governing for greatness - dr. james goenner, national charter schools institute (new jersey charter...

GOVERNING FORGREATNESS

NEW JERSEY CHARTER SCHOOLS ANNUAL CONFERENCE

DR. JAMES N. GOENNER | APRIL 7, 2014

WWW.CHARTERINSTITUTE.ORG 2

RELATIONSHIPS

“People don’t care how much you know until they

know how much you care.”

WWW.CHARTERINSTITUTE.ORG

National Charter Schools Institute

• The Institute is a values-driven, nonprofit organization founded in 1995.

• Our mission is to strengthen the performance and productivity of the charter schools sector.

• We coach and consult with boards, schools, authorizers, support organizations and policymakers.

• Our team is composed of passionate professionals.

• We seek to understand, honor and support our clients.

• We believe in and strive to uphold the Golden Rule.

4



THIS SLIDE DECK IS ACCESSIBLE AT


Goals for Today

6

Share a Framework for Greatness

Discuss Principles for Governing

Inspire Hearts & Minds

Answer Questions

Have Fun!

1

2

3

4

5


Superior Performance

Distinctive Impact

Lasting Endurance

What Is Greatness?

““ “Good is the enemy

of great.”Jim Collins

Collins’ Good-to-Great Framework

OUTPUT RESULTS

STAGE 1: DISCIPLINED PEOPLE

INPUT PRINCIPLES

Level 5 Leadership

First Who, Then What

STAGE 2: DISCIPLINED THOUGHTConfront the Brutal Facts

The Hedgehog Concept

STAGE 3: DISCIPLINED ACTIONCulture of Discipline

The Flywheel

STAGE 4: BUILDING GREATNESS TO LAST

Clock Building, Not Time Telling

Preserve Core, Stimulate Progress

DELIVERS SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE

MAKES A DISTINCTIVE IMPACT

ACHIEVES LASTING ENDURANCEBeyond Any Leader,

Idea or Setback

On the Communities It Touches

Relative to Its Mission

Achieving Breakthrough

The Flywheel

““ “Greatness . . . is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline.”

Jim Collins

Purpose of Governance

“To ensure, usually on behalf of others, that an

organization achieves what it should achieve while

avoiding those behaviors and situations that should

be avoided.”

““Dr. John Carver

Boards That Make a Difference


Purpose of a Charter School Governing Board

“To ensure, on behalf of the public, that students are

learning, money and resources are well stewarded, and the organization passionately pursues greatness, while

modeling the highest legal and ethical principles.”

““Dr. James Goenner



Common Board Challenges

16

Dysfunctional Group Dynamics

Disengaged Board Members

Uncertainty about Roles and Responsibilities

Source: Problem Boards or Board Problems? The Nonprofit Quarterly

1

2

3

Some People Observe That …

“ Trustees are often little more than high-

powered, well-intentioned people

engaged in low-level activities.”

““Chait, Holland and Taylor


A Simple Way to Frame Roles

Governing Board

=

To Ensure

Management

=

To Execute

18


Would a Great Leader Want to

Serve on or Work for Your Board?

The First Thing the Board Governs Is Itself

19

“Know Thyself”


Model the Way

Inspire a Shared Vision

Challenge the Process

Enable Others to Act

1

2

3

4

Encourage the Heart5

Five Practices of Exemplary Leaders

Kouzes and Posner

Level 5 Leadership Pyramid


What Level of Leader Do You Want?

Level 5 Leader

• Ambitious first and foremost for the cause, the organization, the work—not themselves.

• Displays a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will.

Level 3 Leader

• Organizes people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.

22


Level 5 Leaders Want to Work for a Board That …

23

• Knows its purpose and why it exists• Understands it is the highest authority in

the organization

• Knows it represents the public• Is disciplined in its role and behaviors and

those of its individual members

• Is trustworthy and predictable.


Level 5 Leaders Want to Work for a Board That …

24

• Uses its authority to empower, not strangle• Ensures the organization is effective

and efficient• Has high expectations and measures

performance

• Is unafraid to judge, but does so fairly

• Continuously earns credibility.


How Boards Earn Credibility

25

• “They practice what they preach.”

• “They walk the talk.”

• “Their actions are consistent with their words.”

• “They put their money where their mouth is.”

• “They follow through on their promises.”

• “They do what they say they will do.”

The Leadership Challenge


12 Responsibilities of a Charter School Board

4

1

2

3

ENSURE all students are being prepared for success in college, work and life.

ENSURE the public’s money and resources are well stewarded.

ENSURE the organization is run by a great leader and infused with a positive culture and learning environment.

ENSURE the terms of the charter contract are fulfilled and the organization is prepared for renewal.


5

ENSURE the organization continuously improves and stays viable.

ENSURE the organization is true to its vision, mission and values.

6

7

8

ENSURE the organization operates legally and ethically.


ENSURE goals are clear and people and programs are wisely empowered, supported, evaluated and held accountable.


9

ENSURE the board and its members are positive ambassadors for the charter idea!

ENSURE the board recruits, orients and develops its members and its capacity to govern.

10

11

12

ENSURE the board adopts and properly maintains its governing policies.

ENSURE the board speaks with one voice.



“Doing everything keeps us so busy we don’t have time to think about what is really important

to us.”““

Where Does Your Board Spend Its Time?

