A National School Board Association survey found that “Factors that impact student achievement”  was not the top response to the question, “How important is it for board members to have knowledge in the following area so they effectively perform their board” duties?  

Only 53% of board members agreed that recognizing the factors which impact student achievement was an important mindset to have in order to be an effective board member.  Only 44% of those surveyed had received training in “student achievement issues.”  These board members will take a leap of faith when their superintendent tells them this third-party program, seeking a $200k contract, will be great for student achievement…trust me.

In Connecticut, and, in fact, most of the United States, school board members are not required to be certified.  Neither do most require board members to have a certain level of education. Some folks, board members included, may believe that certification is unnecessary and that relevant experience and a commitment to the community is more important. Others may believe that certification is important for ensuring that board members have the necessary knowledge and skills to make informed decisions on behalf of the school district. 

Of the nine members on the Hartford Board of Education, none are certified board members, although, combined, they hold more degrees than a thermometer.  Only one member, Francoise Deristel-Leger, has education experience and/or training.  Her impressive education experience is also international.

The Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) “believes that training is essential, it should only supplement, not replace actual board experience.”  And for a fee, they will deliver that training, and certification.

In a 2018, the National School Board Association conducted an online and email survey of school board members and superintendents throughout the country.  Less than 20% of Connecticut’s school board members participated in this survey, despite having the highest per district school board membership in the country.

Although they did not ask about certification, the survey did find that 77% of board members held a Bachelor’s Degree or higher.  The survey also revealed that only 27% of national board members were educators or trained in education.

A study in 2019, by Dr. Albert Nylander, Professor of Sociology and Director of the McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement at the University of Mississippi, found that less than 1% of school districts surveyed, required board members to have a college degree.  The Nylander study also found that 69% of board members were not, and had never been, a teacher.  In fact, they are not fond of teachers.  Only 44% of those surveyed for the study said that they “regularly meet” with district teachers.

The NSBA survey also found that 13% of those members surveyed, said that the “entire board” does not participate or receive training “together.”   And what was the number one source of information that board members consulted when they needed to make a decision?  Fifty-six percent (56%) of board members said that they go to their superintendent before all other sources when they are seeking information for making a board decision.   

Although only 53% of board members agreed that recognizing the factors which impact student achievement was an important mindset to have in order to be an effective board member, and only 44% of those surveyed had received training in “student achievement issues,” the top response to “what type of impact do the following have on improving student achievement,” was…the school board!  And, 65% of board members said that student achievement was important in evaluating the superintendent’s performance. 

When you have a board of education, according to Hartford Public Schools, that “are responsible for top-level, district-wide decisions that affect the direction and progress of our schools,” then, obviously, training should be required, or at least, it is needed.  CABE says it is “essential.”  And they got your back.

CABE runs a program called “Board Member Academy,” where board members, superintendents, and administrators (all for a one-time fee of $400), can accumulate credits through workshops, leading to either a Certified Board of Education Member (CBEM) award, or a Master Board of Education Member (MBEM) certification.

Board members will be trained in the following: relationships with the superintendent, the community, and with each other, policy, curriculum, school, finance, school law, labor relations, and board operations.  Nothing on how to recognize the factors which may lead to student achievement – or the importance of attendance at board meetings.   Perhaps this is the case across the country, as the NSBA survey shows a limited amount of importance given to the student achievement area by school board members.

The above mentioned training areas will get you the CBEM.  To become a certified “Master,” and receive the MBEM certification, board members must first complete the CBEM requirements.  “Programs designed to enhance interpersonal skills, strategic planning, negotiations, and leadership skills,” are then added to complete a member’s “Master” accreditation.  However, aligning with CABE’s “there’s nothing like experience” belief, a member looking to earn certification must have first completed 3 years on an actual school board.  Nothing, except time, I suppose, precludes a member from earning credits for certification while they work toward that 3-year requirement.

Perhaps, Hartford’s Board members have been working toward certification, however, like their suppressing of the new Deputy Superintendent’s certification status during his hiring in December (“New Deputy in Town”), they are not engaging the public with this information.

Sponsored by the Connecticut State Department of Education, CABE also operates the “Connecticut Lighthouse Project.”  The Lighthouse Project is a research-based program developed by the Iowa School Boards Association in 1998, in a state without the need for lighthouses.  This training provides “for introspective conversations and a renewed focus on improving student achievement.”  There are currently 21 school districts in Connecticut participating in this training, Hartford is not one of them.

The Lighthouse Project originally started as a research study, to determine how school boards affected student achievement: “Do school boards really make a difference in student achievement?” and “Are they too far removed from classroom action to impact how well all students learn?”

Although the study was carried out, and data analyzed, for all Georgia schools alone, “it has been referenced countless times as people try to identify the characteristics of good board leadership.”  The results show that school boards in districts with high student achievement were “significantly different in knowledge, beliefs, and actions” from those in lower achieving districts. 

The following are the “knowledge, beliefs, and actions” which the study defined as school board characteristics leading to higher student achievement:

• Held high learning expectations for students.  In low-achieving districts, lower expectations were held by board members, and they focus on factors they “believed” kept students from learning: poverty, lack of parental support, or societal factors.

• Were far more knowledgeable about school improvement goals, curriculum, instruction, assessment, and staff development.

• Let data, through regular monitoring, guide their decision making on student needs and results.

• Created a supportive environment for teachers, shared leadership and decision making with teachers, and gave teachers a hug on a regular basis.

• Regularly connected with and listened to their communities, with a focus on parental involvement.

It's worth noting that the issue of school board member certification is likely to be a subject of ongoing debate, with different perspectives and opinions depending on various factors such as the size and resources of the school district, the priorities of the community, and the political climate of the state or local area…and the politics of the individuals involved in the debate.