Governance corner
Practical tips from our MIG faculty
Board member professional development in challenging times
Professional learning can help boards with COVID-induced stress through solid planning and goal setting.

March 2020 marked the earliest days of the global pandemic that brought unprecedented stress and strain to people from all walks of life and to systems of all types and sizes, including individual school board members and the collective governing boards on which they serve. So, why is it important in these continuingly challenging times that governance teams should keep the proverbial “foot on the gas” when it comes to participating in high-quality professional development?

Board members recognize their awesome responsibility: they have been entrusted by the voting public with their precious children and their hard-earned tax dollars. But trustees, although elected officials, find themselves no less susceptible than anyone else to COVID-induced stresses. Well-designed professional development, or PD, can help alleviate those stresses by tackling burnout issues head-on while at the same time reminding trustees of why they’re committed to serving each and every student in their district or county office of education, and how they’ll continue to serve students and schools.

Questions boards can consider when planning PD opportunities:

  1. What are the deeper, strategic commonalities board members can revisit and re-energize via PD?
  2. How can trustees use PD to realign with administrative leaders in the district?
  3. Which types of PD can boost board engagement among governance team members, and within the school system and the broader community?
  4. How can PD sessions illuminate ways to solidify board members’ connection to the district’s mission in the face of pandemic-related issues?
  5. What ways can PD experiences empower board members to improve in all community engagement forums, not just at the board table?
  6. How can board members use PD as a reflective and introspective tool for self-assessment?

It is important to prioritize funding for board professional development annually in the budget. One place to begin to identify key areas for growth is the completion of a Board Self-Evaluation. Learn about resources for CSBA’s Governance Consulting Services as well as other training opportunities offered statewide on the Training and Events section of the CSBA website: www.csba.org/TrainingAndEvents.