Illinois' school-reform act of 1985 authorized the development of an Administrators Academy for training principals to evaluate teachers and for training superintendents to evaluate principals. Renewal of school administrators' certification was contingent upon attendance. Some practitioners, educators, and state association directors began to explore the feasibility of mandating training for all school-board members. This paper presents findings of a study that examined Illinois superintendents' views about requiring mandatory training for members of school boards. A national survey of executive directors of school board associations was conducted in spring 1990. Six states--Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas--were found to require training programs for school board members. In fall 1990, a survey of all 967 Illinois superintendents elicited 497 usable returns. In general, superintendents, particularly those in smaller districts, viewed mandatory school-board training as necessary. Superintendents of larger districts did not see training as a viable method for reducing administrator-board conflict. It is recommended that course content focus on instructional leadership, academic goals, high expectations for students and teachers, school climate, and school-effectiveness measures. An overview of the six states' training programs is also provided. Two tables are included. (Contains 19 references.) (LMI)