School Board Operations
Performance
A majority of school board members had positive views of their board’s performance. Figure 1 shows that 73 percent described their board’s performance as “good” or “excellent,” while just 10 percent said their board was “poor” or “very poor.”
Figure 1. N=165.
Best Practices
Figure 2 shows that more than 70 percent of board members said their board engages in five school board “best practices” outlined in Maine Policy Institute’s school board model policies. Notably, almost one-quarter of respondents said their board was directed by the superintendent rather than the board directing the superintendent as legally mandated.
Figure 2. N=163.
Decisions
Figure 3 shows that 80 percent of board members said their board makes decisions that are good for students and focused on local issues. Sixty-eight percent said board decisions aligned with their values and addressed problems effectively.
Figure 3. N=164.
Expert Opinions and Guidance
As seen in Figure 4, board members said they were most likely to go to the superintendent’s office (64 percent) and the school board chairperson (60 percent) when seeking answers about board operations and policies. Over one-third of respondents also said they go to the Maine School Management Association, the Maine School Board Association, other board members, or their school board’s attorney for guidance on board matters.
Figure 4. N=163.
Supports and Resources
Figure 5 shows that when asked what supports and resources would help them improve as board members, the most popular choice (65 percent) was information sessions on relevant topics (i.e., curriculum, budgeting, and behavior), followed by Parliamentary Procedure training (47 percent).
Figure 5. N=160.
Parliamentary Procedure
Figure 6 shows that 56 percent of board members felt comfortable or very comfortable navigating Parliamentary Procedure (Robert’s Rules of Order), which they must know to conduct meetings and maintain order effectively. Just 10 percent reported feeling uncomfortable or very uncomfortable with these rules.
Figure 6. N=163.