To assist in this process, CSBA has developed a Board Policy Development Toolkit to equip governance teams with the tools needed to create effective policies, foster shared understanding and informed decision-making, and enhance local educational agencies’ ability to adopt and maintain strong policy practices.
“While superintendents and other administrators manage the day-to-day operations of a district or county office of education, board members govern through establishing policy,” said CSBA Senior Director of Research and Education Policy Development Mary Gardner Briggs. “At CSBA, we consistently emphasize the importance of board members knowing their roles and responsibilities, and policymaking sits squarely in that space. Yet many board members report wanting additional support to leverage that role to the benefit of students and staff. This toolkit can deepen our members’ conceptual understanding and develop the governance team’s shared understanding of both the policy process and local practices. The toolkit provides opportunities for individual professional learning, along with resources for the full governance team. It also includes tools for members to use when reviewing substantive policy changes.”
The toolkit includes the following:
- Policy Framework: The framework provides board members, regardless of experience, with guidance on policy development, review and implementation. It emphasizes the importance of creating a shared governance culture, engaging community input and maintaining legal compliance. By using this framework and adopting recommended practices, boards can create policies that foster high-quality teaching and learning environments while protecting the LEA from legal and financial risks.
- Policy Framework 101: The 101 document serves as a simplified version of the more comprehensive framework, quickly orienting members to the tools and how to use them. It includes a Frequently Asked Questions section that explores various types of policies, the superintendent’s role in policy development and implementation and more.
- Individual Board Member Reflection: This reflection tool is designed to help individual board members assess their own policy literacy and practices. It encourages trustees to identify areas for growth and provides structured prompts to guide their engagement with policy development. This reflection process is intended to help both novice and experienced board members consider areas where they can improve their policy literacy and resources to support their learning.
- Board Policy Process Evaluation: This comprehensive tool is for evaluating existing board policy practices. It encourages reflection and discussion around key governance pillars such as local priorities, compliance, instructional impact and equity. The document outlines a scoring rubric for board members to assess their practices on a spectrum from “Not Present” to “Exemplary,” supporting continuous improvement through periodic evaluations from the board as a whole.
- Policy Principles Quick Reference Guide: The quick reference guide helps board members understand how to engage in high-quality policy review and discussion at the dais. It is based on the policy principles and includes sample questions for governance teams to consider.
“CSBA developed this toolkit to ensure LEAs have practical, actionable guidance informed by the realities of local governance,” explained Tezeta Stewartz, CSBA senior director of Policy and Governance Technology Services. “Member feedback was essential throughout the development process, helping to shape a resource grounded in real board experience and responsive to the diverse policy needs of districts and county offices of education across the state.”
In addition to the resources included in the toolkit, GAMUT subscribers can access sample policies developed by CSBA’s Policy and Governance Technology Services Department as source materials for both school districts and county offices of education to craft and create their own policy documents.
