Chapter 16: School Board Leadership to Improve Student Outcomes

School boards can create the conditions for improvements in student outcomes, but this possibility is often not realized due to ineffective leadership practices. Key leadership practices that support the effectiveness of school boards include an aligned focus on student outcomes, setting student outcomes focused goals, routinely monitoring progress toward those student outcomes focused goals, aligning adult behaviors with the student outcomes focused goals, and receiving student outcomes focused coaching. Student outcomes don’t change until adult behaviors change—and that change begins with the school board.