The role of the K12 school board has never been more impactful than it is today. Between the political attacks and the prying parents, district leaders are having some of the most difficult conversations ever.
Some of the most prominent education leadership issues making headlines recently revolve around student discipline and policy. For instance, states are making sweeping changes to how students are disciplined in the event of misbehavior and classroom disruption. Last week, leaders across several states began to rethink how their districts address student safety after six people were killed, including three students, after a gunman entered a Christian private school in Nashville, Tennessee.
These events all play a crucial role in shaping the discussions and agendas of K12 school boards. Burbio, a data service company, has compiled a list of the most commonly used terms in school board meetings across the nation. And to no surprise, discipline ranks among the top three.
Using data from more than 400 school board meeting summaries representing nearly one-fourth of the K12 population, here’s a look at the top five most-used terms in K12 board meetings by category:
School Culture Terms
- Achievement: 26.2%
- Equity: 25.9%
- Discipline: 21.3%
- Mental health: 19.1%
- Excellence: 18.6%
Academic Terms
- Career and technical: 28.9%
- Workshop: 20.5%
- STEM: 13.9%
- Intervention: 13.7%
- After school: 13.2%
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