Board Assessment Governing Board Online Training Module

Why evaluate the Board? To identify board training needs To establish goals for improvement To maintain accountability for the board

How should the Board be evaluated? Self-assessment for entire Board Input from stakeholders Individual board member self-assessment

How often should evaluation occur? Annually at a minimum Quarterly review

What should be measured? Board operations Effective meetings Promotion of the vision & mission Strategic plan effectiveness Policy development Legislative and legal issues Professional development Accountability & accreditation Financial security and oversight Relationships

Board operations Is the board actively grooming future members for roles on the board? How well is the board following its own bylaws, rules, and expectations? Are board officers performing duties appropriate to their position? Is the board making good use of committees to delegate work and gain needed expertise? Does the board conduct productive meetings? Does the board conduct regular assessment?

Meeting efficiency/professionalism Does the board conduct its meetings in a professional manner? Does the board adhere to Utah’s Open & Public Meetings Act and Robert’s Rules of Order? Are meetings well organized? Are board packets available well before each meeting? Do members handle conflict professionally? Are there impediments that can be remedied? Are all board members engaged and contributing equally?

Promotion of the vision & mission Does the board use the vision and mission in each meeting to guide decision making? Does the board use the vision and mission statements in their publications? Does the board communicate the vision and mission in such a way that the administration and staff understand how the statements relate to day-to-day school business?

Effectiveness of Strategic Planning Did the strategic plan outline the most pressing matters for the school? Did the board produce a work plan as a part of the strategic plan? Was the strategic plan revisited quarterly (or more frequently) to determine which tasks were completed?

Policy development Has the board developed a policy infrastructure to support the school? Does the board have clear procedures for policy development? Do policies for school emergencies exist?

Legislative and legal issues Has the board made sure the school is in compliance with federal and state law? Has the board applied for appropriate waivers? Did the board create SMART goals in its charter contract that will serve the school well? Does the board monitor proposed legislation and become involved as needed?

Professional development Does the board actively engage in training to improve its knowledge and function? Does the board put into practice what it has learned? Does the board engage in a needs assessment to determine its training needs?

Accountability and Accreditation Does the board gather program assessment data for decision making? Has the school met the minimum standards of the State Charter School Board as outlined in Board Rule R ? Does the board oversee an accountability committee? Is the school fully accredited?

Financial security and oversight Does the board have a workable business plan? Does the board actively seek outside funding? Are there adequate resources to implement the school curriculum and programs? Does the board demonstrate mastery of budget development and understand financial reports? Does the board have a current development plan?

Relationships Has the board provided adequate support for the administrator? Has the board conducted at least a yearly evaluation of the administrator? Did the administrator’s evaluation include goals and commendations? Has the board made efforts to build positive relationships with groups in the charter community? Does the board have a plan for developing relationships outside of the school?

What should be done with the results? Used to develop a training plan for the following year Used to make improvements to board function

Summary Board assessment is a vital piece of school evaluation Results of the evaluation should inform the board of its strengths and weaknesses Results of the evaluation should serve as a foundation for goals and training