Arkansas School Boards Association ~ Helping Arkansas School Boards Improve Student Achievement



	Beliefs and Resolutions of the Arkansas School Boards Association Approved by the ASBA Delegate Assembly, December 5, 2007 SECTION 1—DECLARATIONS OF APPRECIATION SECTION 2—CONTROL AND SUPPORT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS SECTION 3—GENERAL POLICY CONSIDERATIONS SECTION 4—A CONTINUING RESOLUTION Fundamental Beliefs of the Arkansas School Boards Association The public school boards of Arkansas, united in the Arkansas School Boards Association, believe that the maintenance and operation of a public school district is a partnership, a shared responsibility between the state and the local school district and its community. Throughout our nation’s history, this arrangement has kept the schools close to the people, stimulated wholesome and creative flexibility within schools and adaptability to local needs, and worked toward equality of opportunity without imposing uniformity. The Arkansas School Boards Association believes locally elected school boards are a profound expression of grassroots democracy and that local governance of public schools is fundamental to the continued success of public education. Adequately funded, student-centered public schools can provide a safe and supportive environment and a comprehensive education for all children that will prepare them for a lifetime of learning in a diverse, democratic society. By focusing on student achievement and by actively engaging the community,Arkansas school boards provide leadership for academic success in our public schools. By providing a vision of excellence and equity for every child, Arkansas school boards will ensure performance-oriented schools that meet today’s problems, as well as the challenges of the ever-changing future. Championing excellence in public education through training, advocacy, and service for local school boards is the mission of the Arkansas School Boards Association. SECTION 1—DECLARATIONS OF APPRECIATION 1.1—The Arkansas School Boards Association extends sincere appreciation to Mr. Jack Gardner for his many contributions, including the sacrifices he made of his own livelihood on behalf of the association, and for his leadership as ASBA President during the past year. The Association further extends its appreciation to: 1.2—The members of the association and to each member of the ASBA Board of Directors for dedication and service to the principles of the Association and for the time and commitment devoted to that end; 1.3—Each member of the ASBA Risk Management Program Board of Directors and each member of the Board of Trustees of the ASBA Workers’ Compensation Trust for their oversight and leadership on behalf of Arkansas school boards; 1.4—Each member of the ASBA Staff for the day-to-day operations of the Association and commitment to providing needed services to its members; 1.5—Dr. Ken James, Commissioner of Education, for his leadership and commitment to public education and his desire to boost the academic achievement of all Arkansas public school students; 1.6—The State Board of Education for its commitment to strengthen the public schools and to raise the academic achievement of Arkansas students; 1.7—The ASBA Corporate Members for their continuing support of ASBA and its work; 1.8—The Private Donors, School Board Members, Administrators, and Corporate Entities that have contributed to the Arkansas School Boards Association Educational Foundation to support scholarships for the children of Arkansas School Board Members as they pursue higher education, and for those donors to the Foundation who have contributed to the Arkansas Study Circles Project; 1.9—Pete Proffer and others of Midwest Risk Management who have supported the ASBA Scholarship Program with annual contributions that have allowed the Association to provide five scholarships each year to sons and daughters of Arkansas school board members; 1.11—The Arkansas Leadership Academy for its many contributions to improving the educational leadership of Arkansas public schools through its Individual, Team, and Teacher Institutes, and through the Master Principal Program, and for its invaluable assistance with the ASBA School Board Academy; Back to Top 1.12—The entire staff of the Study Circles Resource Center of Pomfret, Connecticut, for its continued support of Study Circles in Arkansas and of the Arkansas Study Circles Project; 1.13—Anne Bryant, executive director of the National School Boards Association, the NSBA Board of Directors, and the NSBA Staff, for their leadership and assistance to school boards in promoting the academic achievement of American public school students; 1.14—Dr. Kellar Noggle, retiring executive director of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, for his three decades of service as leader of the state’s public school administrators. SECTION 2—CONTROL AND SUPPORT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2.1—Local Governance ASBA believes in local, lay governance of and accountability for public education. ASBA believes it is the responsibility of locally elected school boards as agents of state government to create the vision, enact the policies, help to secure and manage the necessary resources, engage their communities, and evaluate their efforts to provide equity and excellence in the education of the young people who attend the public schools of Arkansas. 2.2—Goals for Education ASBA believes that in implementing goals for education, federal, state, and local policymakers should: Provide the highest quality education for each child and equitable educational opportunity for all children; Convince and remind all parents, guardians, and citizens of education’s critical importance to their communities, our state, and our nation’s success in today’s global economy, and to our capacity to govern ourselves in a free, democratic society; Eliminate barriers to learning and employment by means of a state and national youth policy that coordinates services for youth at all government levels and enables schools to meet the needs of young people more effectively; Ensure an adequate supply of highly qualified and effective teachers and administrators, with a special emphasis on increasing the number of ethnic minority educators; Accelerate investment in education research and development to achieve breakthroughs in school improvement; Integrate technology fully and appropriately into the learning process of all students; Ensure that all children at risk of failure in school receive the services for which they are eligible, and Require funding of all mandated education programs, including IDEA and the No Child Left Behind Act. 2.3—Fiscal Adequacy To discharge their responsibility properly, local school boards must have adequate funds to operate the public schools. 