Are Our Schools In Crisis: What is Board Watch?

People all over America are beginning to question the actions of school board members and members of other boards that are curators of public entities. The general public has questions regarding transparency. It is of utmost importance that school boards observe the rules of the "Open Public Meetings Act" or the Sunshine Law. Boards that spend triple the amount of time in closed session as in public sessions are being held accountable as to what secrets they are keeping from the public that finances their activities. All over America citizens have set up programs that monitor the actions of school boards and other boards that supposedly function by using public funds.

Donald K. Carlisle

When board members depend on others to learn and do what the New Jersey School Board Association expects of them, problems arise. For instance, some districts abdicate all responsibility for decisions to the Superintendent. They leave it all up to the Superintendent. If he does something they don't like or if he does not achieve the desired results, he is simply fired.

This type of board puts the children, the parents and the community in the hands of one man. Many one man boards across the state of New Jersey have been secretly giving money to Superintendents at an alarming rate per year. Our Town Board of Education is guilty of this same behavior. (page 20, 28, )We cannot afford to allow this type of chicanery to continue. They must be put on notice that eyes are open and watching. They must be thrown in the doghouse when they are found to hold their own and the interests of special groups above that of the students. It has been documented that Ethics violation charges very often amount to a little more than a slap on the wrist. Publicizing and telling the public about the deeds speak to character weaknesses that may affect them in their day jobs as well.  Let it be so.

A+ Schools is the most comprehensive and formal of the Board Watch organizations that I have explored.
http://www.aplusschools.org/good_over2.shtml
Board Watch is a grassroots effort involving volunteers who are trained to observe Pittsburgh Public School Board meetings. These volunteers are informed citizens serving as independent observers and evaluators of the School Board’s governance.

What are the bottom line results that A+ Schools hopes to achieve?

 A strong public school system resulting from an open, transparent, accountable and effective School Board and an informed and engaged community with higher expectations for School Board governance.

How will the School Board be graded?

Each Board Watch observer completes a report for each meeting they attend. The report includes notes on the behaviors they observed and a scaled survey for them to indicate the level to which they agree that they observed good governance practices. The responses to the survey are calculated for each meeting and translated into a grade for each of the five indicators. http://www.aplusschools.org/pdf/reportform.pdf

Good Governance Practices

http://www.aplusschools.org/good_practice2.shtml 

School Board 101:What is a school board?

http://www.aplusschools.org/good_sb101.shtml 

I especially like this one. I have even been in contact with the author. I intend to communicate with the authors of other "Board Watches" around the country. 

School Board WatchDog

http://www.schoolboardwatchdog.com/home.html

Follow the links below and discover how other communities are beginning to hold their school board members accountable for their actions or non action.

This school board actually wants a more robust board watchdog

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-06-28/news/fl-palm-schools-inspector-general-20110625_1_corruption-watchdog-inspector-general-sheryl-steckler-karen-brill

Manatee school board should adopt "watchdog" idea on meetings

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-06-28/news/fl-palm-schools-inspector-general-20110625_1_corruption-watchdog-http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2012/02/Houston-isd-school-board-extends-superintendent-terry-grier-contract/1328906557.column

Wake County school board member Debra Goldman on becoming the board "watchdog"
Read more here:

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/wake-county-school-board-member-debra-goldman-on-becoming-the-board-watchdog 

School Board Watch St. Cloud
http://schoolboardwatch.wordpress.com/

Hosted by Donna Pinard this show will talk about what is going on in the schools and how the school board deals with many of the issues facing our students. http://www.pegondemand.tv/list.html?category_id=3177

School board watch on youtube: Donna Pinard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM75jnyxcKk 

                                                        How are the children?