Board Evaluation Review Summary June 10, 2013

Contents
Section
Process Participants Research Summary Quantitative Highlights Qualitative Highlights Summary Appendices Appendix 1: Board Performance as Described by the Cabinet Members Appendix 2: Board Performance as Described by Board Members Appendix 3: How it Feels to be a Board Director Appendix 4: Trust & Respect Appendix 5: Detailed Quantitative Data Board Self Evaluation

Slide #
3 4 5 6 13 23 25 26 40 51 54 63

Process
Surveys
Quan&ta&ve online survey 7 Board members

Interviews
Qualita&ve interviews 6 Board & 7 Cabinet members

Timing & Analysis

Surveys & interviews conducted May 2013 Analysis & this report included both qualita&ve and quan&ta&ve inputs
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Participants
Cabinet Members
Name Jose Banda Bob Boesche Ron English Michael Tolley Duggan Harman Pegi McEvoy Paul Apostle Title Superintendent Deputy Superintendent General Counsel Assistant Superintendent Teaching & Learning Assistant Superintendent Business & Finance Assistant Superintendent Opera&ons Assistant Superintendent Human Resources

Board Members
Name Title Sharon Peaslee Ocer Martha (Marty) McLaren Director BeTy Patu Vice President Michael DeBell Director Harium Mar&n-Morris Director Sherry Carr Director Kay Smith-Blum President
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Research Summary

Board Self Evaluation: Quantitative Highlights

Board Self Evalua>on Online Survey

Confidential online survey completed by 7 Board members Board members rated Board performance across 29 attributes
Descrip>on Outstanding Exceeds Expecta>ons Meets Expecta>ons Needs Improvement Ra&ng 4 3 2 1

Given this scale, a midpoint score on average would be 2.55 In reporting results, we have color coded average resulting scores:
Key Needs Improvement 1.0 - 1.4 1.5 1.9 Meets Expecta>ons 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.9 Exceeds Expecta>ons 3.0 3.4 3.5 4.0 7

Board Self Evalua>on: Highest Ra>ngs

Of 29 total attributes, 18 had an average overall rating of Meets Expectations or higher. No single attribute achieved an average rating of Exceeds Expectations or Outstanding.
Category Responsibility Responsibility Responsibility Responsibility Communica&ons - Goal Responsibility Performance Measures Performance Measures Responsibility Responsibility Performance Measures Rela&onships - Goal Rela&onships - Goal ATribute Uphold all applicable federal and state laws and regula&ons. Maintain a strategic plan for the district that clearly denes success and accountability for the Board, the sta, and our students. Not use our posi&ons for personal or par&san gain. Maintain the conden&ality of privileged informa&on including that shared in execu&ve sessions of the Board. Communica&on protocols are established and followed. These include Friday Updates, 2x2 mee&ngs, quarterly reports, etc. Base our decisions upon available facts, vote our convic&ons, avoid bias in any form, and uphold and support the decisions of the majority of the Board once a decision is made. Are Board commiTees working eec&vely? Are Board mee&ngs operated and structured eec&vely? Maintain Board focus on the achievement of all students, regardless of race, class, ethnicity, or gender. Model con&nuous learning in our roles as members of the governance team. Is the Board appropriately assis&ng the Superintendent with key district priori&za&on decisions? The Board and Superintendent understand and ar&culate the system of governance and dieren&ate between policy and administra&ve roles. Policies and procedures are established for Board and superintendent interpersonal and working rela&onships. Average 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1

Board Self Evalua>on: Lowest Ra>ngs

Of 29 total attributes, 11 (38%) had an average overall rating of below Meets Expectations.
Category Performance Measures Rela&onships - Goal Responsibility Performance Measures Performance Measures Responsibility Performance Measures Responsibility Responsibility Performance Measures Communica&ons - Goal ASribute Is the Board working together eec&vely? The Board maintains a close rela&onship of trust with the Superintendent and strives to facilitate district success. Work to build trust between and among Board members and the superintendent by trea&ng everyone with dignity and respect, even in &mes of disagreement. How is the Board working with the superintendent and sta? Does the Board engage in appropriate communica&on with sta and the public regarding issues? Focus on the policy work of the Board and monitor progress on the indicators of success ar&culated in our strategic plan, leaving the day-to-day opera&on of the district to the superintendent and sta. Is the governance team's policy development process ecient, eec&ve, and produc&ve? Place the interests of children above all others in every decision that we make. Abide by the policies and bylaws of the Board and work with our fellow Board members to change those policies as needed to improve student learning. Does the Board adhere to its ground rules and Oath of Responsibili&es? Board requests are made through agreed-upon protocols. Average 1.3 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9

Board Self Evalua>on: Themes

The highest Board performance ratings were for areas relating to: Responsibility Maintaining a strategic plan and upholding applicable laws, regulations, & confidentiality Communication protocols
Category Responsibility Responsibility Responsibility Responsibility Communica&ons - Goal ATribute Uphold all applicable federal and state laws and regula&ons. Maintain a strategic plan for the district that clearly denes success and accountability for the Board, the sta, and our students. Not use our posi&ons for personal or par&san gain. Maintain the conden&ality of privileged informa&on including that shared in execu&ve sessions of the Board. Communica&on protocols are established and followed. These include Friday Updates, 2x2 mee&ngs, quarterly reports, etc.
Key Needs Improvement 1.0 - 1.4 1.5 1.9 Meets Expecta&ons 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.9 Exceeds Expecta&ons 3.0 3.4 3.5 4.0

Average 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.4 2.4

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Board Self Evalua>on: Themes

The lowest Board performance ratings were for areas relating to: Working effectively with each other Working effectively with the Superintendent & Staff Communications
Category Performance Measures Rela&onships - Goal Responsibility Performance Measures Performance Measures ATribute Is the Board working together eec&vely? The Board maintains a close rela&onship of trust with the Superintendent and strives to facilitate district success. Work to build trust between and among Board members and the superintendent by trea&ng everyone with dignity and respect, even in &mes of disagreement. How is the Board working with the superintendent and sta? Does the Board engage in appropriate communica&on with sta and the public regarding issues?
Key Needs Improvement 1.0 - 1.4 1.5 1.9 Meets Expecta&ons 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.9 Exceeds Expecta&ons 3.0 3.4 3.5 4.0

Average 1.3 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.7

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Board Self Evalua>on: Policy

Responses in this area were unanimous, save for one abstention
Policy Budget Development - Implemented a comprehensive budget development process that reects the strategic plan priori&es and includes both internal and external engagement Audit Response - Developed and implemented a response plan to address the State Auditors Oce audits, using a project management team structure with Board Directors and Chief Financial/Opera&ng Ocer as sponsors; Implemented quarterly governance work sessions to provide management oversight of the districts business systems Policy Review - Developed governance policies and a governance structure to allow appropriate management oversight; ensured nance policies meet best prac&ce standards Yes/No Yes

Yes

Yes

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Board & Cabinet: Qualitative Highlights

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Cabinet View of the Board

The Cabinet iden>ed the following strengths of the Board as a whole:
Passionate & Dedicated Care About Children Do their Homework & Come Prepared Are Making Eorts to Improve Bring Individual Strengths In-Tune with the Community Respecqul & Apprecia&ve

The Cabinet iden>ed the following opportuni>es of the Board as a whole:

The Cabinet respects the commitment of the Board, and they feel strongly that the Board has the poten>al to improve. I respect them individually as people who have donated hundreds of hours. You have to respect the fact that they are willing to do that. Individually they are very compassionate, intellectual people. Collec&vely, they struggle.