2.4—Leadership Team ASBA supports the efforts of school boards to hire capable, competent chief administrators, whom they then support by entrusting to them the day-to-day operations of their school districts and by refraining from micro-managing those operations. It is the responsibility of school boards to create a shared vision with their community and their employees and then to ensure that their superintendent, or chief executive officer, works with them to achieve that vision. 2.5—Code of Ethics ASBA urges local school boards to conduct their business fairly, openly, and ethically, and further encourages those local boards to comply with appropriate statutes and to adopt a Code of Ethics as part of their policies, incorporating those principles into all board activities. Back to Top 2.6—Accountability ASBA believes that student needs and educational improvement should guide all the decisions made by local school boards. Those decisions should be based on continuous evaluations and should be consistent with state and local priorities and needs. To be effective, school boards, school employees, and school programs should be appropriately accountable to the citizens whose support—both tangible and intangible—is necessary for success. 2.7—Community Relations ASBA believes that the effectiveness of public schools is closely related to healthy school-community relationships. ASBA urges each local school board to pursue an active, well-defined program of school-community relations, and to adopt policies directed toward that end. 2.8—Government Relations ASBA believes in the democratic process and thereby understands the importance of effectively working with lawmakers and other policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels to ensure sound public policy on matters pertaining to children and their education. ASBA encourages school board members to take an active role in advocating for children, for their local schools, and for public education. ASBA urges all board members to become actively involved in the legislative process, at both the state and federal levels. School boards are urged to keep in touch with legislators and members of Congress, informing them of needs and concerns for local school districts and for Arkansas public schools. 2.9—School Board Member Professional Development ASBA urges school board members to keep abreast of current developments and best practices in education by attending and participating in professional development opportunities to learn and demonstrate new skills and knowledge and to enhance their leadership role. Such opportunities include the many workshops, meetings, seminars, and conferences offered by the Arkansas School Boards Association, the National School Boards Association, and other organizations. Further, ASBA urges school board members to read and conduct the personal research necessary to make the best decisions for their schools and their communities. Only by being well informed can school boards make decisions that will positively impact the academic achievement and success of the children who attend the public schools of Arkansas. School boards are encouraged to inform their constituents on the need for and importance of professional development activities for board members. 2.10—Standards of Board Operations School boards should function as nonpartisan, broadly representative, corporate bodies. Each member of a school board should let his or her consideration for the entire district take precedence over partisanship and special interests. Individual school boards are encouraged to adopt the Standards for Arkansas School Boards approved by the 2002 ASBA Delegate Assembly. Back to Top 2.11—Written Policy After consultation with groups affected, school boards should formulate and adopt written policies and properly delegate implementation of those policies. Further, all policies should be reviewed on a routine basis. 2.12—Open Board Meetings and Public Information School boards should conduct school district business in open session, except as otherwise provided by law, and use every possible means to inform the public of matters concerning the schools. 2.13—Parent, Business, and Community Involvement School boards should make special efforts to have the active participation of parents, business, and community members in the process of formulating educational policy that will benefit the instruction of all students. Further meaningful involvement should be encouraged to support the schools in their mission of educating the children of each community. 2.14—School Volunteers and Business Partnerships School boards should acknowledge and support business partnerships and the meaningful use of volunteers as a way of enriching the learning experiences of students and building school-communities. 2.15—Board Self-Evaluation School boards should conduct a regular self-evaluation and develop an action plan for continued improvement. A comprehensive and ongoing program of continuing education should be part of that plan. 2.16—Board Mission Statement School boards should help to define and establish in concert with the community and staff a shared vision, values, and purposes that drive the mission of the school system. It should be reviewed often to make certain its work is faithful to its vision and mission. 2.17—Strategic Planning School boards should use a strategic planning process to reach mutual agreement in setting, revising, and achieving their goals. 2.18—Board-Superintendent Relationships ASBA urges each local school board and superintendent to devote appropriate time and energy to developing productive, cooperative working relationships and to developing a climate where everyone works cooperatively and education can flourish. 