School boards governing some of the largest school districts in the Valley are trying to reorganize their work around what they believe to be the core purpose of a school district: improving student outcomes.
The student outcomes-focused governance model involves setting specific, measurable goals—like raising proficiency rates by a certain amount—and monitoring progress at board meetings throughout the year. That’s in addition to addressing the other responsibilities of a school board, such as approving the district’s budget, establishing policies and evaluating the superintendent.
In Mesa Public Schools, the approach is a way to unify a “politically diverse” board and monitor the success of recently adopted instructional materials, according to board President Marcie Hutchinson.
Read more from the Arizona Republic.