Address the Dysfunc&ons & Divisions Engage in Appropriate Lines of Communica&on & Adhere to 1620 Provide a Holis&c View & Present a Unied Front Allow Sta & Cabinet to do their Work Work Construc&vely with the Cabinet Find a Balance Between Regional Advocacy & Big Picture Focus Collec&vely Dene The Role of the Board Work to Improve the Environment Foster Honest & Open Communica&on Focus on Professional Development & Skill Improvement

While mul>ple opportuni>es were iden>ed, the Cabinet would like the Board to focus on the following over the next 6 months: Work Together & Find Common Ground Focus on Building Trust within the Board & with the Cabinet Address the Divisions Amongst the Board
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Board View of the Board

The Board iden>ed the following strengths of the Board as a whole:
Each Bring Individual Strengths Acknowledge Areas Where they Aim to Improve Dedicated to Children & the Work Op&mis&c About the Poten&al Have made Progress on Governance Priori&es & Policy Work Knowledgeable About the Community Produc&ve when they Work Together

The Board iden>ed the following opportuni>es of the Board as a whole:

Address Inconsistent Deni&ons of the Boards Role Address Exis&ng Issues of Division & Trust Engage in Appropriate Lines of Communica&on Come Together as a Team Focus on the Bigger Picture Foster Open & Respecqul Communica&on Find a Balance between Regional Advocacy & a Focus on the District as a Whole Con&nue Professional Development & Clarify Areas of Confusion

While mul>ple opportuni>es were iden>ed, Board directors would like the Board to focus on the following over the next 6 months: Focus on the Work & Iden&fy Unied Purpose Focus on Building Trust Aim for Fresh Start
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Trust Issues Aect the Board

The Board & the Cabinet iden>ed the following issues of trust:
The Trust Level on the Board is Less than Ideal

The Board & the Cabinet iden>ed the ways the lack of trust impacts the work:
Nega&vely Impacts the Morale & Rela&onships Hinders Open & Honest Communica&on Creates Dysfunc&on Gets in the Way of Progress & Produc&vity
I think all of this can be synthesized down very simply. Un&l we can get a certain level of trust going we will be the poster-child for a dysfunc&onal school Board. I dont believe we are func&oning on all cylinders. I think we could be and we should be. If we can get on the road to doing that it will make a huge dierence. It creates anxiety and stress for everybody the community, the Cabinet, the district and the Board.

Theres plenty of blame to go around. We all need to address it, and improve the way we func&on by improving our processes as well as our behavior. Right now trust is low.

Board directors & Cabinet members feel that in order to build trust the Board should focus on the following eorts: Demonstrate Accountability Start Fresh Iden&fy a Unied Purpose Work to Understand & Relate to Each Other
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Trust Issues Aect the Cabinet

The Board & the Cabinet iden>ed the following issues of trust:
The Trust Level between the Cabinet & the Board is Inconsistent Past Controversies have let the Board Hesitant to Trust the Cabinet
Both the Cabinet and the Board have trust issues internally. They feel because of past indiscre&ons and scandal that they cant trust sta. It doesnt make it a great place to work.

The Board & the Cabinet iden>ed the ways the lack of trust impacts the work:
Morale is Low & People Feel Threatened Policy Work Suers The Cabinet Feels Their Contribu&ons Go Unheard The Rela&onship is Strained

Sta feels threatened by the Board. Their jobs and future feel threatened by the Board. The Board members will not give up if they care about something they will get their way. So I ask myself, do I really want to put my career in front of that? Its uncomfortable. It puts us in a very uncomfortable posi&on.

Board directors & Cabinet members feel that in order to build trust the Board should focus on the following eorts: Share Informa&on & Listen to Feedback from the Cabinet Be Accountable Go Through Proper Communica&on Channels Speak with One Voice
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Cabinet & Board Agreements

The Cabinet and the Board agree that the Board exhibits the following strengths & opportuni>es: Strengths
Passionate & Dedicated Care About Children In-Tune with the Community Bring Individual Strengths

Opportuni>es

Engage in Appropriate Lines of Communica&on Address Exis&ng Issues of Division Dene The Role of the Board Find a Balance Between Regional Advocacy & Big Picture Focus Foster Open Communica&on Con&nue Professional Development

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Exis>ng Board Issues Impact the Work

Both the Cabinet and the Board believe these issues are nega>vely impac>ng the work of the Board, the sta and the district. Impacts: Cabinet Views
Negatively Impacts the Morale & Relationships Affects the Reputation & Stability of the District Creates Additional Work Narrows the Focus

Board Views
Hinders the Work of the Superintendent & the Staff Negatively Impacts the Reputation & Forward Movement of the District Creates Instability & Hampers Leadership Hurts the Morale Distracts from the Purpose
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The Cabinet Believes the Boards Opportuni>es Impact the Work

My sense is that the percep&on of many in the community is that the Board is dysfunc&onal. And it is because of behavior that is done in public. Having construc&ve conversa&ons around disagreement is necessary but it shouldnt happen in public. In public they should represent a unied front. Its dicult to watch this behavior if you dont think its going to change. You start to feel like you are just biding your &me. And I think it makes us frustrated, because people feel like they cant wait it out. People are leaving. It creates anxiety and stress for everybody the community, the Cabinet, the district and the Board. People do their homework and see our Board as one they dont want to work with. The unnecessary requests for data or mee&ngs called by Board members those things need to stop. They cant be doing that. Its not appropriate. Its not their role. They cant get into micro-managing or dealing with personnel. So many people are just focusing on their own agendas. That doesnt send the right message to the broader community. Certain members have specic agendas. And everything they do gets funneled through those agendas. Represen&ng individual districts vs. the district as a whole is an issue. It impacts their decisions. It creates a problem and makes them work like poli&cians. They have to think about what can I go back to my cons&tuents and say?
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The Board Believes the Boards Opportuni>es Impact the Work

The division causes stress among the sta. They come before the Board afraid because of the type and style of ques&ons they ask. The educa&on community knows about our Board, and they dont want to work with us. And that is a big loss. SeaTle should be able to aTract some of the best leaders in the country. We are in the top 5% of urban districts in the country. Its hard to keep strong rela&onships with the community. In order to improve our spending prole with grants, etc. people need to have faith in the Board. That faith is not there. We used to have mee&ngs with the City Council. No one wants to work with our Board. Our philanthropic partners are star&ng to ques&on their rela&onship with us. This kind of dynamic keeps us from winning grants. We are not going to aTract professional sta leaders and we are losing the strong leaders we have. That is a terrible thing. That is what we need most. We need leadership and stability. If we cant get aligned and we are leading, how can anybody follow us? How can anyone be eec&ve if we are all over the place? The organiza&on sees this, the parents see this, the schools see this. I have been told mul&ple &mes by sta members that they were threatened (an implied threat) that they would lose their job if they didnt comply with the school Boards wishes. The Cabinet talks about a List. We have to leave sta alone. They are overworked already. And we are losing them. I think the greatest source of frustra&on is that I dont feel like we are working on educa&on.
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Cabinet & Board Priori>es

The Board and the Cabinet oered similar sets of priori>es for the Board to focus on in the next six months. Priorities per the Cabinet Priorities per the Board
Work Together & Find Common Ground Focus on Building Trust Address the Divisions Focus on the Work & Identify Unified Purpose Focus on Building Trust Aim for Fresh Start

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Summary

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Summary
The Board is a group of strong individuals who are committed to improving Seattle Public Schools The Boards self evaluation of its performance shows it Needs Improvement or Meets Expectations Board fissures are impacting the work and the level of trust, within the Board and with the Cabinet Growth opportunities have been identified that can serve as the basis for the Boards future focus A group facilitation may give the Board an opportunity to address existing issues and be a more positive force moving forward
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Appendices

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Appendix 1: The Boards Performance As Described By Cabinet Members

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The Boards Overall Performance per the Cabinet

Highlights Strengths:
Committed to the Work and Public Education Passionate & Dedicated Care About Children Do Their Homework & Come Prepared Strong Individuals Make a Strong Team Bring Individual Strengths Making Efforts to Improve Relationships & the Community In-Tune with the Community Respectful & Appreciative

Opportunities:
Divided Address Dysfunctions & Divisions Working Relationships & Environment Work Constructively with the Cabinet Allow Staff & Cabinet to do their Work Engage in Appropriate Lines of Communication & Adhere to 1620 Work to Improve the Environment Foster Honest & Open Communication 10,000 Foot View Provide a Holistic View & Present Unified Front Find Balance Between Regional Advocacy & Big Picture Focus Define The Role of the Board Individual Training Focus on Professional Development & Skill Improvement

Details

See following slides 27

The Boards Strengths per the Cabinet

Passionate & Dedicated They all are passionate. They are not just going through the mo&ons. They are all each individually deeply commiTed. Commitment. The &me commitment is admirable. They give up a lot of their own lives and free &me. They have a lot of passion for the work. I can only have true apprecia&on for them as individuals and as a group. I cant imagine volunteering as much &me as they give. I really admire their dedica&on to this work. I know they are bombarded with so much informa&on and I dont know how they even have the &me to wade through everything. They are a very hard working Board and put an enormous amount of &me in. Their commitment is strong. I feel like every Board member puts the &me in, if not more than is required. Each one dedicates a great deal of &me to this Board and district. They do work. They put in long hours. 20 hours a week. And some of them have full-&me jobs. Care About Children They do carethey want to do what is right for kids. I feel condent and have to believe that they will act on the best interest of the students. I think they always care about suppor&ng children. I do think they get distracted, but ul&mately they care about working for the kids. They are all here for kids. All personali&es and poli&cs aside, they are on the Board to serve students. I really do believe they are focused in on the kids in this district. They all care very much about public educa&on. When we have mee&ngs about doing work for the district things get done.

