School board elections: Traits that matter

Who sits on the MNPS school board is incredibly important. (You may have noticed that this is a theme in my posts.) Not only are they spending a huge chunk of your tax dollars (about $670 million this past year), but they are the government body that most directly affects the quality of life in your neighborhood and the price of real estate.

Oh, and also they play a big role in how our children are educated.

So how should you evaluate this year's crop of candidates? Sure, you can go to their websites, but much of it is meaningless babble. The best way is to meet and talk to a candidate. If you don't have time, ask around. These people really aren't hard to learn about.

I said in a previous post that leadership traits matter more than specific stances on issues. What we're hiring in a school board member is, above all, someone who has good judgment and can work with others. What does that mean? Here's a breakdown:

Traits that are incredibly useful

Good judge of talent
A board member needs to have the scouting abilities of an NFL GM (one for the Packers or Steelers; not, say, the Jaguars). He or she will influence the hiring of people who control hundreds if not thousands of employees, millions of dollars, and, ultimately 85,000 students. At this level, most resumés look the same and people know what to say in an interview. A great board member should be able to see through all of that,  find how committed a person is to student achievement, and be able to recognize a concrete plan to improve it in Nashville.

Ability to use data 
This an industry that is increasingly dependent on numbers. Some numbers merely represent how many millions of dollars are being spent. The really important numbers give the most dispassionate picture how children are actually being educated. Numbers aren't all-in-all, but given that even the worst school cleans up a bunch when the brass comes visiting, hard data will be a board member's most trusted advisor when make tough decisions. Avoid candidates who are number-phobic.

A mix of skepticism and optimism

A board member needs to be enough of a skeptic to research why a policy was put in place and find out if a solution wouldn't make things worse. Policies, after all, have intended and unintended consequences. The board member needs to be enough of an optimist to believe, nay know, that a better solution is possible. 

Ability to work within a group structure
One person is an outlier. Five people are district policy. 

Bullshit detector
Everybody is going to say they're doing it for the kids. Look for the people whose actions actually show this. Many people, sadly, say the right thing, but put other priorities before student achievement. That's bullshit.


And speaking of that...many people will will say we can't expect a big change in student achievement. I remember a previous school board telling KIPP in its first rejection letter that it's unrealistic to expect children in East Nashville to go to college. Again, bullshit. 

Courage
Remember when I argued that everybody in a community is affected by its public schools? A school board member will soon realize the extent of this. Real change is going to make opponents one never would've imagined. 

Patient relentlessness
This is going to take time and effort. Problems grow like kudzu and solutions are like finding orchids. But they exist! 

Traits you might think would be useful but aren't really

Teaching experience
Teaching experience means...a person knows ways to teach a student. It shouldn't be confused with what board members do. Namely, they'll be asked to govern a $700 million enterprise* with several thousand employees. Teaching grammar or directing a high school play is not analogous (and I've done both). Don't get me wrong -- experience on the front lines of education is useful; it's just not a requirement or even a qualification for setting district policy.

Being a parent
As I've explained, we all have skin in the game. The public school system is funded by taxpayers and, on some level, touches everyone. Being a parent is an important role, but it doesn't necessarily correlate with the traits described above. A board member should care about student achievement more than anything else. People who don't have children themselves are capable of that. Go talk to a Dominican nun if you need proof. 

Degrees
Finding people in education with lots of degrees is like finding guitarists in east Nashville. I've got an Ivy League master's degree in education. It looks nice on my wall and resumé, but it doesn't mean I possess the any of traits listed above. We're looking for leadership ability and that usually doesn't come from a C.V.


* Next year's budget is considerably higher. Remember that tax increase Metro Council just passed? A lot of it is for MNPS.