In an era marked by deep division and heightened public scrutiny, boards of education cannot rely on business-as-usual approaches to governance. Trust, collaboration and a strong board culture are not optional, they are the essential elements that enable governance teams to stay focused on students, remain unified in purpose and lead with integrity.

Building trust

In the past, school board meetings were held in quiet rooms, where decisions were discussed and debated with respect and consideration. We now see national tensions and disagreement playing out at board meetings across the state and country. For boards to govern effectively in this climate, they must prioritize building trust, fostering collaboration and cultivating a strong board culture.

The foundation of any effective relationship is trust; without it, no organization can function properly. Governance teams consist of three to nine members, each with a unique background, experience and perspective. They must quickly learn to merge those traits to effectively govern the district or county office of education. Without trust, that will never happen.

Trust among a governance team begins with a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. It manifests itself in supporting the collective decisions that are made, being able to disagree without damaging the relationship, maintaining confidentiality, and operating with transparency and honesty. Most importantly, among a governance team, trust means communication that prioritizes understanding among the team and shared purpose above individual preferences.

Trust among a governance team is the foundation that allows it to move from managing conflict to leading progress. By prioritizing trust, leaders create the conditions necessary for the next essential step: true collaboration.

Fostering collaboration

There is a close relationship between trust, relationships and collaboration. Boards that are able to collaborate openly and respectfully tend to have intragroup relationships that contribute to a trusting environment. Establishing a collaborative environment with newly formed governance teams and even teams that have been together for years should not be left to chance. Although most boards do not have more than two or three members of the governance team change at any one time, even a slight change of one member essentially creates a new team.

CSBA recommends that governance teams schedule a “Good Beginnings” board workshop within the first few months of a new trustee or superintendent joining the governing team. A Good Beginnings workshop is designed to set up the conditions for establishing a strong collaborative environment. During these facilitated sessions, the governance team explores their unity of purpose, engages in activities to learn about each other’s tendencies, and creates a greater understanding of the roles and responsibilities of trustees and the superintendent. Collectively, these are key components in establishing a collaborative and trusting environment.

Creating and maintaining a collaborative and trusting culture takes continuous effort. While a Good Beginnings workshop helps to create the foundation for trust, governance teams must work together to maintain a collaborative culture. Some governance teams make a commitment to conducting a board self evaluation (BSE) on a regular basis. The BSE provides an opportunity for the governance team to reflect on their experience as individuals and as a team. Through this process, governance teams collaborate to identify areas of strength and areas that may need attention.

As collaboration deepens, it naturally shapes something even broader — the culture of the board itself.

Strengthening board culture

What is the foundational element that keeps boards of high-performing local educational agencies focused and successful in their mission to achieve high levels of learning and support for the well-being of students? A positive board culture, based on trust and collaboration.

The culture of the board is based on a set of implicit norms and protocols that impact the interactions and decisions of the board members. These unwritten rules encompass a governance mindset, underlying assumptions, group norms and values. They influence the manner in which board members participate in discussions, the level of trust and the decision-making process. At its best, a unified board made up of individuals with different backgrounds and values works together with the superintendent in a collaborative and cohesive manner toward a common vision.

Researchers and practitioners have developed a consensus of the essential conditions found in highly effective boards. The essential conditions are outlined in the framework of the Effective Governance System (Fullan and Campbell, 2019). The pillars of that system include roles and responsibilities, and a unity of purpose and culture, including norms and protocols.

Norms define the behaviors that are acceptable in the culture — for example, how the team treats one another, acknowledging that what leadership does will be emulated by others in the organization. They create a structure that allows a group to function effectively, enabling cooperation and minimizing conflict. A group’s norms, often linked to the group’s identity, not only inform how individuals act within the group but also shape how the group interacts with the external community.

To ensure the sustainability of a positive board culture, high-performing boards assess their actions and the culture of the board as a key component of the board’s self-evaluation process.

When boards commit to building trust, practice meaningful collaboration and intentionally cultivate a healthy culture, they transform conflict into clarity and division into progress. Ultimately, these principles empower governance teams to make thoughtful decisions, strengthen relationships with their communities, and create the conditions in which all students can thrive.