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The Boards Strengths per the Cabinet

Do Their Homework Come Prepared They take the &me to do their homework. They aTempt to understand it. I think that they are really well versed on what is going on. They are in tune with the communi&es that they serve. I am always impressed with the depth of knowledge they have on certain items. They ask good ques&ons. They clearly express the desire to understand and learn the informa&on that will inform decision-making. If something is coming up, the Board will feel comfortable enough to call a Cabinet member to get as much informa&on as possible. They want to understand things and they trust us to inform them. They really do seem to be aware of State trends, na&onal trends for the most part. They do their homework. I feel like most of them do their homework before they talk about something. Some other school Board members in other districts just go along with whatever the superintendent tells them that isnt going to happen here. They ask ques&ons. And they should. Making Eorts to Improve They have tried to get Board mee&ngs under control. When they were called out in the past for lack of oversight it was a jumpstart for them. I am glad that they are doing this (evalua&on). I think this is a healthy process for them. Some Board members are willing to accept feedback and some are willing to listen. Some of the newer Board members are s&ll just trying to nd their way. I do think it has goTen beTer than it was before. I think its a good thing for the Board to evaluate their work & con&nue to be more eec&ve. We are all trying to do that.

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The Boards Strengths per the Cabinet

Bring Individual Strengths There are several members that have been in place for awhile and they bring a lot of knowledge, in terms of ins&tu&onal knowledge. Each one is bright in their individual way. In-Tune with the Community I think that they are really well versed on what is going on. They are in-tune with the communi&es that they serve. I am always impressed with the depth of knowledge they have on certain items. They ask good ques&ons. They will ask ques&ons in public to allow sta members to clarify things for the broader community. They have a pulse of the community. They have a sense of the system. Many of them have or have had their children in the system. They are able to bring that input to the work. Periodically they will give me a call to follow up on a call theyve received from a parent or community member or teacher. They will ask for clarica&on and it will always be an amiable conversa&on. I can tell they spend a lot of &me away from here doing the work of a school Board member. And they seem preTy aware of issues. They really feel passionately about their region. They take it very seriously that they represent their individual regions. They want to hear from their cons&tuents. They encourage that conversa&on by sewng up opportuni&es, aTending events, making appointments they really focus on community outreach. They listen well to their par&cular community and make sure they bring those issues forward. They will listen to the parents in their district and are advocates.

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The Boards Strengths per the Cabinet

Respec_ul & Apprecia>ve I feel respected and treated with dignity. I know that it is my job to educate them around all materials regarding my area of focus and in most situa&ons they are very apprecia&ve of the work I do. I think they appreciate our commitment to gewng them the informa&on they need. My experience is that I have felt supported. They listen to my perspec&ve

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The Boards Opportuni>es per the Cabinet

Address the Dysfunc>ons & Divisions In my opinion it is a very dysfunc&onal Board. That being said I can work with anybody. Right now, there are open hos&li&es. They have been aring up since December. I think you can make a preTy good case, that decisions have been calculated. Going back to commiTee assignments. Its not a highly func&oning Board. They have to speak with one voice. It cant be this 4-3. I think it is a divided group. They need to have argumenta&ve conversa&ons in private, not at public mee&ngs. I think its beTer to try to address the issues on the Board than it is to not, even if it is in public. I hear, but dont see, that there are certain Board members that dont get along with each other. Ive just heard it around. I think there are conversa&ons amongst the Cabinet and even execu&ve directors. The most obvious indicator is a split vote in public. We have communica&on issues. If they discuss their individual inten&ons and agree to move forward, it could be benecial. The school Board is split. They arent always split with the votes. They are split with the dynamics of 1620 and what that looks like how it should be implemented. When they disagree, nding consensus is very dicult. I dont think the public would be surprised to hear that they are divided. Some disagree with each other just for the sake of disagreement.

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The Boards Opportuni>es per the Cabinet

Work Construc>vely with the Cabinet Instead of spending all our &me catching each other in moments where we dont agree or when policy is being stepped on, if we were working together we could get so much done. We have all made mistakes and sinned. But what can we do to make a fresh start and move forward? If we can get the Cabinet & the Board working together well, everything will change. Oten we get ques&ons the night before (a presenta&on). Are we being setup? That doesnt help sta be responsive. When we send the deck out we ask that they send their ques&ons as soon as possible. Allow Sta & the Cabinet to Do their Work They micro-manage. They are down in the weeds on every issue. And they all do it, but they wont acknowledge it. They see it in each other, but they dont see it in themselves. I have pointed out moments in the past when they have been micro-managingand when I give feedback some Board members will back o. Others will explain that that is not the case. They will ra&onalize the behavior. I think they feel preTy free to call anyone on Cabinet. I think the Board was accused in the past of lack of oversight. And so I think they are trying to make sure that doesnt happen. They are en&tled to say tell me why you are doing what you are doing because I am at the Asst Superintendent level but then they need to trust me to do my job. There is oten a ques&on of whether or not the sta has the stomach to make the decisions that the Board will ght us on. We will ask ourselves Do we really want to go there? or Will the Board really go there? But people in the Cabinet will ght to do the right thing. They are a disaster when it comes to leaving the Superintendent alone and allowing the sta to do its job

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The Boards Opportuni>es per the Cabinet

Engage in Appropriate Lines of Communica>on Adhere to 1620 Board members have been sharing things with sta members about other Board members and decisions. I do think there are some Cabinet members that are very cozy with Board members. We have some senior sta that will go directly to the Board members which is just invi&ng micro-management. The Board needs to redirect those folks back to the Superintendent. If we talk about favori&sm and direc&on, I think there is some of that. I had a mee&ng where a school Board member was in aTendance. He/She was very vocal in pushing their opinions. That is advocacy work, not governance. I dont know if that is the role of the Board. His/Her aTendance was not a problem for me personally. But it drives the ques&on, is that appropriate behavior for a school Board member? Should he/she be there, should he/she be vocal, should he/she be calling the mee&ng? This mee&ng didnt par&cularly have to happen. And it happened for this school Board director, around his/her schedule to meet his/her needs. Is that appropriate? I need to pull policy 1620 out more. I think they are aware of 1620. Some just dont follow it. The Board chair and the superintendent should hold the Board members accountable to follow 1620. The culture here is that the Board will go directly to the source. It feels dierent for me. I have always felt as Cabinet members that we should let the Superintendent know when a Board member contacts us. I want to give him a heads up. Especially if a Board member wants to come meet with me. The diculty for me is that some&mes they get involved in personnel issues. They should work through the Superintendent and asst. Superintendents to address concerns rather than going straight to the sta or schools. If we received ques&ons in a &mely manner, if we didnt get blindsided at Board mee&ngs all of that would be helpful. I am looking for behavioral change.

