DETROIT
-- The Detroit school board plans to sue the district`s
emergency financial manager over money he`s receiving from a group that
supports charter schools. (more...)
Michigan schools lose out in federal Race to the Top grant competition
Michigan schools aren`t part of the first round of the federal Race to the Top school reform package, according to an announcement from the U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
Duncan released a video this morning listing 15 states and the District of Columbia as finalists for the first round in the $4.3 billion program -- but did not include Michigan. (more...)
$200M plan would create 70 new schools for Detroit
(AP) — DETROIT - A group of foundations has teamed up on a $200 million plan to start 70 new schools for Detroit children as part of an effort to replace low-performing schools with high-performing ones.
The group led by the nonprofit Skillman Foundation plans to announce details Thursday, the Detroit Free Press reported. Startup funds would be offered for public, charter or private schools in Detroit or nearby suburbs. (more...)
Governance is THE job of Charter Boards, and the MACSB
offers a framework for Board governance that will put you in command of your Academy while keeping you out of the trenches.
This model, which we title "Leadership Governance", is accurately based on the proven Policy
Governance model (created by John Carver) which we have successfully tailored for Michigan Charter Boards.
The MACSB offers an efficient and informative presentation on Leadership Governance. Contact us for further information or to arrange a presentation to your Board.
A number of media outlets recently have published what they referred to as schools in the “Bottom 5 percent of failing schools.” Even though we have informed them that this is not the final list of the “Bottom 5 percent,” there still is a mistaken public perception that it is “the” list. (more...)
Doing the Job!
Vol. 2
No. 2
In Board Bit #1, we offered a practical job description for a Charter Board:
The Board`s job is to make sure the Academy "works" - doing so by monitoring and assessing Academy performance against written, Board-established expectations for:
* Student Achievement...are kids learning? * Management...is the school managed in a prudent &
ethical manner? - and - * Board Process...is the Board governing the right way?
Please note the definition stipulates the need for monitoring and assessing Academy performance against Board expectations.These sequential actions are essential to “close the loop” of good governance – in other words – if something is important enough for the Board to expect, it is equally important the Board know if it got what it expected.When the cycle of expectations setting, monitoring and assessment are completed, the loop of governance is properly closed.
Unfortunately, Boards seldom close that loop.In fact, and at best, Boards typically set expectations for school performance in a haphazard and varied manner that takes the form of unconnected documents, statements at Board meetings, email grenades, word of mouth and other variations on that theme.The Board is then governing more by anecdote and failing memories than an accountability-driven and tangible system of governance.
In contrast, if a Board sets concise, written performance expectations that are focused on the right things and monitored regularly, the assessment of performance can follow and the stage is set for improved governance and a respectful and accountable relationship with your school administrator/ESP.
But what about those policy manuals every Board owns?While they do contain 1,000 or so pages of ideals, processes, protocols and procedures, they do not easily serve as a practical tool for effective and efficient governance. They will, however, protect the Board from potential legal actions and guide your administration as it implements those policies, especially those required by Michigan law.
When a Board sets about the task of developing its initial set of performance expectations, some front-end time must be put aside for creating that basic document.But it is time well spent as we hope you will agree when you see some examples of what’s inside.
The next Board Bits will provide some examples of expectations set by Michigan Charter Boards in the Management Boundaries area (the best place to start).
Please stay tuned!
Need To Find A New ESP?
Thought about changing ESPs but you're not sure how?
We have a complete ESP selection package including the bid, analysis and selection processes. Click Here, send us a email and we`ll come to you with the details!
Want to Find Out How to REALLY Evaluate Your ESP?
So you've got an ESP that you think is doing a pretty good job...Are you sure?
Evaluating your ESP is a year-round job! But first...you have to set the criteria through your Board`s EXPECTATIONS. Want to know more? Click Here, send us a email and we`ll come to you with the details of the Who, What, When, Where and Why of managing your ESP
Charter Board Member Code Training
A list of "things to remember" as you serve on your Charter School Board!
The Charter Board burden...accountability for school success!
Read the recently developed MACSB Position Paper on board Accountability and the need for good governance
Governance is THE job of Charter Boards, and the MACSB
offers a framework for Board governance that will put you in command of your Academy while keeping you out of the trenches.
