Impact and Challenges in the Relations Between School Boards and Superintendents

School boards across the United States are facing challenges, with declining enrollment, strained budgets, and increased political scrutiny. Amidst these difficulties, the relationships between school board members and superintendents have come under the spotlight, as a recent report by Ballotpedia reveals.

The report, published on September 4, 2024, explores the concerns and experiences of school board members from 33 states. Leslie Graves, the organization's founder and CEO, noted that the discussions came at an intense time for board members, with about 1 in 5 participants crying in their interviews.

The average rating given by the interviewed school board members for their relationships with their superintendents was 3.07, indicating slightly strained relationships with a wide range of experiences. Forty-one board members rated their relationships as 1 or 2, signifying a strong partnership. These respondents cited clear governance and management distinction, established communication methods, and alignment-building activities as key factors. On the other hand, forty-three respondents rated their relationships as 4 or 5, indicating major conflict or misalignment. Issues like dismissive superintendents, divisions among board members, lack of trust, and external actors influencing decisions were cited as problems.

Conflict within boards tends to emerge in cases of recent turnover of seats, pressure from local political groups, and the presence of "problematic" members. The most successful board members, however, possess a "flexible pragmatism" that allows them to quickly weigh priorities and put out fires.

The report recommends structured on-boarding for new members, training on board members' roles and decision-making process, and regular communication to build healthier relationships between district leadership and elected board members. Graves also highlighted the importance of election turnout, noting that the decisions school boards make can have great consequences for their communities, but election turnout is often low, and there's surprisingly little information about candidates' positions and backgrounds available to the public.

The findings come as districts face challenges, but they also underscore the crucial role of the relationship between school boards and superintendents in effective school governance. Several national organizations have incorporated training on school board relationships into their professional development for superintendents.

School boards often split into coalitions based on political positions, level of experience with education, similar professions, and personalities. This report serves as a reminder of the need for collaboration and consensus-building, with superintendents and board chairs who are skilled at building consensus, clear norms for board members, and a shared focus on student outcomes playing a significant role in navigating these conflicts.

The interviews for the report were conducted by Ballotpedia, a nonpartisan website that tracks issues related to politics and elections. The research was part of a multiphase effort by Ballotpedia to cover local school boards. The report is a qualitative study based on a series of interviews that started in 2024.