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The Boards Opportuni>es per the Cabinet

Engage in Appropriate Lines of Communica>on Adhere to 1620 (cont.) There has to be a dis&nct separa&on between the superintendent roles and Board roles. The number one no-no is gewng involved with personnel. Its not that they want to make the decisions, but some Board members might get in the way. We have a process. I dont think there is anything wrong a Board member having an opinion. But that opinion should not get in the way of the work and process. That is how Boards normally func&on. Commit to the policy and governance structure. S&ck to it. I think its important for policies to be clear. Some&mes they do very well and some&mes they slip into being more opera&onal regarding 1620. Some&mes when that happens well try to push it back with nding out what their concerns are rather than encourage them to tell us what to do. They go to their own community mee&ngs and hear things and they want to make sure we are hearing those things. Some&mes they will go around the more senior leadership and go to the sta and then we hear that from the people we work with. We try to encourage them not to do that but its dicult. There should be a constant check-in with 1620. Really understand 1620 to train new members on it and make sure they all understand it. It will build more trust in the Board. It will help them in how they phrase their sugges&ons or thoughts. Have you thought about this or Have you heard this vs. I really want you to do this or I really want you to do it this way We need to clarify what kind of communica&on is appropriate and with whom. There is a consistent paTern of Board micro-management. It manifests itself on a daily basis. It is a very hands-on Board. There is a percep&on of how much power they have. They feel empowered to call a principal and tell them what to do. There isnt a principal alive that is going to report on the Board member. Ive had to tell Board members to not call principals. They acted surprised. There was silence. I think all the Board members, with one excep&on, tell sta what to do. And it is gewng worse by the month. 35

The Boards Opportuni>es per the Cabinet

Provide a Holis>c View & Present a Unied Front They need to set the direc&on of the district. When the Board is making requests or weighing in on something they all have dierent priori&es. Some&mes Id like them to just go into a room and have to stay in there un&l they agree on something. We need to get people to focus on the big picture. I am going to assume that school Board members are going to push to make sure that their agendas or passions are put into place before they leave leave a legacy, if you will. They feel they have to represent their cons&tuents and they respond to the bloggers, as well. They just all need to get on the same page as to what they would like to see happen. I think that they get into the minu&a some&mes. I dont know if its legacy building or coming in and trying to understand the policy-making. Find a Balance Between Regional Advocacy & Big Picture Focus They refer to their region of the city only. Yes, they represent a region but they are supposed to be ac&ng in the best interest of every child in the city. Some really love the area that they represent and will do whatever they can to be representa&ve of their region. I personally think that its beTer to be a representa&ve of just the en&re district. When you are a representa&ve of a certain region you tend to focus on it. But I think the community really appreciates having dierent region representa&ves.

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The Boards Opportuni>es per the Cabinet

Collec>vely Dene The Role of the Board There is an ongoing conversa&on of what the interac&ons should look like. Ideally it should be a governance policy where they create policy, guide policy and encourage the superintendent to engage that policy. The real ques&on is do they agree with the governance structure? My guess is that they dont. They dont understand their role so they need clarity. I think they truly want to do the right work, the right way. They just dont know what that is. We had an epic baTle in the retreats a year ago. The notes are incredibly long. We got that policy approved. But there were debates back and forth about what the role of the Board is. I dont think they want to go back and read it because it would mean they would have to stop what they are doing. Work to Improve the Environment If I end up leaving it will be because of the environment. I hear that some people professionally want to advance themselves. But when you get underneath it, you nd that some people (not all) feel with the expecta&ons of the job combined with the dysfunc&ons of the Board that this is not a good environment. We want to give people reasons to stay, not reasons to leave. The teachers, the administrators they feel like they have to do their work in spite of what is going on in the central oce. I think people have been around a while, and some just dont feel like things are gewng beTer. There is no standardized exit interview process but we are working on it. I think the Board func&oning is a contribu&ng factor to turnover not the sole factor.

37

The Boards Opportuni>es per the Cabinet

Focus on Professional Development & Skill Improvement Given that the Board is elected how it is elected I dont think we should expect it to be a professional Board and its not. There is a wide range of skill level there. Everyone needs to make strong commitments to eec&ve management and eec&ve rela&onship skills. We might have some concerns about their interpersonal skills and approach to working with others. Foster Honest & Open Communica>on For them, it appears to be frustra&ng because they are not communica&ng well. Given the current assignments with the commiTees some Board members feel disenfranchised so not all members feel like they have a seat at the table. The ra&onale that I heard was based on &me commitment because people were complaining about &me commitments. I think having a group conversa&on about this would have been helpful. It has been a preTy divisive issue. Some&mes they wont check-in with each other. Perhaps that is because they dont want to seem like they are manipula&ng votes. But I think its because they also dont communicate and dont feel they can talk to each other. They need to be honest and respecqul to each other. In retreats you can see it in their body language. They are posturing. The Board members need to be honest with each other. They have walked away from the conict. They need to look each other in the eye.

38

The Boards Future per the Cabinet

Work Together & Find Common Ground What happens in the next six months will ul&mately aect how the new Board works. If they work together in these next six months it could set the new Board members up for success. In the Cabinet, when push comes to shove everyone is willing to come together for the beTerment of the work. I would love to see the Board president (any Board president) lead the team to consensus or agreement. I think the en&re Board would agree that being able to work together as a team is as important as having trust in the Superintendent. Learning to work in a more collabora&ve fashion. Learning to work through disagreements. Learning to become more ac&ve listeners and make eorts to come to common solu&ons. Be willing to come to an agreement. Work towards trying to get 7-0. I think some of them seTle for 4-3. Be willing to work together to get the work done. They stayed out of the fray at the MAP controversy. Once it was dealt with it they all supported it. If they had been split on that it would have kept it going. But when they went on record to support it, it put it to rest. When they are united in support of children no one can push back on that. Focus on Building Trust In order for forward movement, the Board needs trust in the Cabinet and the Cabinet needs trust in the Board. Otherwise, the real fallout is eec&veness, cohesiveness and people walking away. They have to build trust among themselves. And they have to work on the trust with the Superintendent and senior sta. I would like us to focus on moving forward. Think about that and come up with a plan to move forward. Address the Divisions If we pretend that the dysfunc&ons dont exist and havent happened, how can we build for the future? What is cri&cal here is trying to ferret out what the real issues are.

39

Appendix 2: The Boards Performance As Described By Board Directors

40

The Boards Overall Performance per the Board

Highlights Strengths:
Committed to the Work and Public Education Dedicated to Children & the Work Optimistic About the Potential Strong Individuals Make a Strong Team Each Bring Individual Strengths Progress Progress on Governance Priorities & Policy Work Productive when they Work Together Community Knowledgeable About the Community

Opportunities:
Divided Come Together as a Team Address Existing Issues of Division & Trust Working Relationships & Environment Foster Open & Respectful Communication Engage in Appropriate Lines of Communication 10,000 Foot View Clearly Define The Role of the Board Focus on the Bigger Picture Find a Balance between Regional Advocacy & a Focus on the District as a Whole Individual Training Continue Professional Development & Clarify Areas of Confusion

Details

See following slides 41

The Boards Strengths per the Board

Bring Individual Strengths I think each of us bring something posi&ve to this Board. I think that some Board directors have been pivotal in strengthening our internal audit controls. Their leadership in A&F has been an asset. Some Board directors are very focused on what are we doing for these kids and the emo&ons behind. They are very focused on equitable access and great outcomes. Some Board directors have great policy focus. They denitely get engaged regarding policy process. They are very enthusias&c about it and passionate. Some Board directors love and understand the importance of connec&ng with the city council and the state legislator. They understand the importance of enlis&ng our legisla&ve partners to get work done. They understand how those connec&ons work. I think every Board member has a par&cular set of skills and interests. Great range of experience, exper&se in disciplines and sectors which are relevant to district systems and success. I think there is some good knowledge.