2.19—Equal Rights ASBA supports equal rights for all persons regardless of race, sex, religion, national origin, socioeconomic status, or disability. ASBA urges all local school boards to review their policies to guarantee equal opportunity for both staff and students and urges school districts to recognize the value of diversity, to continue to promote equality, and to eliminate procedures that limit equal opportunities for students and staff. 2.20—Teacher Education, Certification, and Accountability ASBA supports efforts to adequately train teachers who are fully qualified and whose training is aligned with the state’s education standards. ASBA supports renewable teacher certification and rigorous standards for achieving and maintaining certification based on an objective assessment of subject knowledge, student academic growth, classroom management and instructional techniques, interaction with their peers, and ongoing, focused and strategic professional development, among other fundamental teaching tools. School boards, administrators, and teachers should work cooperatively to improve teacher evaluation and performance, and strengthen administrative leadership capabilities. School boards should take a leadership position in improving the quality of teaching and administration in our schools. 2.21—Teacher Recruitment, Retention, and Salaries ASBA supports efforts to develop a comprehensive approach to teacher recruitment in the state. ASBA encourages cooperative and coordinated efforts among the private and non-profit sectors, state government agencies, colleges and universities, and public schools to: identify and encourage first-rate students to enter the teaching profession; ensure that the teaching profession is attractive both economically and personally, and increase the number of minority students entering the teaching profession. ASBA strongly supports efforts to ensure that Arkansas teacher salaries are competitive with those within the region. ASBA also strongly supports efforts to more effectively retain quality educators for Arkansas public schools. 2.22—Professional Standards ASBA supports voluntary national certification for teachers and encourages national, state, and local officials to support individuals seeking this distinction and to reward their successful accomplishments. Back to Top SECTION 3—GENERAL POLICY CONSIDERATIONS 3.1—Federal funding for Public Education ASBA believes that full funding of federal education programs is an essential step in improving educational opportunities for all children. ASBA believes education funding should be of the highest federal priority to ensure that our nation’s students have the opportunity to meet the challenge of world-class standards and responsible citizenship through these principles: improving equity in educational opportunity by making schools with significant poverty indices a high priority for increased federal aid; increasing federal special education aid to meet Congress’s obligation to fund 40 percent of the cost of educating children under the requirements of the federal law, and supporting the placement of IDEA within mandatory spending portions of the budget to ensure that, over a period of time, the obligation will be met as a federal budgetary priority; supporting programs with colleges and other post secondary institutions to certify or license teachers in accordance with the NCLB Act provision for teacher qualification. ensuring that school districts with immigrant or Limited English Proficient/English Language Learners (LEP/ELL) are provided with the necessary resources to provide for those students as they make the transition into our society; maintaining educational technology funding programs to help districts that lack local resources to acquire the infrastructure, hardware, software, and staff training necessary to provide a technology rich instructional environment; providing funding to meet school infrastructure needs to improve the safety and health of all students and to improve the quality of the learning environment, and funding of all federal mandates, including the No Child Left Behind Act. 3.2—Use of Public Funds Public funds for K-12 education should be spent for public education and public education funds should go only to school systems that have locally elected boards or trustees accountable to the public. Local school boards have the responsibility, by the authority granted by law, to ensure that public funds are used to produce the highest possible educational attainment of students. 3.3—Non-Public Education; Vouchers and Tax Credits Funds raised by general taxation for educational purposes should be administered by public officials and should not be used to support any privately operated schools. ASBA opposes any measures that would subsidize elementary or secondary private schools through tax credits, scholarships, and/or vouchers for the parents or guardians of children enrolled in such schools. ASBA recognizes and upholds the right of any group to establish and maintain schools so long as they are financed by their own supporters and not with public school funds. Back to Top 3.4—Labor Negotiations Legislation ASBA opposes any federal or state legislation that requires collective bargaining or mandates binding arbitration between school boards and school employees. 3.5—At-Risk Students ASBA supports federal, state, and local efforts to strengthen and provide additional funds to programs that aid at-risk students. Such programs or interventions include those that address school dropouts; child abuse; alcohol and drug abuse; suicide prevention; teenage pregnancy; communicable diseases, and violence. 3.6—Accelerated Students ASBA supports the funding necessary to provide opportunities for accelerated students. 3.7—Federal Role in Education ASBA supports limiting educational regulations, but opposes budget cuts in categorical education programs. ASBA also opposes federal legislation that would result in local school districts having less discretion over how federal funds are used at the local level. Furthermore, all federal regulations and requirements for states and local schools should be fully funded prior to mandating implementation. 