| How can effective school boards take the lead in shaping the direction of public school accountability in the information age? Everyone owns accountability for student achievement, beginning with the school board. Responsibility for student achievement and learning goes from the board and superintendent to principals, teachers, and all the way to students and parents. In this way, the school board is creating an environment in which accountability will serve as the driving force behind improving student achievement. Most impressively, every parent and tax payer are expecting district 227 to make Annual Yearly Pogress (AYP). ********************************************************** THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS I. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT QUESTIONS THE SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD ASK ITSELF 1. Do we clearly communicate that we are committed to continuous improvement? 2. Is continuous improvement built into planning processes? 3. Are the programs and initiatives being assessed linked to short and long term strategic objectives? 4. Is there community participation in continuous improvement discussions and plan review? 5. Do we focus on solutions and help (outside consultancy) instead of blaming? 6. Are adjustments made and resources allocated in a timely prioritized by putting first things first in a timely manner? 7. Do school board members, administrators, teachers, and other staff receive school I improvement training that addresses the Five Essentials (Needs) in District 227? II. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT QUESTIONS THE SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF 1. How often are programs and formative assessment reviews conducted? 2. What measures and indicators are used to provide formative feedback on achievement initiatives? 3. How are assessments used to adjust curriculum and instruction? 4. How are findings reported to the staff and public? Do they have the information they need and in an understandable format for informed discussion? 5. Can data be disaggregated to help discover solutions to problems? 6. What is being done to create a customer focus III. PLANNING TEAM CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT 1. What will our board need to create an ongoing program of board development, planning, and team building? 2. What are the resources in our community that we can draw upon to help us begin to develop a culture of continuous improvement? 3. What can we do to help the staff in our district become eager to participate in a continuous improvement process? 4. Does our District promote risk-taking? Does it reward individual and group efforts to promote student achievement? It not, what steps will be necessary to make these things happen? From The Key Work of School Boards Guidebook by K. Gemberling, C. Smith, and J. Villani, is published by the National School Boards Association. This booklet is also available nationally and internationally, online, and annually at the National School Boards Annual Conventions held yearly within the United States. The Key Work of School Boards Guidebook arms Boards of Education with the tools necessary to increase student achievement, not just on core areas, but on the necessary 21st century skills. This guidebook provides essential information, and instructions for understanding and appropriately implementing The Key Work of School Boards. | 
