From the Desk of the Executive Director
The Role of a School Board
The primary role of a local school board is to provide effective governance as it relates to the superintendent and ensure practices and processes implemented comply with local, state and federal laws. School board members walk the thin line of ensuring that policymaking is integrated with district planning and priorities to under gird the management practices and processes implemented by the superintendent.
However, far too often school boards are distracted from their role by changes in laws and regulations, unexpected issues, and special interests raised by parents, teachers, students or other stakeholder groups.
Consequently, efforts of the school board seem to take on an agenda of its own that dominates and even undermines the work of the superintendent and other true professionals hired to manage the day-to-day operations of the system. In the end, student learning becomes a secondary focus; making the true victims students and teachers stuck in overcrowded classrooms, dilapidated facilities and a dumb-down curriculum that produces graduates ill-prepared for post-secondary education or entry level employment. Such is the case with the Prince George’s County School Board.
In October 2006, Dr. Nancy Grasmick delayed recommending sanctions against our system because and I quote “John Deasy has submitted a plan to deal with Prince George's most serious academic problems”. She was firm that MSDE would monitor the successful implementation of the plan. Now almost two years from that date he is leaving. Not because he failed to improve the quality of the educational services provided to students, but because of issues that have nothing to do with student learning.
In the midst of a looming budget crunch this board approved a $36 million lease for a new administration building against the recommendations of the superintendent; it hired outside counsel to be a liaison with the University of Kentucky; moreover, it voted to support an increase in our telephone tax – so it can have more of our tax dollars to spend with no prudence – I think not.
I watched in shock at your community meeting as the board sat front and center and responded first to operational questions and then deferred to members of the administration – the professionals in the trenches for “sound bites.” The structure of the forum was backwards and indicative of the major problem plaguing the Prince George’s County school system as it relates to governance by the school board.
I’m not sure if it’s political aspirations, a fight to control contracts or just a simple lack of understanding that keeps the board off track, but one thing is for sure, in order to create a system that will help all students meet rigorous standards, the Prince George’s County school board needs dramatic reform to ensure we have one head leading the system.