Meeting 1 Kick-off and Fact Finding June 10 th , 2008 2:30 to 4:00 at Georgia Public Broadcasting

1. Meeting 1 Kick-off and Fact Finding June 10th, 2008 2:30 to 4:00 at Georgia Public Broadcasting

2. Agenda – June 10, 2008 • Call to Order • Welcome & Introduction 2:30 p.m. • Summary of Commission Charter 2:35 p.m. • Introduction of Commission Members 2:40 p.m. • Presentations • The Economics of Education 2:45 p.m. • DOE and Local School Boards 3:00 p.m. • Governance and Georgia School Boards 3:15 p.m. • School Board Governance: A Key to Quality 3:45 p.m. Organizations • Closing & Next Steps 4:25 p.m.

4. Commission Members Phil Jacobs, co-chair Buster Evans Helene Lollis Retired President Superintendent President AT&T Southeast Business Forsyth County Schools Pathbuilders, Inc. Communications Services, AT&T Southeast Jeff Firestone Bill McCargo Vice President, Legal Department VP Human Resources Gary Price, co-chair UPS Foundation Scientific Atlanta Managing Partner PricewaterhouseCoopers Ed Heys Erica Qualls Atlanta Deputy Managing Partner General Manager John Rice, co-chair Deloitte Atlanta Marriott Marquis Vice Chairman of GE President & CEO, Cathy Hill Diane Sandifer GE Infrastructure Region Manager - Metro South Region Harris County School Board Georgia Power Albert J. Abrams Stephanie Tillman Vice President, External Affairs Albert Hodge Vice President & Macon State College Eleventh Congressional District Associate General Counsel Georgia State Board of Education Flowers Foods, Inc. Vance D. Bell CEO Audrey Hollingsworth Dan Weber Shaw Industries Group, Inc. SVP, Director Financial Services HR Senator, District 40 Synovus Georgia Senate Brooks Coleman Representative, District 97 Art Hopkins Philip Wilheit, Sr. Georgia House of Representatives President President & CEO Macquarium Intelligent Communications Wilheit Packaging Richard Dorfman President & CEO Milton Little Federal Home Loan Bank President United Way of Metro Atlanta

5. Commission for School Board Excellence: Charter The State School Board of Georgia, in its mission to continually improve school performance and raise student achievement, asked the Georgia and Atlanta Chambers of Commerce as well as the Georgia Partnership for Education Excellence and AdvancEd to task business leaders and others across the state of Georgia to focus on improving Georgia’s school boards. The business community gladly took on this challenge because successful local schools and their graduates are essential to local employers and to the continual increase in the standard of living of local communities. The school board is the accountable party that ensures that local schools produce educated graduates who will comprise the talented local workforce for business. School success and resulting student achievement begin with the local school system. The local school board, by hiring the superintendent, approving the multi-million dollar budgets, setting the vision, and establishing policies, builds the foundation from which the school system can deliver individual school success and student achievement. The school board is the critical governing body of each school system. Today, many Georgia school systems are not performing by numerous national measures and school boards share in that responsibility. While school systems and their boards are not businesses, they should use business best practices given their multi-million dollar operations and significant workforce. It is therefore critical that every school board member be a capable and knowledgeable individual who clearly understands the role, the school system and its financial structure, and the State education environment in which they operate with student achievement being the core focus. It is also essential that Georgia provide the best in class governance framework, appropriate district scale and structure, and the most effective educational tools and resources to best support the local school board/school system model. The Commission for School Board Excellence will utilize the resources of the business community, corporate board best practices, and school system and school board governance experts across the country to develop recommendations that are focused on improving the effectiveness and knowledge of school board members as well as the school board framework within which they operate and the tools and processes they use. Within a 90 day window, the Commission will hear from state and national experts on public education and school board governance. The Commission will submit summary observations and resulting recommendations with which the state school board can take appropriate action.

6. The Commission Web Site The web site, supported by the Georgia School Boards Association, can be accessed through the Georgia and Metro Atlanta Chamber web sites

7. Speakers • Susan Walker Policy & Research Director Georgia Partnership for Education Excellence • Andrew Broy Associate Superintendent, Policy & Charter Schools Georgia Department of Education • Phil Hartley Legal Council Georgia School Boards Association • Mark Elgart President & CEO Advanc-ED

9. Examine the Education Data for Georgia

10. Academic Achievement Milestones • School Readiness • Literacy by 3rd Grade • Numeracy by 8th Grade • High School Graduation Workforce and/or College Ready…

11. NAEP 2007 4th Grade Reading At or Above Proficiency US Average 31% GA Average 28% Source: National Center for Education Statistics, The Nation’s Report Card.

