NEPN/NSBA  Code:  BBAB

SCHOOL COMMITTEE SELF-EVALUATION

As an elected body, the Committee is accountable to the public for the education of its children and the stewardship of the school unit’s resources.  The Committee believes that in order to be most effective in its governance role, it should continuously monitor and evaluate its own performance, processes, and practices.  The Committee believes that periodic self-evaluation is essential to improved leadership, support of student achievement, and the attainment of the school unit’s vision and goals.

The Committee will annually conduct a self-evaluation at a scheduled time and place.  The Committee encourages all of its members to attend.  No other Committee business will be taken up at this session.  Consistent with the Freedom of Access Act, the Committee’s self-evaluation will be held in open session.  The Superintendent is expected to participate in the process.

During self-evaluation, the Committee will evaluate itself as a whole.  The self-evaluation should emphasize areas of strength as well as those identified for improvement.  Committee members are encouraged to use the evaluation process as an opportunity to assess their own personal performance.

The Committee will determine the areas of competence and/or Committee responsibilities and relationships that will be used as the basis for the self-evaluation.  The Committee will select an evaluation method or instrument that will include a reasonable number of criteria or performance indicators by which to appraise the Committee’s functioning and effectiveness.  The Committee may also identify specific topics for discussion that are related to its meeting processes, communications, Committee-Superintendent relations, and collaboration and relationship skills.

The Committee may seek the assistance of the Superintendent in identifying standards for assessment and topics for discussion and/or in selecting an evaluation method or instrument that meets its needs. 

If a self-evaluation instrument/form is used, a composite profile of responses may be tabulated to provide a more detailed analysis of Committee performance.  As no single instrument or form may encompass all of the Committee’s responsibility or sufficiently address the relationship between responsibilities, the Committee need not limit itself to those items that appear on the instrument or form, but should use it as means of structuring and stimulating Committee discussion.

A different method or instrument may be used from year to year, but must be agreed upon by a majority of the Committee.

The areas of Committee responsibility and relationships that may be appropriate to consider during the self-evaluation may include but are not limited to:

A. Committee “visioning,” strategic planning, and long-range planning skills and processes;

B. Committee meeting management, conduct, and decision-making processes;

C. Policy development and implementation;

D. Fiscal oversight and resource allocation;

E. Oversight of curriculum and instruction;

F. Monitoring of student achievement;

G. Committee subcommittee structure, responsibilities, and processes;

H. Committee member development;

I. New Committee member orientation;

J. Committee-Superintendent relations;

K. Committee-community relations and communications;

L. Committee relations with the media; and

M. Committee legislative involvement and advocacy.

Following a discussion of the evaluation results, the Committee will establish priorities and objectives for the following year’s self-evaluation.

The Committee may, as desired, schedule interim self-evaluation sessions to assess progress toward achieving identified priorities and objectives.

Adopted: 1/13/25