Louisiana law requires training for school board members
To comply with an amended state law requiring school board members to receive more training in education-related issues, school officials next year will be going back to the classroom. The law requires public school board members to annually receive a minimum of four hours of training in state laws governing public school districts, and in educational trends, research, and policy. However, the law, which goes into effect next year, has received mixed reviews from St. Tammany Parish School Board members. Board president Neal Hennegan believes the requirement is a waste of time and resources. “I think the law is an unnecessary administrative burden,” he said. “I think it's nonsense to be honest with you," he said. Nolton Senegal, executive director of the Louisiana School Boards Association (LSBA), said the law will help members become “in tune with the best practices of training,” by keeping abreast of new legislation and research affecting school districts, such as open meeting and bid laws. “A lot of folks are feeling like school board members need to have some training because they're dealing with our most valuable resources,” he said. Other St. Tammany board members support the law, saying they could satisfy its requirements through the national and state conventions that many of them attend. Board member Mary K. Bellisario said all members will be able to benefit from additional training, “even if it's just a refresher.” That’s the intention, said Mr. Senegal. The previous law required members to receive six hours of training in a four-year period. But some of the state's 658 board members weren't making the effort to educate themselves, he said. “This is just a way to encourage them,” he said. Members will be able to satisfy their hours by attending national and state school board association conferences. They may also attend workshops held in their own school districts, and those offered at the state Department of Education and at local universities. Members hoping to receive credit for an event must receive approval from the LSBA, which will post members' hours on its Web site. There is no penalty for members who don't comply, but those officials may have some explaining to do during re-election, Mr. Senegal said.
Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 8/20/08, By Kia Hall Hayes
[Editor’s Note: Earlier this year, the Arizona legislature considered a bill, described at the first link below, that would have required school-board members to receive instruction in school finance, open-meeting laws, governing-board responsibilities, and conflict resolution. The measure was not passed. According to Arizona School Boards Association General Counsel Christopher Thomas, the legislature also considered a bill that would have established a recognition program for school board members that complete a training program approved by the state board of education. The Pennsylvania School Boards has established its own voluntary standards and benchmarks for effective school governance that currently have been adopted by 452 school entities in the state. The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) has issued a report on “Assessing the Case for Mayoral Control of Urban Schools” that discusses school governance problems, arguments in favor of mayoral control or appointed boards, and reasons for caution about such proposals. For more resources on effective governance, see the NSBA Center for Public Education link.]
NSBA School Law pages on Arizona board training bill
PSBA Effective School Governance page
AEI report on mayoral control
Center for Public Education resources on effective governance