42

The Boards Strengths per the Board

Dedicated to Children & the Work We are here for the kids. Im not here for only my district. My focus is on every child having the equity to get a good educa&on. Commitment to working on behalf of students and improving the system. There is some compassion for children. Everyone that is on the Board does have compassion. They do want kids to do beTer. I do believe that. Op>mis>c About the Poten>al I believe changes can take place. I think this Board has vision for what can be. Many Board members see many amazing things that we can implement. Progress on Governance Priori>es & Policy Work We are doing a preTy good job. Policy and Governance is one of our strengths I think. And I think we have a very good system in place in iden&fying the departments we need a regular oversight work session on. Policy work I think we have done a good job with that, but could do a beTer job. I see policy development as arising organically from the work; policy development happens eec&vely and coopera&vely between Board CommiTees and sta, with individual Board Directors pitching in as they see the need. I have great respect for our Audit and Finance CommiTee's work. The Audit Response has been extremely eec&ve, despite media magnica&on of one area of con&nuing concern. We are s&ll making progress on basic policy. That is something that, by and large, all members respect. We are working on a strategic plan and that process is moving forward. Once you put a process together and it is public it dampens down any backroom meddling.

43

The Boards Strengths per the Board

Knowledgeable about the Community Each one of us know our districts and we can really put our knowledge together to help the district as a whole. We try to be the voice of the schools and bring it to the Board lewng everyone know what is going on. Produc>ve When Working Together I think the Board has done a lot of good work and I think the district has done a lot of good work. When we come together to get things done, we are produc&ve.

44

The Boards Opportuni>es per the Board

Address the Inconsistent Deni>ons of the Boards Role Our fundamental disagreements are based around what role the Board plays. The overall responsibility is to really support the work that we want done by the Superintendent. We are not supposed to tell him what to do, but we are supposed to collaborate with him. We are not meant to dictate to him. We hired him for a reason. We are not meant to overrun him. But it is our job to oversee him and to keep him held accountable to make sure everything is running smoothly. We need to keep the Superintendent apprised of what is bubbling up, keeping him informed with what is going on. To me, it is being a conduit of informa&on that I have received, bringing it to sta members and having that conversa&on. I would say we have three dis&nct roles. The rst is around policy and governance. That is one of our strengths I think. We are also ambassadors at large. Lewng people know there is a face to the district and sharing the changes we are making. Hiring, Firing and Evalua&ng the Superintendent. Also, being the best possible advisor to the superintendent without direc&ng him or her. Governance is our responsibility. Governance should only be three things: Making policy, performing oversight (that is not looking over the stas shoulder all the &me its once a year looking at the performance), and budget (we approve the budget so we need a formal process for priori&zing what is cut and what new spending goes to). The other thing which is a liTle more abstract is advoca&ng for SeaTle Public Schools. But that is not a primary responsibility. Its an op&onal area that some Board members pursue. Policy governance and duciary oversight - those are our two core businesses, as it were. Going back to the role of the Board, the work on the strategic plan I am worried that people are going to get down into the weeds, again. I take my deni&on right out of state statute. We are here to hire the superintendent, follow policy framework, and ensure the strategic plan, to evaluate the budget in-line with the strategic plan, to put measures in front of voters. We are here to provide parameters and create the framework and not make decisions. 45

The Boards Opportuni>es per the Board

Come Together as a Team We need to move forward and work together as a team. We need to support the Superintendent and we need to support the schools as a team. We need more opportuni&es to actually work together: Our work sessions, either as a Board alone or working together with sta, are usually very produc&ve, and I would like to see more chance to work together in that venue. We are supposed to be working together. It says that in our bylaws. We are not just purely a legisla&ve body we are a governance body. We are supposed to be in a coopera&ve rela&onship. We dont have a distribu&on of power the Board is supposed to provide long-term guidance. I feel good that when we focus on the work, we can get there and make decisions even when we have a dierence of opinion. We need to drop the animosity and focus on working together. We arent all going to agree on everything, but we can concentrate on things together. Address Exis>ng Issues of Division & Trust I think improvements can be made, but only if we are honest. The Board members that are leaving they have nothing to lose by being honest. What makes it good not great is when some colleagues are not working for the good of the process. It almost has a par&san feel some&mes. Which is ridiculous because there are no par&es. This is the rst &me I have seen an actual dispropor&onal division in terms of commiTee assignments. We have had close votes so we have public disagreement. That some&mes has not gone well. People have become very upset. In terms of how we disagree on process its like Kabuki Theater. We talk about the same things over and over again and nothing changes. Each person doesnt know who is doing what, what direc&on they are going. That is not a good thing. There is a split. Have a truly candid conversa&on. Part of it is being very upfront with people. We have not done that yet I think we have to face our working together issues. 46

The Boards Opportuni>es per the Board

Foster Open & Respec_ul Communica>on We need to focus on how we communicate with each other. We need to be mindful of how we say things to each other and respect each other. We need to appreciate the colleagues that agree with us, but more importantly not inten&onally discredit how others are feeling. It would probably be useful to make a prac&ce of framing conversa&ons, for example, in commiTees, in terms of the governance/administra&on implica&ons. Some Board directors stopped communica&ng with the others on very basic things like Im going to pull this o the agenda or basic func&onality. So it made us feel like we were not a part of the process. In our guiding principles as a Board it is wriTen in that we dont surprise the Board. Focus on the Bigger Picture We have to decide whose agenda we are pushing. Are we here for the kids or our own agenda. Some of us have our own private agendas, and some of us are so stubborn. We spend a great amount of &me on the individual priori&es of Board members, on bad process that has to be xed because we go o the rails, bad communica&on because we are not sharing informa&on universally. The single most important impact is that inside of urban educa&on in Washington State, a Board like this will repel all people of quality. We just talk about single issues. They are important issues but we need to be addressing these issues as they relate to everyone. They are all linked. We cant change disciplinary rules they come from the state. People work for their own passions. It could be that people are worrying about their legacy, so they wont be worrying about the kids and just working to get their legacy set.

47

The Boards Opportuni>es per the Board

Engage in Appropriate Lines of Communica>on I do talk to the Superintendent But if I talk to him and dont see changes, then I will move to the Ed Directors. Some would say its inappropriate contact. It is. But when nothing happens, someone has to do something. And if something is going on in a school and nothing is being done about it then I feel like its my job. Yes, I know it is not my job to meet with principals. But some&mes you have to do things to make change. We need the principals to know that we support them and that we will help them. I know it happened on several occasions that there have been sequen&al conversa&ons about vo&ng because it was brought to me. I asked that we were all reminded by email that this is not appropriate. There are supposed to be a set of rules in terms of engagement between the Board and the Cabinet. When Board members get very pushy and the sta is fed up I try to intervene and help, to maintain some modicum of process. I have heard some Board members, in some of their more honest moments, say You have to get rid of this person to the Superintendent. That is a direct conversa&on with the Superintendent, which isnt completely out of bounds. But he works for us so its tricky. I think the Cabinet, at &mes, wishes we werent as aTuned to the issues as we are I think we are in their hair a bit. But I think there is a liTle bit of understanding that our focus is student focused. As a Board member you have to resist the tempta&on to jump into the middle. This is another way that the trust gets lost. There might be things you dont know about happening in the background. If a school Board member asks a sta member to do something they dont understand what kind of posi&on that puts that sta member in. That sta member looks at that conversa&on as a command go do this. The sta needs to be able to push back to us. No one feels empowered to say no. People feel their jobs are threatened. They are driven out by the poor treatment.

48

The Boards Opportuni>es per the Board

Find a Balance Between Regional Advocacy & a Focus on the District as a Whole We were all elected citywide. We all have cons&tuents. And our cons&tuents have dierent priori&es. The hot buTon issues in each region are dierent. Its important to be able to respect the fact that as Board members we are going to advocate for the issues that aect our cons&tuents. When people do that in my district thing I wince because my district is the en&re city of SeaTle. So all of the kids in the city of SeaTle are in need of representa&on. If we were only voted on by our district, that would be a fair statement. I am an advocate for any family in the district not just the families in my individual district. I know more about the schools in my district. I do see my role as an advocate for voices from all over the city. I dont see myself as a district x representa&ve. Con>nue Professional Development & Clarify Areas of Confusion I s&ll have some confusion about how to be most eec&ve and how to understand what is going on more clearly. I would like more clarity about Exec team work; for example, would like to know more completely how agendas are set for work sessions, retreats, etc. There are such diering levels about understanding of the work and contradictory levels of what the role is and that makes it dicult. Some Board members just dont know what management vs. governance looks like. We need con&nued professional development. We need to ask ourselves if we are commiTed to good governance training.

