Turnover of public school superintendents can be both costly and counterproductive for school districts. For those who are successful, who remain in one district as superintendent, and receive contract renewals from their school boards, it is important to uncover what may impact that success. Measures of personality have been applied to the fields…

In the face of unprecedented challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has tested the resilience and adaptability of educational systems worldwide. At the heart of this turmoil, the critical relationship between boards of education and superintendents has emerged as a focal point for both scrutiny and improvement. This dissertation examines the dynamics…

According to the California School Board Association, the role of the school board is to ensure that school districts are responsive to the values, beliefs, and priorities of their communities. Even though board members have a complex list of roles and responsibilities, CSBA assigns five primary major responsibilities: setting direction,…

The purpose of this research study was to identify factors that lead to a positive relationship between school boards and superintendents and the overall importance of this relationship. Furthermore, this study looked at conflict resolution between school boards and superintendents and the influence of this relationship on student achievement. Two…

District-level directors, principals, and human resource personnel can bring important viewpoints and information in assisting the school board and superintendent during the teacher negotiations process. Unfolding in this case study are the myriad pressures brought forth to the key players in the process, the negotiating process of interest-based…

In line with the Center on School Turnaround's charge to support states' efforts, they sought to highlight three districts engaged in focused turnaround efforts where their respective boards played a key role in catalyzing, shaping, and supporting targeted improvement efforts. This brief is one of three describing the work. The three briefs…

Public education today faces a troubling set of challenges, including declining enrollment, staffing shortages, and polarized communities, with school boards at the center of broader political debates. How did we arrive at this current state? This study--described here and, in more detail, in a related report--of seven California school districts…

Tens of thousands of individuals across the United States volunteer their time, energy, and expertise as members of charter school boards. Yet as the charter sector has grown, remarkably little has been learned about these individuals who make key operational decisions about their schools and have legal and moral responsibilities for the education…

Almost daily, media headlines draw attention to students struggling academically and emotionally from interrupted learning, high student absenteeism, declining enrollment, teacher and leader burnout, staffing shortages, polarized communities, and school boards at the center of broader political debates. How did we arrive at this current state of…

A collaborative superintendent/board relationship is essential to the successful and efficient oversight of a school district. The relationship between the superintendent and the school board lies at the heart of school governance (Callan & Levinson, 2011; Eadie, 2003; McCurdy & Hymes, 1992). To illustrate the importance of a collaborative…

In the current economic times, school personnel are regularly challenged to reduce the costs of operating the nation's school systems. School district consolidations often are proposed as a mechanism to realize fiscal savings for local communities; indeed, the number of U.S. school districts has declined dramatically over the past 70 years,…

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence the actions taken by school boards that advance student achievement in high-achieving rural public school districts. Much of what is discussed in the literature on school improvement efforts is centered on the work carried out by school personnel at the school level. What is…

Most business people seem to understand the direct connection between product and revenue; they seem keenly aware of the staggering cost of inattention to product. Yet, when these same business people become trustees of independent schools, they tend to overlook this connection, which is surprising when one considers the frequency with which they…

Do school boards have a role in student achievement? Recent research suggests that they do. This case study identifies 12 board of education governance practices associated with higher levels of student achievement. The relationship between these board governance practices and the role of the board in district leadership is examined in the context…

It's hard to underestimate how crucial the board is in setting an institution's direction. In the United States, the boards of public and private institutions have wildly divergent characteristics. Boards at public institutions are typically smaller than those at private institutions. Board members of public institutions are usually appointed by a…