Streamline Agendas To Manage Meetings - school boards - Brief Article

School Administrator, Jan, 1997 by Donald K. Lemon

You're still at a board of education meeting at 1:30 in the morning, struggling to help the board president conclude the business that, in your judgment, should have been finished by 10 p.m.

Is this scenario familiar? Have you diagnosed the cause of the problem? If not, suggest that the board president raise this question as the first agenda item for the next meeting.

Probably an overly vague board agenda contributes to the meeting length. As the chief administrator, you have the responsibility to assist the board president and board members to do a good job in a reasonable amount of time.

To ensure productive discussion, consider these suggestions to make the board agenda a document that sets direction for a meeting, increases efficiency and effectiveness, and gets you home at a reasonable hour.

* Clarity of agenda items.

This can be accomplished in two ways. One way is to write a sentence or more that is long enough to give the reader an understanding of what is needed. A second way is to outline the particulars: Who wants what for what purpose and at what cost?

* Classify items by type.

Items can be grouped under one of four categories: Decision Making, Action, Information, or Policy Approval. Decision items deal with things such as paying the bills, care of the physical plant, or working conditions for employees. Action items answer who will do what and when. Information items provide data but do not call for an action of the board. Policy approval items focus on the future of the school district.

Agenda makers should spell out the type of item in the margin to the left of the agenda item to clarify their intent for the board members.

* Allotting appropriate time.

Different types of items can and should take different amounts of time. An information item seldom requires discussion and should be completed in five minutes or less. Decision and action items take a bit longer because board members may want clarification or additional information. Policy approval items may vary, depending on the previous discussion.

Agenda makers should estimate and then record the amount of time required to complete each item in the left margin, under the type of item.

Procedurally, the board could agree on the time limits for items at the beginning of each meeting to assure that adequate time is scheduled. If an item or two clearly have broader implications than anticipated, a special meeting could be scheduled to deal with those items, just as boards do now. But having a time limit designated on the agenda provides a marvelous discipline to stay on target, on task, and on time.

Several other things related to the agenda can help complete tasks in a reasonable amount of time. Certain agenda items require supporting information. This information needs to be copied and attached to the agenda.

But board members don't always have time to read lengthy documents, so administrators can assist them by preparing executive summaries to accompany long documents. Such summaries should point out the salient points for member consideration. Attachments should be noted in the left margin along with the type of item and the time allocation to alert the board member that additional reading material is necessary to understand the item.

Citizens need to know how to get items of concern on the board agenda. Those who make up the agenda need to clarify with the person(s) proposing an agenda item the intent and the particulars of the item so that they can provide a clear description.

Finally, the board agenda needs to be distributed well in advance of the meeting. Last-minute items should go on a subsequent agenda. Conducting school business is a complex affair and requires an informed and thoughtful board if the schools are to serve the interests of the children, community, and school employees well.

Being well informed requires time and thought. Preparing an effective agenda will help set direction, increase efficiency, sustain effectiveness, get you home at a reasonable hour, and leave board members and the others involved feeling positive about their service to the school district.