Advisory Board Planning and Implementation - Decision Making in Community Schools

1. Advisory BoardPlanning and Implementation - Decision Making in Community Schools Greg Hall, Director of Professional Development, Federation for Community Schools Melissa Mitchell, Associate Director, Federation for Community Schools

2. What is the Advisory Board? The advisory board (sometimes referred to as the oversight committee or collaborative, governance team, among other terms) is a diverse stakeholder group organized to oversee the transition of a traditional school to a community school and the development and sustainability of the community school.

4. The Learning Organization According to Peter Senge (1990) learning organizations are: …organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to see the whole together.

5. Advisory Board Development In order to be most effective, community school leaders bring a variety of perspectives and stakeholder voices to a shared leadership table. This group works as a thinking team focused on how to: • Support student learning through academic remediation & support; • Broaden and deepen skills and content areas through academic enrichment, and; • Address barriers to student development by providing programs and services that address non-academic needs.

6. Decision-Making Structures As “unequals…” Behavior of individuals determines how groups and institutions look and function: The Pyramid… One person …. • Has power over all others in the group • Makes decision for the group • Keeps others dependent • Does not have to answer to others • No real or meaningful participation of members • Creates a climate of mistrust and anxiety for the Campaign to Expand Community Schools in Chicago

7. Decision-Making Structures Ignoring Each Other Behavior of individuals determines how groups and institutions look and function: The Crowd… • People share neither their problems nor their dreams • Seek private solutions to common problems • Compete rather than cooperate for the Campaign to Expand Community Schools in Chicago

8. Decision-Making Structures A Circle of Leaders and Equals Behavior of individuals determines how groups and institutions look and function: The Team… • People depend on each other and answer to each other • They don’t compete, they cooperate • They answer to the goal • They share power, decisions and information • The climate is characterized by creative tension VISION for the Campaign to Expand Community Schools in Chicago

9. The Strong Advisory Board in a Community School Advisory board is charged with identifying & addressing root causes of challenges A group leader serves as facilitator Meeting agendas are driven by data Works to identify local resources Ongoing, they monitor program success

10. Advisory board meetings are designed to address how to effectively structure resources to support student and family success

11. Strategically Using Data: Obtaining Data Sources of Data… • Community demographic data • School demographic data • School & student data (i.e., State report card) • Programs currently in place • Student needs assessment • Teacher needs assessment • Parent needs assessment • Community needs assessment • Community resource assessment

12. Strategically Using Data: Asking Key Questions • What do we know/need to know based on our current data? • How do we learn what we need to know? • What is our reaction to what we’ve learned? • How could we address what we’ve learned? • What kinds of changes could be made to current efforts to address what we’ve learned? • How can we connect what we do with what is already happening in the school (school day or afterschool?) • Who do we need to communicate with about this? • What are our next steps? • Who will share responsibility for the next steps? • Who will monitor progress and manage accountability?

13. Determining Action Items • Actions determined from decisions made in advisory board meetings – what needs to be done to implement this decision? • Assessment of who would be the most effective person to implement action – who is the most logical person/team to participate in these actions? (Consider both roles and group dynamics.) • Creation of a timeline for action items • Assignment of roles and tasks • Identification of support/prep that actors will need.

14. Action Items: Follow Through • Gather additional data (focus groups, key informant interviews, meetings with stakeholders, program observations). • Develop resources (community resource assessment, investigate key champions, outreach to both, solicit programs/services). • Manage communications (with other stakeholders and resources). • Other

15. Possible Advisory Board Members • School administrators • Parents • Teachers • Students • Health care providers • Human service organizations • Youth development agencies • Family services • Parent support services • Parks & recreation • Community organizers • Law enforcement • Juvenile justice • Local government • State representatives • Faith communities • Childcare providers • Local business • Local and national corporations • Other

16. Steps in Advisory Board Development • Identify potential members. • Refine list based on each school/community. • Create strategies for recruiting members. • Conduct outreach and invite members to AB meeting. • Invite new members to first meeting.

17. Planning the First Meeting • Review Basic Guide to Effective Meetings and plan meeting • Create the agenda • Introduction – what is community school? What is the role of the Advisory Board? • Facilitate group introductions • Create group norms • Identify work that has been accomplished • Identify and discuss decisions to be made and work to be accomplished • Identify a facilitator

18. QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION