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| Chris Thomas |
In his presentation on school board micromanagement, Chris Thomas, general counsel and director of legal and policy services for ASBA, used football analogies to differentiate between effective school board management in terms of legal responsibilities, and board micromanagement, which is not only illegal, but also overstepping bounds. Thomas stressed that the board does not have authority to supervise or manage school district personnel; its role is to approve hiring of staff and termination if necessary. According to the Attorney General opinion in 181-054, “A school district board member has no power or right different from any other citizen notwithstanding the statutory powers of the school district board which may only be exercised by the board when lawfully convened as a body.”
In examining the roles and duties of board members and superintendents and where they both intersect, Thomas used these graphics to highlight the similarities and differences:
Rather than micromanage, Thomas shared helpful solutions that not only strengthen the board/superintendent relationship, show that the board member is fully aware of his/her rights and responsibilities to be effective and within the legal framework of their scope of accountability. These include:
- Govern and oversee management
- Adopt vision and goals for the superintendent and performance goals for the district
- Establish community relations that benefit students
- Ensure that the superintendent has processes and is accountable for performance results
- Collaborate for student achievement
Thomas encouraged board members to attend training through ASBA to ensure proper management, without reverting to micromanagement, with the goal of a harmonious relationship with staff and the community.
ASPRA Reporter --Nedda Shafir, ASA Communications Consultant
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