable even though the governance structures themselves vary widely. Tremendous efforts are invested in personal relationships, and working to align goals for students is essential.
The district governance provides an organizational structure that supports communication at all levels, up and down, and "gets people facing the same direction." For example, the large district of Boston has multiple levels of communication and collaboration between regional superintendents, school "cluster" leaders, a superintendent leadership team and a principal leadership team.
Flexibility and exceptions are allowed for principals and teachers to make decisions about what is in the best interest of students, even on governance issues.
Principals know how to make the system work (or "work the system") and how to get what they need from the central office. Similarly, central office staff see themselves as service providers and customer service agents to schools and they communicate this function well to principals.
There is no "right" way. There is always a healthy tension between "top-down" and "bottom-up" approaches to governing. All staff recognize that some decisions have to come from a higher level - as long as people are given proper support.
District leadership interacts and works with the state commissioner if state policies become obstacles or problematic.

School Board

The school board's role in governance is to provide policy guidance for the district and work with the superintendent to support the focus, vision alignment and resources toward developing human resources.

The Key Work of School Boards is a framework of eight essential key action areas from the National School Board Association (NSBA) that focus and guide schools boards in their efforts to improve student achievement. The eight areas include: Vision, Standards, Assessment, Accountability, Alignment, Climate, Collaborative Relationships, and Continuous Improvement.

Casel Walker
Boston Public Schools, Principal, Manning Elementary (1:50)

Charles New
Memphis Education Agency, President (0:37)

At the school level, principals are the driving force in effective governance:

Principals interact with the district office; they know how to get what they need from the central office.
Principals work hard to be involved in their community and to let the community have a say in how the school is run.
Principals have direct connections and communications with district personnel and offer real, influential feedback to improve district office support to schools.
Schools have leadership teams where multiple staff members help make decisions.

Lorrain Theroux
Boston Public Schools, Teacher, Manning Elementary (0:35)

Mrs. Hill
Boston Public Schools, Teacher, Boston Community Leadership Academy (0:47)

The Wallace Foundation hosts the Education Leadership Action Network (ELAN), which tracks research and resources on a number of issues facing school and district leaders, including governance issues. For several excellent reports on governance relationships see: http://www.wallacefoundation.org/WF/ELAN/TR/KnowledgeCategories/ImprovingConditions/Governance/

School District Leadership that Works: The Effect of Superintendent Leadership on Student Achievement
(J.T. Waters and R.J.Marzano, Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, 2006)

For this study, McREL researchers identified 27 research reports conducted since 1970 that examined, using quantitative, rigorous methods, the influence of school district leaders on student performance. Using a sophisticated research technique called a meta-analysis, McREL combined data from separate studies into a single sample, creating what McREL believes to be the largest-ever quantitative examination of research on superintendents. Altogether, these studies involved 2,714 districts and the achievement scores of 3.4 million students.

The Roles and Responsibilities of School Boards and Superintendents - A State Policy Framework
(Todd Ziebarth, Education Commission of the States, September 2002)

According to surveys conducted at the time of the report, local leaders feel particularly hampered by confusion over the appropriate roles of school boards, superintendents and district politics and bureaucracies, and increasing state and federal regulation of public schools. This report, which is based on several national and state-level studies, is intended to be a starting point for discussion among state and local leaders as they examine the roles of school boards and superintendents in an era of mounting demand for increased student achievement.

The New Challenge for School Boards
( Donald McAdams, Education Commission of the States, 2002)

No center of power is better positioned to provide leadership for education reform and improvement than school boards and nowhere is effective leadership and good governance more crucial than in the nation's urban districts, according to the author. This column, published in the February 2002 issue of ECS' Governance Notes, explores the new challenges facing school boards and outlines a strategy for successfully dealing with these challenges.

School Boards: Focus on School Performance, Not Money and Patronage
(Paul T. Hill, Progressive Policy Institute, January 2003)

According to this report, while school board members' mode of selection is important, what really matters is the school board's basic powers and mission. This report shows how school board roles can be redefined so they can focus on school performance. Options include limiting school board powers and subjecting school boards to performance contingency.

Mayoral Influence, New Regimes and Public School Governance
(Michael W. Kirst, Consortium for Policy Research in Education, May 2002)

In several cities over the past 10 years, mayors have achieved a greater amount of control over school districts. According to the author, governance structure changes that give mayors more control must be understood in the context of each particular city. Still, on the whole, while mayors have been able to help balance the budget, improve buildings and increase school supplies, intervention in the classroom has been more difficult.

Governing America's Schools: Changing the Rules
(National Commission on Governing America's Schools, Education Commission of the States, November 1999)

This report, which The Wall Street Journal commended for "sweeping away decades of cobwebs surrounding previous reform proposals" and setting "a high standard for future debate on the subject," outlines two potential approaches for governing the nation's schools. Both seek to build on the strengths of the prevailing governance system while infusing it with a greater capacity for adaptability, flexibility and accountability.