To be considered, amended as necessary and then mutually
agreed to by the Board of Directors and Superintendent in
each school district
Recommended by K-12 Governance Report of The Education Policy
and Leadership Center - March 2004
GOVERNANCE-MANAGEMENT COMPACT
Roles and Responsibilities of the Board of School Directors and the
Superintendent in the __________ School District
The Board of School Directors and the Superintendent of the __________
School District acknowledge our collective responsibility to govern and
manage the school district with integrity and as good stewards of the
public trust. Therefore, we agree to work collaboratively as a team, to
abide by the following principles, and to be held accountable for our
performance as a leadership team.
Operating Principles
Our common purpose is to lead a learning community that is focused
on helping all students achieve success in reaching high educational
standards.
That purpose will guide our decisions regarding board policy,
management and operation of the school district.
As agents of the state, we will operate according to the established
laws, rules, and regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the
United States of America.
In performing our duties, we will demonstrate the highest standards
of ethical and professional conduct, and we will treat everyone with
dignity and respect.
As stewards of the public trust, we will govern and manage the
district responsibly to serve the current and future needs of the
community.
As a team, we will work together. The superintendent is responsible
for informing the board and recommending to the board policies (e.g.,
budget) and actions (e.g., personnel), while the board is responsible
for considering the superintendent's advice and approving or disapproving
it.
Role of the Board of School Directors
We recognize that the legal authority of the Board lies with the
collective body, not with individual members; therefore, we will work
collaboratively to make good policy decisions.
The primary work of the Board involves five major areas:
Planning - The Board shall:
Work with the superintendent and the community to establish
strategic direction for the district by adopting and annually
reviewing a strategic plan that describes the vision, mission, values,
priority goals, strategies, educational standards and methods of
assessment.
Adopt an annual budget plan that is aligned with the district
priority goals and student learning objectives as described in the
strategic plan.
Adopt professional development plans for Board and staff that
are linked to the accomplishment of district priority goals and
student learning objectives.
Policymaking - The Board shall:
Establish and regularly review policies that define the Board's
structure, rules of procedure, communication and decision-making
processes, code of conduct, and other policies that pertain to the
governance function.
Establish and regularly review policies that state expected
results in regard to the educational and operational functions of
the school district.
Establish and regularly review policies that describe the
relationship and division of responsibilities between the Board and
the Superintendent.
Monitoring - The Board shall:
In collaboration with the superintendent, establish objective
criteria for assessing the performance of the superintendent in
managing school district operations and conduct regular performance
reviews.
Adopt multiple measures of assessing student achievement and
request regular progress reports.
Adopt objective criteria for monitoring progress toward district
priority goals.
Maintain fiscal oversight by routinely reviewing reports on
income and expenditures, audits, and financial planning documents.
Monitor its own performance through the establishment of
performance goals and regular self-assessment, including improvement
strategies such as board professional development.
Communicating - The Board shall:
Establish and honor procedures for public and staff input into Board policy decisions.
Encourage public participation in board meetings.
Maintain open and honest communications among all members of the
Board and the Superintendent and with the public.
Establish and monitor procedures for regular reporting of student
achievement data and progress on district goals to parents and the
general public.
Create partnerships with other community service providers, when
appropriate, to support the success of all children.
Advocating - The Board shall:
Serve as a public advocate for the school district and the
children and youth who live in the school district.
Maintain communications with other federal, state and local
policymakers in regard to public policies that impact education and
children.
Be advocates for board service and encourage qualified citizens
to run for election to the school board.
Role of the Superintendent
As the Chief Executive Officer and educational leader, the
primary responsibility of the Superintendent is to provide leadership
and organizational management for the total operation of the school
district and to be accountable to the Board of School Directors for
district performance.
The Superintendent shall be guided by the policies of the Board
of School Directors, shall maintain frequent and open communications
with all members of the board, and shall work collaboratively with
the Board to inform the decision-making process.
It shall be the duty of the Superintendent to:
Establish an organizational structure and educational
programs that are conducive to creating conditions of success
for all students to meet high educational standards.
Provide leadership in the development and regular review
of the district's strategic plan and the establishment of
annual priority goals and student learning objectives.
Recommend for Board action the hiring of appropriate and
qualified staff to carry out district goals.
Monitor student and staff performance and provide regular
feedback to the Board.
Maintain prudent fiscal oversight and recommend for Board
action annual budget plans that are aligned with the district
priorities and student learning objectives.
Provide qualitative data and information to all members
of the Board to help them make good policy decisions.
Maintain positive relationships with community stakeholders.
Plan for and recommend professional development plans
that meet the needs of individual staff members as well as
district priority goals and student instructional needs.
Create partnerships with other community service providers,
when appropriate, to support the success of all children.
Practice and institutionalize within the school district
the concept of continuous improvement.
Serve as a public advocate for the school district and
the children and youth who live in the school district.
