Effective School Governance 

This course is designed to help current and potential school board and governing body members better understand their roles and responsibilities in supporting best practices in school governance and to apply these to their own contexts as school board members. The course is presented in seven modules. To enable learners to apply the course material to their own school context, the modules include exercises using reflection, analysis, and, where possible, discussion with learners’ fellow school board members. The course equips learners, in their role as school board members, to best contribute to their school’s development. The course duration is 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

LO1 Explain the purpose, principles, structure, and functions of effective school governance.

LO2 Describe the strategic role of the school board and identify the key elements of an effective school strategic plan.

LO3 Describe the key information that should be included in an effective business pitch.

LO4 Explain the board’s fiduciary responsibilities, including its role in budgeting, financial oversight, and audits.

LO5 Distinguish between the responsibilities of the school board and those of the Head of School.

LO6 Explain the principles of an effective partnership between the board and Head of School, including appropriate roles, boundaries, and accountability.

LO7 Explain the purpose of a board code of conduct and identify principles of ethical behaviour, including the appropriate management of conflicts of interest.

LO8 Explain approaches to evaluating and strengthening board performance.

LO9 Explain the board’s role as a ‘critical friend’ in providing constructive support and appropriate challenge to the school and Head of School.

Professional Objectives
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
– Contribute effectively and ethically to school board activities and decision-making.
– Analyse a school board’s strategic plan and code of conduct and identify areas for improvement.
– Contribute to the development, review, and oversight of the school’s strategic direction.
– Apply appropriate financial oversight to school budgets, audits, and other fiduciary responsibilities.
– Maintain an appropriate division of responsibilities between the board and Head of School.
– Build and maintain a constructive working partnership between the board and Head of School.
– Use board committees appropriately to support the efficient functioning of the board.
– Apply a code of conduct to board meetings, decision-making, and relationships.
– Contribute to the evaluation of board performance and identify opportunities to strengthen governance.
– Perform the role of ‘critical friend’ to the school and Head of School, providing constructive support alongside appropriate scrutiny and challenge.

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