First Things First


“““We believe boards that govern for greatness

ask wise questions and measure things that

really matter.”Dr. James Goenner



“““ Wisdom is the beneficial use of

knowledge; wisdom is information and

knowledge impregnated with

higher purposes and principles.”

Governing Wisely

Dr. Stephen CoveyThe 8th Habit


Wise Questions

33

HOW WELL IS OUR SCHOOL …

Preparing Students for College, Work and Life

Leveraging Resources

Fulfilling Its Commitments?


Is the academic program a success?

Is the school financially viable?

Is the school equitable & organizationally sound?

Key Renewal Questions


Interviews with Board, Administration, Team and Parents

Observation of School and Classrooms

Review of Documents

The Renewal Site Visit


ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

1. Student Achievement• Percent scoring proficient in LAL and math• Percent scoring advanced proficient in LAL and math

2. Comparative Performance• Student scores compared to school district in LAL and math• Student scores compared to peer schools

3. Student Progress Over Time• School’s median student growth percentile in LAL and math• Student growth percentiles in LAL and math by subgroups

Understanding the Performance Framework


ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

4. Post-Secondary Readiness (High Schools Only)• Performance on ACT or SAT• Participation rate on ACT or SAT• Graduation rate• Percent in post-secondary institutions within 6 and 18 months

5. State and Federal Accountability• Achievement of state accountability targets for academics

6. Mission-Specific Academic Goals• Achievement of its mission-specific goals for academics


ACT:A Respected Standard for Measuring College Readiness

Backwards Mapping from the Act:Beginning with the End In Mind

GRADE 12

KINDERGARTEN


FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

1. Near-Term Indicators• Current Ratio: Current Assets / Current Liabilities• Unrestricted Days Cash: Total Expenses / 365• Enrollment Variance: Actual Enrollment / Budgeted Enrollment• Defaults: Loan Covenant Defaults and Debt Service Delinquency

2. Sustainability Indicators• Total Margin: Net Income / Total Revenue• Debt to Asset Ratio: Total Liabilities / Total Assets• Cash Flow: Three-Year Cumulative, Net in Each of Three Years • Debt Service Coverage Ratio: (Net Income + Depreciation +

Interest Expense) / (Principal and Interest Payments)



ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

1. Education Program• Fidelity to charter agreement• Curriculum alignment with state standards• Use of data to inform, guide and improve practices• Compliance with all applicable education requirements

2. Equity• Admissions and enrollment practices• Treatment of students with disabilities and possible disabilities• Treatment of ELL students• Monitoring and minimizing of student attrition rates

3. School Culture• Learning environment’s promotion of mission and high expectations• Achievement of plans for family and community involvement




4. Governance• Compliance with all applicable governance requirements

• Adherence to charter’s bylaws• Completion of board member training• Compliance with School Ethics Act• Compliance with Open Public Meetings Act• Implementation of policies to evaluate school leader annually• Timely adjustment of policies to reflect new laws and regulations• Establishment of advisory grievance committee

• Oversight of school management under all applicable rules• Monitoring of an ESP’s annual financial reports and its adherence to

the performance agreement• Monitoring of a non-ESP’s delivery on performance expectations



BOARD MEETINGS MADE EASY

ASSEMBLE

PACKET

DISTRIBUTE

PACKET REVIEW PACKET

CONDUCT MEETING

COMPILE & SHARE

PROPOSEDMINUTES

• Agenda (30/30/30)• Prior Meeting Minutes• Financial Data• Academic Data• Board Materials• Reports School Leader Management Co. Authorizer

• Formal Resolutions

SCHOOL BOARD

AUTHORIZER SCHOOL

DEVELOP

AGENDAPUBLIC

SCHOOL BOARD

MANAGEMENT SCHOOL



5. Facilities and Safe School Environment• Provision of safe, secure facilities that support teaching and learning

• Documentation of annual health and safety reviews• Documentation of fire inspections • Possession of certificate of occupancy

• Provision of physically safe school environment• Enforcement of rights under school code of conduct• Implementation of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying Policy• Documentation of all applicable background checks




6. Financial Management and Oversight• Compliance with requirements for timely, complete financial reports

• Annual budget and any revised budgets• Periodic financial reports• ESP-related financial reports• Employment of school business administrator• Annual independent audit, including corrective action plan• Reports on the use of public funds

• Adherence to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles• Absence of qualifications in annual independent audit• Absence of significant findings or weaknesses in annual independent audit




7. Reporting and Compliance• Compliance with state and federal reporting requirements

• Accountability tracking• NJ SMART reporting• Enrollment reports• Compliance and oversight• Additional NJDOE requests

• Compliance with other requirements• Charter contract• Staffing and Licensure• Reporting to county office of education



Compliance Requirements Detail

Four Disciplines of a Healthy Organization

“““Set the standards higher for yourself than others would set them for you.”

John Maxwell

THANK YOU!

NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS INSTITUTE | 711 WEST PICKARD STREET | MOUNT PLEASANT, MICHIGAN 48858

VIEW THIS SLIDE DECK ONLINE AT WWW.CHARTERINSTITUTE.ORG

governing for greatness - dr. james goenner, national charter schools institute (new jersey charter...

Leadership & Management

level of leader

charter school board

nonprofit organization

charter school governing

board problems

great leader

board members uncertainty

charter schools sector