12. NAEP 2007 8th Grade Math At or Above Proficiency US Average 31% GA Average 25% Source: National Center for Education Statistics, The Nation’s Report Card.

13. SAT 2007 Scores Reading, Writing, Math Composite US Average 1511 GA Average 1472 Source: College Board, 2007 College-Bound Seniors, State and National Reports.

14. Georgia High School Graduation Rates Source: The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, State Report Cards.

15. Economic Impact of Georgia Non-Graduates

16. Annual Income Comparisons and Unemployment Rate

17. Percent of Adults 25 Years and Older without High School Diploma Source: Phyllis Isley and Jeremy R. Hill, “The Economic Impact of High School Non-Completion in Georgia,” Georgia Southern University, August 2003.

18. Unemployment Rates by County Source: Phyllis Isley and Jeremy R. Hill, "The Economic Impact of High School Non-completion in Georgia," Georgia Southern University, August 2003.

19. State Service Delivery Regions

20. Economic Impact of High School Non-Completion How much could YOUR region benefit from this additional income currently being foregone? *According to GSU study, totals may not add due to rounding. Source: Phyllis Isley and Jeremy R. Hill, “Updated Economic Impact of High School Non-Completion in Georgia: 2005 Estimate,” Georgia Southern University April 2007.

21. Compounded Impacts of High School Non-Completion IndividualsThe Community Reduced buying power, reduced tax revenues, and less economic growth Lower Lifetime Earnings Decreased health status, higher mortality rates, more criminal activity Higher health care and criminal justice system costs Higher rates of teen pregnancy and single motherhood Higher public services costs Less voting and volunteering Less community involvement Source: Levin, H., et al., “The Costs and Benefits of an Excellent Education for All of America’s Children,” Teachers College, January 2007.

22. Improving the High School Completion Rate

23. Improving the HS Completion Rate and Workforce Readiness 1. Early Life Experiences 2. Academic Achievement K-12 3. Teaching Quality

24. Improving the HS Completion Rate and Workforce Readiness 1. Early Life Experiences 2. Academic Achievement K-12 3. Teaching Quality

25. Perry Preschool Study: Economic Effects Source: Schweinhart, L.J., Montie, J., Xiang, Z., Barnett, W.S., Belfield, C.R., & Nores, M. (2005). Lifetime effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool study through age 40. High/Scope Press.

26. Improving the HS Completion Rate and Workforce Readiness Early Life Experiences 2. Academic Achievement K-12 3. Teaching Quality

27. Comparing Achievement in Georgia: 3rd Grade Reading CRCT * Test changed in 2006 with new standards. Source: The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, State Report Cards.

28. Comparing Achievement in Georgia:8th Grade Math CRCT * Test will change in 2008 with new standards. Source: The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, State Report Cards.

29. Improving the HS Completion Rate and Workforce Readiness Early Life Experiences 2. Academic Achievement K-12 3. Teaching Quality

30. Low-Achievers become High-Achievers with Effective Teachers Pass rates of previous low-achieving students according to the effectiveness of their teachers Previous low-achievers with 3 ineffective teachers Previous low-achievers with 3 effective teachers Source: “The Real Value of Teachers,” Thinking K-16, 2004.

31. Essential Building Blocks of High Performing States • Higher Standards • Rigorous Curriculum • Clear Accountability System • Statewide Student Information System • Leadership Training

32. Question & Answer What Can We Do? www.gpee.org

33. Georgia Department of Education The Role of DOE and the Local School Boards

34. Increasing recognition that quality school system governance is critical to school level success Issue: How to measure quality school system governance? Defined roles and responsibilities? Single model with core competencies? Merely a function of high achieving school? School System Governance

35. Georgia School System GovernanceProper State Role?

36. Georgia School System Governance New Models?

37. School Turn Around/Improvement Restructuring/Contract Managed Schools Resulting from poor student achievement Contract models IE2: Optional, in order to receive enhanced flexibility at the system and/or school level. Loss of governance as sanction. Charter Systems: Optional, in order to receive enhanced flexibility at the system level. Requires school level governance Georgia School System Governance New Models?

