KSBA - Public Engagement

Improving Student Achievement

One of the most challenging, yet vital roles for locally elected school board members is to gather community direction on issues related to students, their learning environment and their scholastic achievement.

Listening to constituents before taking action has been described as a trait of true representative leadership. For a variety of reasons, school boards can gain important insight by conducting a structured yet informal Community Discussion on student achievement.

For example, the General Assembly affirmed the responsibility of local boards of education to establish district goals for the community’s school system. School councils answer to the Department of Education regarding advancement on state accountability targets. However, no process other than that authorized under KRS 160.345(2) encourages schools to consider and respond to operational and instructional goals that reflect community direction. The Community Discussion process can provide the school board, schools and the district with tools to effectively establish and review those goals.

Ultimately, a Community Discussion can give district and school leaders insight into expectations, suggestions and needs from a cross-section of the community. Just as schools prepare their “needs lists” on the basis of input from students, parents, teachers and staff, the district can prepare a system-wide “list” to be shared with those who develop the individual school plans. The document also could become a useful tool in board planning, budgeting, and decision-making.

KSBA can assist school boards conduct a Community Discussion in such areas as:

Designing the meeting; date, time and site, process and length of session, number of invited community representatives, and manner for comments to be recorded for use by the Board. Optional afternoon forums may be scheduled with specific community groups (ex: students; staff; recent alumni).
Selecting (two or three) primary questions to be addressed and included in the invitation to participants and then used to keep discussion focused on student achievement during the meeting.
Identifying diverse community representatives to be invited to take part in the discussion.
Selecting an experienced, impartial facilitator using, if desired, assistance provided by KSBA.
Compiling summaries of comments from discussion and written submissions received for board members and administrators.

Service Contacts: Kerri Schelling

Kentucky School Boards Association

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