Check Training Hours Member Portal Contact Us Search

Trending Now

Governing is not easy; KSBA training can help

Kentucky School Advocate
December 2018

By Debbie Wesslund
KSBA Board Leadership and Training Consultant

Iremember how I felt when I won a seat on the local board of education – very excited, a bit overwhelmed and needing some direction about what came next.

My new, experienced board colleagues and the superintendent recognized that need and helped me get a grip on some of my first responsibilities. But the training and encouragement KSBA provided over those early months added to the camaraderie and knowledge necessary to build confidence as a public official.

Last month, about half of Kentucky’s 867 school board seats were on the ballot. Many new members will take their places in January, along with a number of incumbents who will begin another four-year term.

From the eastern and western reaches of the Commonwealth to the urban/suburban regions, the leadership of each local board of education has a significant impact on the success of our communities’ young people.

Every school board member faces similar challenges in their leadership role as a policy maker and advocate. Making the right decisions at the board table is often difficult, even for the most seasoned board members.

While candidates for office learn a lot about the issues they will face when they are running for office, moving into a governing role is a change in focus. Campaigning is one thing; working in a governance capacity as a board team is another.

All newly elected officials must orient themselves in a new environment. And every school board with new members needs to focus on uniting as a brand new team.

Because of that, Kentucky calls on public school board members to receive regular training to make sure you have the knowledge and skills to embrace your community leadership role and be part of an effective board of education.

State law requires that newly elected school board members earn 12 training hours per year in key areas, including good governance, finance, ethics and superintendent evaluation. Further, because of a recent change in law allowing charter schools in the Commonwealth, board members must also get 12 hours of training as a charter authorizer. Several of the courses have been designed as dual credit, reducing the total number of hours required. For example, ethics courses can count as both an ethics credit and charter authorizer credit.

KSBA is the primary source of training for school board members and offers this training in a variety of ways.

The association holds conferences throughout the year, where board members can learn along with colleagues from across the state. Attending conferences and sharing in the learning experience with others adds value to the training.

KSBA will also come to you. We coordinate a cadre of trainers made up of current and former school board members and administrators who deliver this training. These individuals not only provide content but share their experiences in school leadership. The association offers some training online and through real-time distance learning, as well.

To help develop strong board teams, KSBA makes available an orientation for boards and superintendents to learn as a unit. This offering, called Building an Effective School Board Team, is a two-hour introduction to your public role, KSBA services, board legal authority and how to build a strong team and provide strong leadership. You can choose two additional topics for this training such as ethics, finance or superintendent evaluation, and gain a total of four hours of training together. Spending time like this as a board team can help solidify relationships necessary to get through some of the tough work as school boards.

The next association conference is its largest. The KSBA annual meeting will be Feb. 22-24 at the Galt House in Louisville. Board members can choose from a number of courses that fill a particular need and earn credits. You can also meet many of your board colleagues from around the state. There’s nothing like knowing you are not alone!

For more information on KSBA training, you may go to www.ksba.org, or contact Laura Cole, director of board team development.

Congratulations to all school board members who have been elected or re-elected. Building competence and confidence in your work will help you along the way. I am glad to be a part of the KSBA training team, because I know it provides support that makes a big difference.