44. A Deep Dive Into School Board Accountability

Public education has been a major topic during the current legislative session, which is now just weeks away from concluding. The WASB has tracked more than 300 bills this session. Reading instruction, school safety, licensure changes and student health have all been at the center of legislative proposals. This episode, we check in with the WASB’s Government Relations Team to get an update on where we are as the session wraps up. We’ll also discuss some of the important themes that we’ve been following in Madison. As always, follow the Legislative Update blog for the latest news.

This episode, a special commemoration of the 2024 State Education Convention, includes the speeches of Gov. Tony Evers as well as the incoming and outgoing presidents of the WASB, Mike Humke of Dodgeville and Rosanne Hahn of Burlington. You can find a copy of Mike's presentation here. Rosanne's presentation is available here. It also features the sounds of the three student musical groups who joined us at the convention.

This episode, a rebroadcast from March 2021, focuses on the roles and duties of school board officers — president, vice president, treasurer and clerk. We spoke about with a WASB attorney and governance consultant about the legal requirements for board officers as well as the duties enshrined in boards’ policies and practices.  We think this conversation is still valuable, especially considering boards will be selecting officers in just a few short months. If you're a Wisconsin school board member or district staff, go in-depth on board officer roles by subscribing to the ⁠WASB Online Learning Platform⁠.

After serving as the starting quarterback for Brigham Young University, Sean Covey started being invited to speak to children. He spoke at hundreds of schools, and the time he spent around kids and teens gave him an idea of the challenges they were going through. Sean would go on to write about schools and children, including the bestseller “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.” After a career-ending injury, Sean joined the leadership company FranklinCovey, where he’s spent the past 29 years. Sean is a keynote speaker at the 2024 State Education Convention, and this episode features a conversation between Sean and Dustin Odham, a FranklinCovey colleague. Most of the discussion focuses on transforming schools through educational leadership. They talk about how to focus on big goals, the use of scoreboards, accountability and much more. If you’re a school board or district staff member who’d like to learn more about the 2024 State Education Convention, head to WASB.org/convention. Register before Dec. 15 to qualify for the early bird rate.

This month's episode of the podcast features an interview between 2024 State Education Convention keynote John Quiñones and Michael Lyons, an author and speaker based in the Philadelphia area. They spoke in 2020 about John’s story, including how he went from a childhood of farm labor to the heights of broadcast TV. They also talk about John's hidden-camera TV show, “What Would You Do,” and why its ethical questions have resonated with viewers. If you're a Wisconsin education leader who would like to hear more from John, consider registering for the 2024 Wisconsin State Education Convention, held Jan. 17-19 in Milwaukee. Learn more at the Convention webpage.

In this episode, we’ll be helping you see a familiar concept in a new way. You already understand what school board accountability means, but we'll go in-depth on what this means in practice — and it's about more than dollars and cents. We’ll talk with Stratford Board President Chris Dickinson and WASB consultant George Steffen about the different types of accountability. If you're a Wisconsin school board member who'd like to learn more about accountability alongside your fellow board members, consider attending your 2023 Fall Regional Meeting. Learn more and register at the event webpage.

Our latest episode covers ground that is familiar to all school board members: the regular review of school district financial information. The purpose of these financial reports is simple: to convey the school district’s financial health, now and in the foreseeable future. They’re also a great opportunity for school board members to learn and show they’re earning the trust of parents and taxpayers. We’ll help you understand these reports in more detail by explaining the documents that are at the core of financial reporting, especially the check register and budget-to-actual report. We’re joined by two experienced school leaders on different sides of the board table. Larry Dux is a longtime board member in Pewaukee, and Michael Barry is executive director of the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials, or WASBO. We'll talk about the connection between thoughtful continuous financial monitoring and community trust, especially in an era of increased referendums. We’ll also discuss how to ask tough questions of district staff in a way that builds mutual respect.

The Wisconsin Association of School Boards has a new executive director — only the fourth in our 100-year history. Today, we’ll talk to Dan Rossmiller about his past and the future of the WASB. You may already know Dan — he’s been government relations director at the WASB since 2006 — but he’s hoping to get to know members even better.  Dan brings his experience in advocacy to the position, and he believes school board members have an untapped potential to make their voices heard.

The Renew Our Schools Energy Challenge, sponsored by two Wisconsin organizations, asks students to measure their schools' energy use and find ways to reduce it. It’s a way for kids to learn by doing while helping their schools save money. We'll learn about that program and how your district can join. We'll hear from Oconomowoc students who participated, their teacher and a program manager from a sponsoring organization, Focus on Energy. It’s not too late to join in the challenge for the upcoming school year. Learn more at the program website. The challenge is sponsored by the K-12 Energy Education Program, or KEEP, and Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy program.

Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, a Madison pediatrician, says that what happens to a child in their first few years of life can have profound consequences for their school years and beyond. Dr. Navsaria is the keynote to the 2023 Summer Leadership Institute, a two-day conference held in Green Bay July 14 and 15 by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. In a preview of his July keynote, we’ll talk about what matters in those early years. The single most important factor in child health, he explains, is loving relationships. We also talk about the role of stress — when it’s good, when it’s bad and how it can affect a child’s behavior in school. When educators see erratic behavior, they may not see the experiences that held to explain that behavior. It causes adults to ask the wrong questions to explain a child’s behavior, he says. Dr. Navsaria also hosts other podcasts, including: Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues : Candid Conversations on Health and Child Care Reach Out and Read Doctor to Doctor If you’re a Wisconsin school board member or district staff member who’d like to learn more, please join Dr. Navsaria at the Summer Leadership Institute in Green Bay this July. Find the complete agenda and register at the event website.