49

The Boards Future per the Board

Focus on the Work & Iden>fy Unied Purpose We need to focus on moving the schools forward. We all need to search ourselves and gure out what our purpose is on this Board. What do we want to do for the future of SeaTle Public Schools. We need to focus on the plan that we have. We need to bring the Board together and support the Superintendent. I would really like it if we would all concentrate on the work and stop concentra&ng on the swirl. From my frame, in our next work sessions we need to concentrate on the work. This Board needs to allow the workload that we already have on our plates to get done well. Dont keep running it o the rails. We have very important work to do. If we just stayed focused on that work, we could get important things done. Focus on Building Trust There have been some eorts to work to develop beTer working rela&onships. We have had professional development with some great facilitators. But we have not had an actual facilitated work session. Regaining trust is really hard. The ac&ons have to be there and they have to be deliberate. If you look at a highly func&oning Board, trust is a key element. That doesnt mean lock and stop agreement. It just means that there is trust behind the decisions. We have to gure out how to get trust. I think most members, not all, of the Board would genuinely like to see us be high func&oning. I am not willing to write most Board members o. Aim for Fresh Start If we can all come together and put our cards out on the table we can move the Board forward. We all need to give each other a break. We all need to just back o. And realize that the same voters elected every single one of us. I just want it to be xed. As a Board we are failing, and there is no reason for us to be failing. 50

Appendix 3: How it Feels to be a Board Director

51

The Feeling of the Board

Some Board members feel frustrated, unhappy, and embarrassed. While other Board members acknowledge moments of disagreement but feel the rela>onships are strong. I think I have great rela&onships with all the Board members. We have had good working rela&onships and we have had disagreements. Not so good, Ill be honest. There are a few of us that complain, and a few of us just want things to get back to normal. I think I have a good working rela&onship with some Board members. One Board member doesnt talk to me at all. This would be really hard stu to talk about in public. I am embarrassed. Every day I am embarrassed. We are not doing work Im proud of. We are not sewng the bar high. We are not doing work to help these kids. Most of the &me I am embarrassed. I am not proud of where we are.

52

Some Board Members Feel Marginalized

Some Board Members feel they are being marginalized while others dont see marginaliza>on as a pressing issue. Some Board Members Feel Marginalized CommiTee distribu&ons are not evenly distributed. So its kind of marginalized I dont think that the distribu&ons were fair or right. I dont think it should have been done that way. I feel quite frustrated. Marginalized. At &mes I will view something right before it goes to introduc&on. Rather than knowing or par&cipa&ng in important decisions early on. There has been a culture amongst some trying to really dominate. Some Board members gewng one commiTee assignment a piece and another person gewng three? Are you serious? It sent me into orbit that some Board members were so marginalized. I voiced my opinion and the ac&on was ra&onalized. Some Board Members dont see Marginaliza>on as a Problem Today, the marginaliza&on isnt really happening. The Board President called up everyone regarding the commiTees and the folks that called back told her what they wanted to doI didnt nd out that other people were unhappy un&l three months in and I didnt nd out directly at rst. Who knew they would all feel marginalized because they werent on more commiTees? I didnt ask for anything. And I am quite happy with it. I have a lot of things on my plate that other Board members dont, so I dont mind being on only one commiTee. I had more than enough stu.

53

Appendix 4: Trust & Respect

54

Trust Between the Cabinet & Board is Inconsistent

The trust level between the Cabinet and the Board is inconsistent. Some believe that past controversies have leg the Board hesitant to trust the Cabinet. The Trust Level is Inconsistent I think the trust is person specic. I know which Board members trust me. There are some that dont have a whole lot of love for me. I know that Board members dont trust some of my peers. They have told me. That makes me wonder what they are saying about me to others. Both the Cabinet and the Board have trust issues internally. I want to see SeaTle making a commitment to trust. I want a strategic plan that is aimed at building trust. I think this Board can do it. It wont be without considerable diculty. We made some adjustments to a certain policy. I didnt think it was ready to go forward, but we brought it to the Board and presented it. They said to go ahead and move it forward. At a public mee&ng a school Board member basically aTacked the policy and tore it (and us) apart bringing up public concerns. That member tore apart his/her own policy from a commiTee he/she had been siwng on. He/She had voted for it at commiTee. We, as sta, were embarrassed. We felt set up. We could have pulled it if he/she had come to us. Or he/she could have prepared us with ques&ons. Those things cause sta to not trust Board members. I have seen the trust level between the Cabinet and the Board improve. I think that, yes, there is trust. Id like to think I am trusted. I am surprised when some Board members do the right thing. I am surprised when they trust me. What does that say? Past Controversies have leg the Board Hesitant to Trust the Cabinet They feel because of past indiscre&ons and scandal that they cant trust sta. It doesnt make it a great place to work.

55

The Trust Level between the Board & the Cabinet Impacts the Work
The inconsistent level of trust between the Cabinet & the Board impacts the work in the following ways: The Rela>onship is Strained In the end, we as sta just really want to support the Board. But when the Board is manipula&ng us it strains the rela&onship. Policy Work Suers We help them work policy, work on decisions but we dont know what we will get. We could be a lot more eec&ve if they s&ck to policy. The examples I can think of, they only have half the story and push for what they decide is best or want. Morale is Low & People Feel Threatened I would say that some of the Execu&ve Directors have felt Board Directors threatened their job. I have heard that second- hand. I have heard if you dont do it this way, that Board member wont support you and will do everything in their power to I would say there have been threats of a reputa&on being marred if you dont always support a certain policy or dont do it their way then you are considered a racist. Sta feels threatened by the Board. Their jobs and future feel threatened by the Board. The Board members will not give up if they care about something they will get their way. So I ask myself, do I really want to put my career in front of that? Its uncomfortable. It puts us in a very uncomfortable posi&on. People in the district, especially employees, feel beTer and more trus&ng if they know that there isnt someone looking over their shoulder. The Cabinet Feels Their Contribu>ons Go Unheard If we remind them that they are overstepping they might reply with oh, thats not what I meant to do or we didnt know that was over the line. They do have individual agendas that run counter to what we, as a sta, might be sugges&ng. That can run in conict to what they are hearing from their cons&tuents. 56

How to Build Trust with the Cabinet

Both Cabinet and Board members feel that in order to rebuild the trust with the Cabinet, the Board needs to focus on the following: Be Accountable The rst step in building trust is dening roles: what is the Boards role, what is stas role, what lines are not to be crossed. Or beTer yet, we need to dene the accountability because we do have 1620. We brought up the inappropriate communica&on or work of the Board at a retreat. We were asked to give examples and no one felt comfortable speaking up, especially in a sewng like that. And those examples were negated or apologized for but it keeps happening. When we give feedback they ra&onalize their behavior. They see themselves as helpful and trying to move the district forward. They need to acknowledge that they dont agree with each other and that they micro-manage. Only one Board director stepped forward and owned their micro-managing. Others dont want to step forward. Some Board directors are masters at redirec&ng aTen&on and blame... Others at least own up to micro-managing. We need to self-monitor and self-control. The sta needs an invita&on from us to say no. I really think that the Board members that ask for examples really need some help understanding that what they are doing is out of line. Go Through Proper Communica>on Channels I would like to think, as they build more trust for the Superintendent and the Cabinet, there will be more trust in the Superintendent to resolve any concerns they have so they dont have to seek answers out themselves. That is a trust issue. Right now they think this is the best way to do their work I dont think they do it to go around the Superintendent.

