Governance Relations - improved school board-superintendent relations to better meet student needs - Brief Article

School Administrator, Jan, 2001

School boards and superintendents must strengthen their relationships in order to prepare students for a fast-moving information age, according to "Thinking Differently," a study published by the Educational Research Service, in collaboration with the New England School Development Council.

The study, written by Richard Goodman and William Zimmerman, suggests how school leaders can more effectively meet student demands. These include:

* Understanding the real-world needs of children, families and schools to adjust policies to today's realities;

* Considering why fewer people are moving into education careers;

* Positioning school boards to deal with far-reaching goals rather than micromanaging personnel, bus schedules and roof repairs; and

* Removing the "us versus them" attitude that sometimes exists between school boards and superintendents.

School boards and superintendents must forge leadership teams, the report urges.

Copies of "Thinking Differently" are available for $7 each from the Educational Research Service, 2000 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, Va. 22201