A Framework for Alaska School Boards VISION What is the "big deal" about implementing standards for board members in our local district? Why would we even want to take on another task when we already have so much to do? After all, we were each elected by a majority of voters and that implies that they trust us to do the right thing. Or does it? Think for a moment about the issues that face public education. There is popularity in some segments for vouchers and the challenge to abandon public education. There is the call for charter schools with little or no district oversight, funded out of already scarce district coffers. In our own state there are continual calls for mandated district consolidation and borough formation to "fix" public education. Those of us in municipalities must explain, each year, in excruciating detail every facet of our program to justify our local appropriation request. It has become very popular for legislative bodies to "wring their hands" over each year’s graduating class who are accused of being unable to adequately perform in the 21st century. The next step is to create an exit exam to ensure that public schools are performing their job. At the risk of using a cliché, I doubt that U.S. public education has ever had such an onslaught of attacks at any one time. Does it mean that awe as the governance officials in each of our communities are failing? Are the accusations to be believed? I DON’T THINK SO! I believe, with all my heart, that the students graduating on Kodiak Island, and all the rest of Alaska, are the finest young people that have ever gone through our schools, public or private. I constantly point out to critics, that the one thing that separates our great nation for all other is our longstanding tradition of free public education. Why is it different from the education system in most other countries? We mandate education for our children. We believe that education is as critical to their well being as safety, nutrition, and shelter. We take ALL children, no matter what their physical and mental condition, and provide them an education. We take ALL children, no matter what their economic or ethnic background and provide them with the education to excel. I suggest to you that the evidence does not prove that we are failing in our task of providing a quality education. ACT/SAT scores are improving, despite the fact that more students each year take the tests. Compare your current district curriculum with what you remember from your won schools years. Today's students must normally take increased credits in courses that were never heard of in yesterday's classes. Technology, in our lifetime, has moved from the slide rule of my mathematics classes to World Wide Web connectivity. Our graduates are preparing for careers that did not even exist twenty-five years ago! This lack of trust in local school boards did not appear overnight. It crept up on us while we were busily attending to the business of educating our children. We are a group of citizen volunteers in each local community trying to do the absolute best job we can to provide a better life for our children and our neighbors’ children through education. We are native Alaskan, Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic and Asian. We are men and Women. We are in the work force, retired and some of us even live the subsistence lifestyle. We are wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers. Some of us are not even married and have never had children. We are fisher persons, hunters, carvers, whalers, homemakers, government employees, pilots, salespersons, social workers, administrators, lawyers, doctors and a myriad of other professions. But we have one thing in common–we all deeply care for children–all children–and want them to have a good education. If we are to continue this great tradition of being able to provide a quality education, governed by locally elected officials, we must reestablish the public's confidence in our ability to oversee that system. An immediate step is for local school boards to adopt standards for ourselves. It is not a matter of taking on one more task. It is a matter of standing in front of the electorate and taking responsibility for our actions. I’ve not met an Alaskan school board member who didn’t have the best interest of their students first. Let’s share that with our communities. The Association of Alaska School Boards has created a framework for use in local districts. Each board Standard is directly tied to our purpose as board members–Student Achievement. I encourage you to read those standards again and relate them to the wonderful work occurring in your own district. VISION The board creates a shared vision to enhance student achievement. STRUCTURE The board provides a structure that supports the vision. ACCOUNTABILITY The board measures district performance toward accomplishing the vision, and reports the results to the public. ADVOCACY The board champions the vision. CONDUCT-ETHICS The board and its individual members conduct the business of the district in a fair, respectful and responsible manner. Several districts are already adopting these standards as a way of becoming accountable to their communities. How do we begin the process of implementing board standards? Some suggestions being used throughout the state are offered for your use: Place board standards on the agenda for a work session and have an open discussion on their applicability in your district. Place board standards on your agenda for a regular meeting and hold a public vote on their adoption to demonstrate to the public your commitment to standards. Build your goal setting session around your standards to create your vision for student achievement. Create a "seamless" connection between the board vision and the classroom instruction. Take a look at your policy and incorporate your standards into the appropriate section. Create a community task force to develop locally relevant performance indicators for the standards. Help them understand that the term "public servant" has real meaning for board members. Print your standards under the district logo and prominently display in the schools and public buildings throughout the district. Schedule board members to speak at service clubs, student groups and public gatherings about our actions and what board standards mean to you–and how it will positively affect student achievement.
STRUCTURE
ACCOUNTABILITY
ADVOCACY
CONDUCT-ETHICS
Contact AASB to provide training and assistance to help you create the standards in your district.
