governing for greatness - dr. james goenner, national charter schools institute (new jersey charter...
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Governing for Greatness - Dr. James Goenner, National Charter Schools Institute (New Jersey Charter School Conference, 4/7/2014)TRANSCRIPT
GOVERNING FORGREATNESS
NEW JERSEY CHARTER SCHOOLS ANNUAL CONFERENCE
DR. JAMES N. GOENNER | APRIL 7, 2014
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RELATIONSHIPS
“People don’t care how much you know until they
know how much you care.”
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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.
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Goals for Today
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Share a Framework for Greatness
Discuss Principles for Governing
Inspire Hearts & Minds
Answer Questions
Have Fun!
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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
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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
National Charter Schools Institute
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Common Board Challenges
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Dysfunctional Group Dynamics
Disengaged Board Members
Uncertainty about Roles and Responsibilities
Source: Problem Boards or Board Problems? The Nonprofit Quarterly
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Some People Observe That …
“ Trustees are often little more than high-
powered, well-intentioned people
engaged in low-level activities.”
““Chait, Holland and Taylor
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A Simple Way to Frame Roles
Governing Board
=
To Ensure
Management
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To Execute
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Would a Great Leader Want to
Serve on or Work for Your Board?
The First Thing the Board Governs Is Itself
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“Know Thyself”
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Model the Way
Inspire a Shared Vision
Challenge the Process
Enable Others to Act
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Encourage the Heart5
Five Practices of Exemplary Leaders
Kouzes and Posner
Level 5 Leadership Pyramid
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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.
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Level 5 Leaders Want to Work for a Board That …
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• 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.
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Level 5 Leaders Want to Work for a Board That …
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• 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.
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How Boards Earn Credibility
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• “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
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12 Responsibilities of a Charter School Board
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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.
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ENSURE the organization continuously improves and stays viable.
ENSURE the organization is true to its vision, mission and values.
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ENSURE the organization operates legally and ethically.
12 Responsibilities of a Charter School Board
ENSURE goals are clear and people and programs are wisely empowered, supported, evaluated and held accountable.
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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.
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ENSURE the board adopts and properly maintains its governing policies.
ENSURE the board speaks with one voice.
12 Responsibilities of a Charter School Board
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“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
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“““We believe boards that govern for greatness
ask wise questions and measure things that
really matter.”Dr. James Goenner
National Charter Schools Institute
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“““ 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
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Wise Questions
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HOW WELL IS OUR SCHOOL …
Preparing Students for College, Work and Life
Leveraging Resources
Fulfilling Its Commitments?
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Is the academic program a success?
Is the school financially viable?
Is the school equitable & organizationally sound?
Key Renewal Questions
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Interviews with Board, Administration, Team and Parents
Observation of School and Classrooms
Review of Documents
The Renewal Site Visit
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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
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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
Understanding the Performance Framework
ACT:A Respected Standard for Measuring College Readiness
Backwards Mapping from the Act:Beginning with the End In Mind
GRADE 12
KINDERGARTEN
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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)
Understanding the Performance Framework
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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
Understanding the Performance Framework
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ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE
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
Understanding the Performance Framework
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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
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ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE
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
Understanding the Performance Framework
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ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE
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
Understanding the Performance Framework
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ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE
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
Understanding the Performance Framework
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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!
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