School board members are responsible for a variety of responsibilities during their terms of governance. They must set budgets, establish school policies, make long-range plans, and assess data to determine school performance. This governing board further decides how schools will operate and recommends strategies that will increase student achievement.
Due to these obligations, it stands to reason that elected board members should receive some type of training to assist them in conducting complex school business. However, school board member training is not without its share of controversy.
In this video, Cal Heminway, Board Chairman of Granby School District in Connecticut, talks about what makes a good school board member.
The Importance of School Board Training
In Michigan, voters seem united in their desire to see school board members properly trained for their roles. A recent survey published by the Michigan Association of School Boards demonstrated voter discontent. As many as 30% of the 600 Michigan voters polled gave their current school board members an average grade of "C" in terms of their recent performance. In addition, the survey found the following:
- Two-thirds of the respondents believe that school board training should be mandatory.
- The vast majority support training within one hour of the local school district.
- About half oppose training on a national level, preferring local training.
- Almost two-thirds said they would be more likely to vote for a potential member who has