Effective school boards are essential to success

By Dr. Carter D. Ward

In his inaugural address, Gov. Jay Nixon called for "a new day for public service and volunteerism" throughout Missouri. He urged Missourians to become more involved and make our communities stronger. Nothing represents that spirit more than the unpaid volunteers who serve on local school boards throughout the state.

School board service is both a rewarding and thankless task. Dealing with controversial issues comes with the territory. But mostly, school boards establish the policies that guide our schools and ensure that our students receive the finest possible education.

School boards are a fundamental part of our democracy. They serve as the link between the community and their schools. That role is critical to guarantee our communities have a say in how our schools operate. The decisions school boards make often have a greater long-term impact on our communities than those of any other governmental body.

Today school boards must focus like a laser beam on student achievement. It is imperative that we raise performance for all students if our state and nation are to thrive in the 21st century. Effective school boards establish policies that require high standards, a rigorous curriculum and high-quality teachers. Research is clear that having a high-quality teacher in the classroom is the most important factor in student success.

School boards sit in trust on behalf of the community to ensure that the community is getting a solid return on the investment of its tax dollars. The board ultimately is accountable for resource allocation relative to board policy and district goals, thus advancing the improvement of student achievement.

Gone are the days when school boards make decisions based on their own intuition or anecdotal information. Today boards have access to data and must base decisions on that data. School boards can use that data to ensure that all students, regardless of gender, race or socioeconomic status are progressing toward reaching high standards. The federal government, state government, and communities all want to see measurable results. While interpreting data can be tricky at times, school boards must insist that results be demonstrated through data.

Finally, school boards must find ways to engage the community in their schools. After all, they are the community's schools. Effective school boards find ways to ensure that the community is connected with setting the vision for their schools and that the schools represent the values of the community.

Serving as a school board member is one of the most important elected offices in our democracy. It is an awesome responsibility. More than 3,600 Missourians serve on our school boards today. We honor them during the week of Jan. 25 to 31, which is School Board Recognition Week in Missouri.

Dr. Carter D. Ward is executive director of the Missouri School Boards Association.