Effective or Ineffective Board Members

Signs of an effective school board member

Here are some signs of a school board member focused on moving the school district forward and educating all students to meet high standards:

• Effective school board members have a clear vision for the district. They set the vision and goals, and measure the success of the district and superintendent against the goals
• Effective school board members work as a team. They collaborate well with others and are respectful of the other board members and superintendent.
• Effective school board members adopt a fiscally sound district budget. They pay attention to finances and regularly monitor the fiscal health of the district.
• Effective school board members focus on what is best for all students. They focus on student achievement and implementing policies that will ensure success for all students.
• Effective school board members advocate at the local, state and national level for public education.  

Signs of an ineffective school board member

If you notice any of the following signs, it’s time to find some new candidates to run for your local board:

• The school board member continually focuses on one issue or talks aimlessly at meetings.
• The school board member doesn’t conduct him or herself in a respectful, collaborative manner in public.
• The school board member comes to meetings unprepared.
• The school board member “rubber stamps” all the superintendent’s proposals without asking hard questions.
• The school board member micromanages rather than focusing attention on district-wide policies.
• The school board member uses his position on the school board as an opportunity to put forth a political agenda with little relevance to student achievement.