57

How to Build Trust with the Cabinet

Share Informa>on & Listen to Feedback From the Cabinet Last &me sta was asked for input on the Board it was by and large ignored. I wonder if the mistrust and fall out that came from the undisclosed previous review (by the Alliance) was worse than the actual sharing of that review. I think that this is good. I think sharing the posi&ves as well as construc&ve cri&cism is very healthy. They have had opportuni&es to work through their divisions when the public wasnt there. The topic of Board governance came up. It was addressed, but nothing changed. If they address their issues in private again, I dont know that anything would ever come of it. I feel good that we are actually having this conversa&on. In previous retreats, it feels like our previous input has not been validated. So the fact we are being asked these ques&ons is important. I think it is important for us to build trust to hear back about the input and ndings. It might not be something that everyone wants to hear and talk about. Its a sensi&ve issue and hard to make folks feel safe to air it. Last &me we were told the informa&on would be publicized and it got hidden. If we dont share it this &me, that could be detrimental. We have to face the feedback from the sta. We need to make adjustments to make our work successful. And we need to empower the Superintendent in order to make him successful. We should have public exit interviews. We need to be willing to hear what people have to say. Speak With One Voice They need to build trust with the Cabinet, as well. Well get conic&ng informa&on from dierent Board groups. The Finance CommiTee will say one thing and then the Opera&ons CommiTee will say something contradictory. And we are let not knowing where to go. This happened even before the current commiTee assignments. The current commiTee assignments have denitely changed the way the opera&ons func&on.

58

The Trust Level on the Board is Less than Ideal

The trust level on the Board is less than ideal. Theres plenty of blame to go around. We all need to address it, and improve the way we func&on by improving our processes as well as our behavior. I think the trust level is very low. At &mes I ques&on others mo&ves. When we vote on policies, I dont always know why people vote the way they do. I dont know if they are vo&ng to push a policy they believe in or if they are working for something else. Some people do bad-mouth each other behind peoples backs. Its no secret that there has been animosity between some of the Board directors. Who do Board members listen to for advice and insight? This is a problem we have as a Board. The majority of the Board feels inclined to listen to outside en&&es rather than trust the other Board members and the sta. It is hard for an organiza&on this size for the Board members and the superintendent to not have a lot of trust. We use trust as currency. I think a lot of the lack of trust has to do with the percep&on that while we have rules about how we are going to engage, they are not followed. We even have protocols. I try to walk in as an open slate. I used to walk in openly trus&ng everyone every &me. I dont feel that way anymore. The way folks have treated the sta. I dont feel comfortable with that. They come o to me as approaching the sta in a non- trus&ng way. And that disturbs me. I dont like people being treated badly. I would say that has shown more in the last several months. Right now trust is low. They need to get past their trust issues.

59

The Trust Level on the Board Impacts the Work

The lack of trust on the Board impacts the work. Nega>vely Impacts the Morale & Rela>onships The commiTee assignments were preTy divisive. Ive never seen them that unbalanced. Whether it was inten&onal or uninten&onal, it was not good for the morale or the rela&onships. What does that do to the trust? It creates anxiety and stress for everybody the community, the Cabinet, the district and the Board. I dont feel supported on this Board. Hinders Open & Honest Communica>on There is a lack of trust and respect resul&ng in dicul&es in listening openly to input from all directors. We shouldnt think less of each other because we dont vote the same way. We need to appreciate the colleagues that agree with us, but more importantly not inten&onally discredit how others are feeling. Creates Dysfunc>on I think all of this can be synthesized down very simply. Un&l we can get a certain level of trust going we will be the poster-child for a dysfunc&onal school Board. I dont believe we are func&oning on all cylinders. I think we could be and we should be. If we can get on the road to doing that it will make a huge dierence. Pretending that everything is all right is dishonest. Gets in the Way of Progress & Produc>vity We have seven cooks in the kitchen and its tough gewng a meal out. Instead of working on important educa&onal issues we end up focusing on damage control. Going back to the work on the strategic planwe dont have &me to con&nue to revise. I dont want a list of 20 things because that is not clear and will be a target that we will never meetPeople keep adding stu because they want to leave their liTle ngerprints in there. 60

How to Build Trust on the Board

Cabinet and Board members feel that in order to rebuild the trust on the Board, Board members need to focus on the following: Demonstrate Accountability I would have to see direct evidence that there are no hidden agendas, that there is a clear communica&on about what you are doing. I hear a lot of protesta&ons about transparency and openness, and so many things are being done that are the an&thesis of that. We are public ocials. So when you say something you have to own it. If you are man or woman enough to sit in a room and say something, then you need to own and stand by it. We need to gure out a way to hold ourselves accountable. We need to be able to have honest and open conversa&ons. We need an increased level of self-awareness. Iden>fy a Unied Purpose I think that if we really come to a consensus as to why we are here if we really look inside ourselves as to what our reasons are I dont care about minority vs. majority. I dont care about old guard vs. new guard. I care about the kids. Start Fresh Everyone needs to bury their hatchets and work toward respecqul, collegial engagement. This will go far to improving our func&oning. I wish we could just move forward and start fresh. Rebuilding trust is possible. But it would have to be an honest, open and visible thing. The challenge is, when the conversa&on starts there will most likely be an instantaneous response of defense. Work to Understand & Relate to Each Other The Board members need to beTer understand each other. That will help them beTer understand where each person is coming from, which will enable them to work well together. 61

The Cabinet Respects the Board

The Cabinet respects the commitment of the Board, and they feel strongly that the Board has the poten>al to improve. I respect them individually as people who have donated hundreds of hours. You have to respect the fact that they are willing to do that. Individually they are very compassionate, intellectual people. Collec&vely, they struggle. The Cabinet is learning to respect them more. I think all Cabinet members are awed by and respect the fact that these Board members are willing to commit the &me and eort that they do. We are willing to work with them in spite of any personal agendas or personality issues we might run into. I hope we all have an apprecia&on for them. I think the Cabinet respects some Board members, but it depends on whom you are asking. I think they respect the ins&tu&on. I would say yes the Cabinet does respect the Board because the Board has the posi&on. But I dont feel the feeling is reciprocated. By and large, the feeling is that they know beTer than we do how to do our job. They hired professionals; let the professionals do their job. If they dont respect us, they dont deserve the git of our respect. I think they treat sta with dignity and respect for the most part. I have heard that some will publicly admonish others. I havent experienced that but I have cringed at &mes. Op>mis>c I am here because I want it to be beTer. I envision it gewng beTer, not worse. There was a bad &me on the Board not too long ago. It was a preTy bad storm. Its s&ll stormy, but gewng beTer. Last spring it was so bad that it was aec&ng the ability for sta to focus on their work.

62

Appendix 5: Detailed Data

The Board

63

Detailed Quan>ta>ve Ra>ng Scale Avg.

Responsibility
Place the interests of children above all others in every decision that we make. Uphold all applicable federal and state laws and regula&ons. Abide by the policies and bylaws of the Board and work with our fellow Board members to change those policies as needed to improve student learning. Maintain Board focus on the achievement of all students, regardless of race, class, ethnicity, or gender. Not use our posi&ons for personal or par&san gain. Model con&nuous learning in our roles as members of the governance team. Maintain a strategic plan for the district that clearly denes success and accountability for the Board, the sta, and our students. Focus on the policy work of the Board and monitor progress on the indicators of success ar&culated in our strategic plan, leaving the day-to-day opera&on of the district to the superintendent and sta. Base our decisions upon available facts, vote our convic&ons, avoid bias in any form, and uphold and support the decisions of the majority of the Board once a decision is made. Work to build trust between and among Board members and the superintendent by trea&ng everyone with dignity and respect, even in &mes of disagreement. Maintain the conden&ality of privileged informa&on including that shared in execu&ve sessions of the Board. Recognize that authority rests only with majority decisions of the Board and make no independent commitments or take any independent ac&ons that may compromise the Board as a whole. Refer cons&tuent complaints and concerns to the appropriate person within the district chain of command. Respect the leadership roles of the Board president and superintendent. Average 1.9 2.7 1.9 2.1 2.4 2.1 2.7 1.8 2.3 1.7 2.4 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.3 1.7 2.3 2.3 2.0 1.9 1.7 1.8 2.1

Performance Measures
Is the Board working together eec&vely? How is the Board working with the superintendent and sta? Are Board commiTees working eec&vely? Are Board mee&ngs operated and structured eec&vely? Do Board members par&cipate in professional development? Are there areas of content training needed? Does the Board adhere to its ground rules and Oath of Responsibili&es? Does the Board engage in appropriate communica&on with sta and the public regarding issues? Is the governance team's policy development process ecient, eec&ve, and produc&ve? Is the Board appropriately assis&ng the Superintendent with key district priori&za&on decisions?