38. Who has control over resources? Who has control over personnel decisions? As the system goes through strategic planning, what is the public’s proper role? What to do about demonstrably underperforming schools with strong community support? Whither “Local Control”? Proper State role in era of NCLB? Georgia School System Governance Relationships

39. Question & Answer

40. Governance and Georgia School Boards

41. Board Governance: A Key to Quality Organizations

42. Board Governance Research-based Standards Good Practices The Challenges The Link to Student Achievement

43. AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Schools/Systems Vision and Purpose Governance and Leadership Teaching and Learning Documenting and Using Results Resources and Support Systems Stakeholder Communications and Relationships Commitment to Continuous Improvement

44. AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality Schools Commitment to Continuous Improvement Documenting & Using Results Vision & Purpose Governance& Leadership Stakeholder Communicationsand Relationships Resources & Support Systems Teaching & Learning Commitment to Continuous Improvement

45. Governance and LeadershipThe system provides governance and leadership that promote student performance and school effectiveness. In fulfillment of this standard, the system operates under the jurisdiction of a governing board that: Establishes and communicates policies and procedures that provide for the effective operation of the system Recognizes and preserves the executive, administrative, and leadership authority of the administrative head of the system Ensures compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws, standards, and regulations Implements policies and procedures that provide for the orientation and training of the governing board Builds public support, secures sufficient resources, and acts as a steward of the system’s resources Maintains access to legal counsel to advise or obtain information about legal requirements and obligations Maintains adequate insurance or equivalent resources to protect its financial stability and administrative operations

46. Governance and LeadershipThe system provides governance and leadership that promote student performance and school effectiveness. In fulfillment of this standard, the system has leadership that: Provides for systematic analysis and review of student performance and school and system effectiveness Creates and supports collaborative networks of stakeholders to support system programs Provides direction, assistance, and resources to align, support, and enhance all parts of the system in meeting organizational and student performance goals Provides internal and external stakeholders meaningful roles in the decision-making process that promote a culture of participation, responsibility, and ownership Assesses and addresses community expectations and stakeholder satisfaction Implements an evaluation system that provides for the professional growth of all personnel

47. Effective Practices for Effective Boards General Duties Oversees the business and affairs of the school/system; Establishes financial policies, provides ongoing financial oversight, and ensures financial stability; Ensures that there are written procedures for the termination and/or suspension of any student and that professional ethics are strictly observed should such procedures need to be activated; Establishes policies to ensure no conflict of interest between business, professional or parental roles and duties to the school; Assures that guidelines for student conduct, attendance, and dress are written and communicated to all students, parents, and staff members; Ensures that personnel policies are in place and provide for the ethical treatment of all staff with respect to hiring practices, compensation, evaluation, and working conditions Supports and models inclusive decision making methods; Maintains adequate risk management policies for the protection of the school, including governance policies in the event of an emergency; Hires and oversees the administrative head of the school; and Implements a remuneration plan for all members of the staff that recognizes the administrative head as the highest paid employee.

48. Effective Practices for Effective Boards Financial Oversight As referenced on the previous slide, the board plays a critical role in financial oversight. The following practices provide more detail on this role. The governing board: Assures that the accounts are kept in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and are audited annually by an independent, licensed accountant; Assures that debt service or lines of credit are managed in such ways as to ensure that fiscal responsibility remains under the control of the governing authority; Maintains adequate insurance or equivalent resources to protect its financial stability and administrative operations from protracted proceedings and claims for damage Maintains a policy for funds in reserve; Ensures the financial stability of the school system, and assures that the school system is not in, nor in prospect of moving into, financial reorganization under the protection of bankruptcy; and Maintains policies for fund raising and adheres to accepted standards for reporting and recognizing gift revenues and fund raising expenditures.

49. Effective Practices for Effective Boards Role of Governing Board and Administrative Head Indicator 2.2 Recognizes and preserves the executive, administrative, and leadership prerogatives of the administrative head of the school In support of this indicator, the governing board engages in the following practices: Maintains and adheres to clearly defined roles and responsibilities for board members and the administrative head of the school; Provides and implements orientation and evaluation procedures for board members and the administrative head; Maintains a strategic and policy-level focus; Enables the administrative head to focus on the day-to-day operations of the school; Preserves the administrative head’s ability to hire and evaluate personnel in accordance with established policies and procedures; Assures that the administrative head of the school allocates and aligns the human instructional, financial, and physical resources in support of the vision and purpose of the school; and Provides for stability in transitions of leadership.

50. The Challenges Motivation to be a board member Is it a political office or service to community? Is it a job or volunteer? Am I serving to support my personal agenda or wanting to make a contribution? Identifying and electing the right people to serve Educating the community on the characteristics of a good board member Helping communities encourage the right people to serve Training and support for board members Understanding the role and its responsibilities Helping people make an informed decision about serving on a board Maintaining quality control How can a school system implement internal controls to support effective board governance? What reasonable and practical procedures can be enacted to address problems?