Are School Boards Equipped to Govern Effectively in the Era of Equity (2015 to Present)?

Abstract

School boards diligently strive to demonstrate their accountability amidst continual criticism, currently at a heightened level following the COVID-19 pandemic, with ensuing drops in student achievement. The responsibilities of a school board are often misunderstood by their community, and school boards themselves are struggling in this era of equity (2015 to present) to define effective school board governance, and to equip their board members to govern effectively. This quantitative exploratory research documented current school board member socialization experiences and found that school board socialization programs are narrow in scope, not comprehensive, and inconsistently implemented, creating risk for inefficient and ineffective governance. The study revealed that current school board governance effectiveness is inconsistently evaluated. School board socialization programs are rarely, if ever, monitored through school board policy monitoring nor periodically evaluated using a valid instrument. This research used a broadened aperture to view school board member socialization, from the time period prior to a member’s board service through their exit from the board. The research found statistically significant and substantively meaningful relationships between school board socialization practices with board member reported readiness to govern, and with perceived exhibited school board effectiveness characteristics. Implications of the study results for theory, research and practice are offered, and a preliminary model for a research-based, comprehensive school board member socialization program is proposed.