Governance Report Calls For Overhaul

By Karla Scoon Reid

State laws should be changed to define more clearly the roles and responsibilities of superintendents and school board members, a report released last week argues.

Without strong collaborative leadership, it says, districts are unlikely to raise student achievement. But while improvement efforts have tackled almost every aspect of schools—from teachers to testing—they have left governance virtually untouched, according to the authors.

The study, "Thinking Differently: Recommendations for 21st Century School Board/Superintendent Leadership, Governance, and Teamwork for High Student Achievement," was published by the Educational Research Service and the New...