School Board Guide to Leading Successful Schools

The go-to resource for school board members’ greatest challenges!

For districts striving to improve student academic performance, professional learning at all levels can make a crucial difference. This invaluable guide addresses the top challenges experienced by nearly every school board, and shows how professional learning can assist in overcoming these challenges and support positive changes.

Two influential education leaders—and experienced board trustees—present an approach that helps school board members form their own professional learning community and become a stronger, more productive team. Aligned with Learning Forward’s current Standards for Professional Learning (developed in collaboration with, and supported by, more than 18 national organizations, including the National School Boards Association), this resource enables board members to

• Learn from case studies focused on 12 critical board-level decisions, including hiring a new superintendent, resource allocation, compensation planning, and more
• Deepen your understanding of leadership and actions that advance school success and benefit the wider community
• Know when, where, and how to use professional learning to improve individual and systemic  performance
• Benefit from best practices and tools developed to support effective decisions and successful implementation of major initiatives

Turn to this resource to assist with your continuous improvement journey and achieve greater success for all schools!

"School boards play a pivotal role in creating a climate of learning in a school system. This book offers practical advice to enable school boards to fulfill this critical aspect of their public leadership role. It is a road map for action and continuous improvement for every school board."
—Thomas J. Gentzel, Executive Director
National School Boards Association

"This book is an excellent tool for the collaborative work of school boards and school personnel. The activities encourage the collaboration and conversation that support continuous improvement in education."
—Lisa Casto, Director of Curriculum and Staff Development
Allen ISD, TX

Stephanie Hirsh is executive director of Learning Forward. Learning Forward’s more than 10,000 members and 40 state and provincial affiliates are committed to increasing student achievement and educator performance through more effective professional learning. Prior to her appointment as executive director, Hirsh served the association as deputy executive director for 18 years. She began her career as a secondary teacher and also served as a school district administrator in the Richardson (TX) Independent School District. In 1996 she was elected to the Richardson school board and served for three terms. Today, Hirsh advises governors, legislators, state and local superintendents, and other policy makers regarding professional development, school improvement, and student learning. Hirsh also presents, publishes, and consults on Learning Forward’s behalf across North America. Her recent books include A Playbook for Professional Learning, co-authored with Shirley Hord, The Learning Educator, co-authored with Joellen Killion, and Transforming Schools Through Powerful Planning, co-authored with Kay Psencik. Hirsh writes a regular column for JSD, Learning Forward’s bimonthly magazine. She has also written articles for Educational Leadership, Phi Delta Kappan, The Record, The School Administrator, American School Board Journal, The High School Magazine, and Education Week. Hirsh serves on several advisory boards including Learning First Alliance, University of Texas College of Education, National Stem Equity Pipeline, and The Teaching Channel. She has been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Learning Forward Texas; as a Distinguished Alumnae from the University of North Texas; and as Master Trustee and member of an Honor Board from the Texas School Boards Association. Anne Foster is the Executive Director of Parents for Public Schools (PPS), a national organization of community-based chapters working to strengthen public schools by engaging, educating and mobilizing parents. Foster had a longtime career in real estate in the Dallas area and served as a three-term elected school board member for Richardson (Texas) ISD. She served as board president for seven years and founded Realtors Supporting Richardson Schools (RSRS) as a way to bring Realtors into support of public schools. She graduated from Leadership Texas and became the first ED of the business/public school advocacy group Raise Your Hand Texas.   In her current position with PPS, Foster speaks, presents and writes on behalf of parent and community engagement in public schools, as well as school board advocacy. Her commentaries have appeared in Phi Delta Kappan, Educational Horizons, The Dallas Morning News, USA Today, and others. She is a regular commentator on public education issues on KERA Dallas public radio, and she consults with community and municipal groups on parent engagement in schools.   Foster received the Outstanding Communicator Award by the National School Public Relations Association. She has been recognized as a Master Trustee and member of an Honor Board from the Texas Association of School Boards. She serves on The National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group, which advises the White House and Department of Education on federal policy.