Student Outcomes Focused Governance

  • A Continuous Improvement Framework for School Boards

    Purpose

    This model helps school boards focus their time, energy, and decisions on what matters most—improving student success. It is based on the idea that student outcomes don’t change until adult behaviors change, and that what happens in the boardroom shapes what happens in the classroom.

    The Six Core Competencies

    Vision & Goals: Set clear, measurable goals for student outcomes (3–5 years). Goals are SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, results-focused, and timebound. Developed with community, student, and staff input.

    Values & Guardrails: Define what the district will not do while pursuing goals, based on community values. Ensure that what matters most to families is protected.

    Monitoring & Accountability: Regularly review progress toward goals using data. Spend at least half of board meeting time on monitoring progress. Hold the superintendent accountable for student outcomes.

    Communication & Collaboration: Lead transparently and involve the community in goal setting and monitoring. Keep meetings focused, purposeful, and accessible.

    Unity & Trust: Operate as one team with the superintendent. Follow agreed-upon ethical and procedural guidelines.

    Continuous Improvement: Regularly evaluate board performance. Invest in training, reflection, and improvement of governance practices.

    How It Works

    • Set the Direction: The board, with the superintendent, creates one to five long-term student outcome goals that represent the vision for what students know and are able to do, and one to five guardrails protecting community values.
    • Track Progress: Use a monitoring calendar to check progress at regular intervals.
    • Stay Focused: Allocate meeting time toward student outcomes, not day-to-day operations.
    • Engage the Community: Involve students, parents, and staff in meaningful ways. 
    • Evaluate & Adjust: Quarterly self-evaluations ensure the board is improving its own effectiveness.

    Why It Matters

    • Aligns the district’s work with the community’s hopes for students.
    • Keeps leadership accountable for results.
    • Builds trust between the board, superintendent, and community.
    • Improves the likelihood that all students succeed—no matter their background.

    For more information about the Student Outcomes Focused Governance framework, please see the Council of Great City Schools (CGCS) Student Outcomes Focused Governance Manual.