Key Needs Improvement 1.0 - 1.4 1.5 1.9 Meets Expecta&ons 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.9 Exceeds Expecta&ons 3.0 3.4 3.5 4.0

Continued

64

Detailed Quan>ta>ve Ra>ng Scale Avg.

Rela>onships - Goal
The Board and Superintendent understand and ar&culate the system of governance and dieren&ate between policy and administra&ve roles. Policies and procedures are established for Board and superintendent interpersonal and working rela&onships. The Board maintains a close rela&onship of trust with the Superintendent and strives to facilitate district success. 2.1 2.1 1.5 2.4 1.9 2.0

Communica>ons - Goal

Communica&on protocols are established and followed. These include Friday Updates, 2x2 mee&ngs, quarterly reports, etc. Board requests are made through agreed-upon protocols. The Board respects the role of the Board President as spokesperson.

Policy
Budget Development - Implemented a comprehensive budget development process that reects the strategic plan priori&es and includes both internal and external engagement Audit Response - Developed and implemented a response plan to address the State Auditors Oce audits, using a project management team structure with Board Directors and Chief Financial/Opera&ng Ocer as sponsors; Implemented quarterly governance work sessions to provide management oversight of the districts business systems Policy Review - Developed governance policies and a governance structure to allow appropriate management oversight; ensured nance policies meet best prac&ce standards Yes* Yes Yes

Key Needs Improvement 1.0 - 1.4 1.5 1.9 Meets Expecta&ons 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.9 Exceeds Expecta&ons 3.0 3.4 3.5 4.0

*Responses were unanimously Yes, except for one abstention, for all three questions in this section

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ASributes by Average High to Low

No attributes had average ratings in the Outstanding or Exceeds Expectations range.
Category Responsibility Responsibility Responsibility Responsibility Communica&ons - Goal Responsibility Performance Measures Performance Measures Responsibility Responsibility Performance Measures Rela&onships - Goal Rela&onships - Goal ATribute Uphold all applicable federal and state laws and regula&ons. Maintain a strategic plan for the district that clearly denes success and accountability for the Board, the sta, and our students. Not use our posi&ons for personal or par&san gain. Maintain the conden&ality of privileged informa&on including that shared in execu&ve sessions of the Board. Communica&on protocols are established and followed. These include Friday Updates, 2x2 mee&ngs, quarterly reports, etc. Base our decisions upon available facts, vote our convic&ons, avoid bias in any form, and uphold and support the decisions of the majority of the Board once a decision is made. Are Board commiTees working eec&vely? Are Board mee&ngs operated and structured eec&vely? Maintain Board focus on the achievement of all students, regardless of race, class, ethnicity, or gender. Model con&nuous learning in our roles as members of the governance team. Is the Board appropriately assis&ng the Superintendent with key district priori&za&on decisions? The Board and Superintendent understand and ar&culate the system of governance and dieren&ate between policy and administra&ve roles. Policies and procedures are established for Board and superintendent interpersonal and working rela&onships. Average 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1

Key Needs Improvement 1.0 - 1.4 1.5 1.9 Meets Expecta&ons 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.9 Exceeds Expecta&ons 3.0 3.4 3.5 4.0

66

ASributes by Average Low to High

Category Performance Measures Rela&onships - Goal Responsibility Performance Measures Performance Measures Responsibility Performance Measures Responsibility Responsibility Performance Measures Communica&ons - Goal Responsibility Responsibility Responsibility Performance Measures Communica&ons - Goal ATribute Is the Board working together eec&vely? The Board maintains a close rela&onship of trust with the Superintendent and strives to facilitate district success. Work to build trust between and among Board members and the superintendent by trea&ng everyone with dignity and respect, even in &mes of disagreement. How is the Board working with the superintendent and sta? Does the Board engage in appropriate communica&on with sta and the public regarding issues? Focus on the policy work of the Board and monitor progress on the indicators of success ar&culated in our strategic plan, leaving the day-to-day opera&on of the district to the superintendent and sta. Is the governance team's policy development process ecient, eec&ve, and produc&ve? Place the interests of children above all others in every decision that we make. Abide by the policies and bylaws of the Board and work with our fellow Board members to change those policies as needed to improve student learning. Does the Board adhere to its ground rules and Oath of Responsibili&es? Board requests are made through agreed-upon protocols. Recognize that authority rests only with majority decisions of the Board and make no independent commitments or take any independent ac&ons that may compromise the Board as a whole. Refer cons&tuent complaints and concerns to the appropriate person within the district chain of command. Respect the leadership roles of the Board president and superintendent. Do Board members par&cipate in professional development? Are there areas of content training needed? The Board respects the role of the Board President as spokesperson. Average 1.3 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

67

Board Self Evalua>on: Responsibility

The two highest-rated attributes (2.7) were in the Responsibility area
Responsibility Uphold all applicable federal and state laws and regula&ons. Maintain a strategic plan for the district that clearly denes success and accountability for the Board, the sta, and our students. Not use our posi&ons for personal or par&san gain. Maintain the conden&ality of privileged informa&on including that shared in execu&ve sessions of the Board. Base our decisions upon available facts, vote our convic&ons, avoid bias in any form, and uphold and support the decisions of the majority of the Board once a decision is made. Maintain Board focus on the achievement of all students, regardless of race, class, ethnicity, or gender. Model con&nuous learning in our roles as members of the governance team. Recognize that authority rests only with majority decisions of the Board and make no independent commitments or take any independent ac&ons that may compromise the Board as a whole. Refer cons&tuent complaints and concerns to the appropriate person within the district chain of command. Respect the leadership roles of the Board president and superintendent. Place the interests of children above all others in every decision that we make. Abide by the policies and bylaws of the Board and work with our fellow Board members to change those policies as needed to improve student learning. Focus on the policy work of the Board and monitor progress on the indicators of success ar&culated in our strategic plan, leaving the day-to-day opera&on of the district to the superintendent and sta. Work to build trust between and among Board members and the superintendent by trea&ng everyone with dignity and respect, even in &mes of disagreement.
Key Needs Improvement 1.0 - 1.4 1.5 1.9 Meets Expecta&ons 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.9 Exceeds Expecta&ons 3.0 3.4 3.5 4.0

Average 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.7

68

Board Self Eval.: Performance Measures

The lowest average rating (1.3) for an attribute was in the Performance Measures area, and highlights the alignment issues the Board currently faces
Performance Measures Is the Board working together eec&vely? How is the Board working with the superintendent and sta? Does the Board engage in appropriate communica&on with sta and the public regarding issues? Is the governance team's policy development process ecient, eec&ve, and produc&ve? Does the Board adhere to its ground rules and Oath of Responsibili&es? Do Board members par&cipate in professional development? Are there areas of content training needed? Is the Board appropriately assis&ng the Superintendent with key district priori&za&on decisions? Are Board commiTees working eec&vely? Are Board mee&ngs operated and structured eec&vely?
Key Needs Improvement 1.0 - 1.4 1.5 1.9 Meets Expecta&ons 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.9 Exceeds Expecta&ons 3.0 3.4 3.5 4.0

Average 1.3 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.1 2.3 2.3

69

Board Self Eval.: Rela>onships & Communica>ons

Most average ratings in the Relationships & Communications areas fell in or around Needs Improvement and Meets Expectations
Rela>onships - Goal The Board and Superintendent understand and ar&culate the system of governance and dieren&ate between policy and administra&ve roles. Policies and procedures are established for Board and superintendent interpersonal and working rela&onships. The Board maintains a close rela&onship of trust with the Superintendent and strives to facilitate district success. Communica>ons - Goal Communica&on protocols are established and followed. These include Friday Updates, 2x2 mee&ngs, quarterly reports, etc. Board requests are made through agreed-upon protocols. The Board respects the role of the Board President as spokesperson.
Key Needs Improvement 1.0 - 1.4 1.5 1.9 Meets Expecta&ons 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.9 Exceeds Expecta&ons 3.0 3.4 3.5 4.0

Average 2.1 2.1 1.5 Average 2.4 1.9 2.0

70