Policy Governance® ServicePolicy Governance® is a governance model that school boards may use to provide policy leadership. It is a system of interrelated principles that uses policies to express board values and perspectives in all areas with clear authority and accountability for all significant roles. Through comprehensive facilitation and consultation, Policy Governance® training enables a board to establish a new framework for effective governance under the policy governance model. Trainings help board teams develop policies in areas of executive limitations, governance process, board/superintendent relations and end results for students. It also includes a community engagement plan to help the board involve the community in defining what benefits should be achieved for which students. Policy Governance® is an established set of principles and CASB’s expert staff helps school boards adapt the principles for their unique needs, so the school board can:
1. Facilitated Workshops, Training and ConsultationCASB provides the district with comprehensive facilitation, training and consultation enabling the board and administration to establish a new framework for effective governance utilizing the Policy Governance® model.
This workshop is designed to provide an understanding of the fundamentals of governance, in general, and the governing options available, as well as to look at the principles of the Policy Governance® model. At the conclusion of the Introductory Workshop, the superintendent and board will more thoroughly understand how the model and its principles may or may not work for the district and whether this governance system is a good fit.
During the Policy Workshop a CASB consultant will assist the board and its team to develop policies that are specifically tailored to the district’s needs and circumstances, using CASB’s draft policy templates. The templates are consistent with the Policy Governance® principles and include all four categories of policy: Ends, Executive Limitations, Board-Superintendent Relations and Governance Process. The board will also begin to practice applying the principles to its own priorities and the district's circumstances. Please note that additional work is required to complete the board’s Ends policies. This process will be introduced as the Policy Workshop concludes.
The board and appropriate staff will identify at the broadest levels the educational results, benefits and outcomes for various groups of students and the priorities and costs of the results for those students. A CASB consultant will facilitate the board in drafting Ends statements to be refined as board discussions continue. This workshop will also include development of an outline for a community engagement plan and a list of potential Ends-related questions to ask various citizen groups during engagement.
During a Monitoring Workshop, administrators will learn to prepare monitoring reports, including how to make reasonable interpretations, what data or evidence to provide and alternatives in preparing monitoring reports. Additionally, board members will receive guidance on how to evaluate a monitoring report. Monitoring is often most effectively learned by expert coaching and practice, which CASB is happy to provide.
Topic-specific workshops are provided to meet the district’s needs and may include strategic agenda planning, preparation and/or facilitation of the community engagement plan, monitoring refinement, practice with Ends-related discussion and dealing with traditional problems in a way that is consistent with Policy Governance® principles.
CASB reviews agendas, minutes, monitoring reports and community engagement notes to assist the board in fine-tuning its use of the model and ensure that district issues are being dealt with in a policy consistent way.
CASB recommends incorporating “refreshers” into the above workshops (as needed) to assist current and new board members and administrators in becoming familiar and comfortable with the model. This can also be a stand-alone workshop, at the district’s request. 2. Related Policy Services
CASB’s policy staff assists the superintendent in creating an effective district policy manual that is consistent with and a companion to the board’s Policy Governance® policies.
CASB’s Policy Support Service provides a user-friendly, informative and comprehensive approach to keeping policies up-to-date and includes CASB Core Policy Online that allows users to search CASB’s sample policies online for comparison to district administration policies. The district is kept apprised of changes affecting policy through CASB’s policy newsletter – Special Policy Updates and provided revised CASB sample policies for reference. Online District Policy Maintenance allows for transformation of both the board policy manual and administration policy manual into a convenient, paperless policy collection. Contact us for current service fees
For additional information on related policy services, please contact CASB at 303-832-1000 or [email protected]. |