3.8—Child Nutrition Programs ASBA supports child nutrition programs, including free- and reduced-school lunch and breakfast programs and other special nutrition programs presently provided through the U. S. Department of Agriculture and the Arkansas Departments of Human Services and Education. ASBA urges continued funding of school nutrition programs at maximum entitlement levels. 3.9—Rural Education ASBA urges the federal government to study the impact which federal policy, including farm policy, has on education programs and the financing of rural school systems. ASBA urges that this impact be considered as part of the federal policymaking process. 3.10—Early Childhood Education Understanding the importance to a student’s long-term success, ASBA supports developmentally appropriate three- and four-year-old pre-kindergarten programs, especially for children whose parents are at or below 200% of the poverty level. Back to Top 3.11—Safe Schools Students must have a safe place to learn that is free of abuse, violence, weapons, alcohol, tobacco products, and other drugs. ASBA recommends that school officials develop appropriate programs and cooperative relationships with parents and law enforcement, the judiciary, and other community agencies for the prevention and reduction of crime. ASBA supports enforcement of these standards and additional funding to help make schools safe and healthy places for students and staff. 3.12—Funding of Public Schools ASBA urges the Governor, the General Assembly, and the State Board of Education to support a budget that provides for delivery of an equitable and adequate public school system for all Arkansas schoolchildren. ASBA also encourages consideration of the statutory intent of the state sales tax to support the Public School Trust Fund and to honor citizens’ understanding that the funds would be used to supplement (not replace) regular education spending. 3.13—Legislation/Constitutional Amendments/Initiated Acts That Would Reduce or Abolish Revenue for Public Schools ASBA opposes legislation and constitutional amendments that would abolish or reduce revenue for public schools without providing a reasonable and effective method for replacing those revenues. ASBA opposes constitutional amendments, initiated acts, or legislation that would adversely affect the ability to adequately fund public schools. ASBA supports a fair and equitable tax system that provides a stable and mixed stream of revenue to support public schools. Whereas property taxes account for approximately 30% of total school district funding, and whereas Arkansas enjoys one of the lowest property taxes in the country, ASBA opposes across-the-board efforts to reduce or abolish property taxes. 3.14—Unfunded Mandates ASBA opposes any federal or state mandates or State Board of Education rules or regulations that would require unfunded expenditures by local school districts. ASBA may support, without reservations, only those bills clearly stating that proposed legislation will be required of school districts only to the extent to which they are fully funded. 3.15—School Transportation Systems ASBA strongly encourages the General Assembly to establish and maintain a system for funding transportation for local public schools that is fair to all districts. 3.16—Desegregation Costs ASBA urges the General Assembly to fund all desegregation costs from total General Revenues, with the Public School Fund held harmless. 3.17—Home Schools ASBA encourages the legislature to continue to examine home school legislation and enact reasonable accountability measures to ensure that home schooling not become the refuge of students who would otherwise be considered school dropouts. 3.18—Technology ASBA supports initiatives that advance the application of modern technology into teaching and learning. ASBA strongly encourages measures that would improve teacher training in technology and greater access to technology by those students unlikely to have computers in their homes. 3.19—Distance Learning ASBA supports the creation of distance learning policies, guidelines and teacher certification rules which allow maximum flexibility to schools to utilize telecommunications for student instruction, training of educators and others, distance learning and data transmission. 3.20—School Report Cards ASBA encourages school boards to observe the annual issuance of the school report cards and to determine ways to communicate the findings and explain them simply and honestly to parents and the community. Back to Top SECTION 4—A CONTINUING RESOLUTION 4.1—To Enable the ASBA Board of Directors to Take Official Positions in the Absence of Delegate Assembly Action WHEREAS, the Bylaws of the Arkansas School Boards Association (ASBA) require approval of the Delegate Assembly prior to the Association’s taking an official position on any issue or proposed law; and WHEREAS, the Delegate Assembly of the ASBA meets only once per year; and WHEREAS, the association needs some discretion to take official positions on issues of importance throughout the year, as those issues may arise; and WHEREAS, the Board of Directors meets throughout the year and will be able to respond more quickly than the Delegate Assembly when issues arise upon which the taking of an official position by the ASBA could serve the interests of school boards and school districts in this State; BE IT, THEREFORE, RESOLVED, that the Arkansas School Boards Association is granted the continuing authority by virtue of the Beliefs and Resolutions of the ASBA Delegate Assembly to approve adopting official positions on matters of interest to school boards and school districts, and that such approval may be given by a simple majority vote of the ASBA Board of Directors, at either a regular or special meeting, or by canvassing each member of the Board by telephone or by a conference call. Back to Top Related Links: ASBA History ASBA Bylaws ASBA Board of Directors ASBA Staff Related Downloads (pdf): Code of Ethics for School Board Members ASBA Beliefs & Resolutions (approved 2006) ASBA Handbook for Arkansas School Board Members Boardmanship Program