DC Board of Education
Resolution on organizational and governance structure for calendar year 2004
February 18, 2004

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THE MEMBERS OF THE D.C. BOARD OF EDUCATION PRESENT THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION ON 

D.C. Board of Education Organizational and Governance Structure for Calendar Year 2004 

Whereas, the D.C. Board of Education (Board) is charged by law with the task of adopting policy for the D.C. Public Schools and holding the superintendent accountable for the effective implementation of the policies of the Board and the day-to-day management of the school system, and 

Whereas, the Board believes its role of governance for the school system involves effective Board meetings and agendas, a clear understanding of the role and responsibilities of the Board, an efficient and deliberative policy development and oversight process, and a commitment to focus Board efforts on strategic, reform-oriented policies for the school system; and 

Whereas, the Board desires a leadership and organizational structure that promotes and concentrates on vetting and adoption of policies, programs, and plans that support the achievement of the objectives of the comprehensive districtwide instructional system and the strategic reform of the business system; and 

Whereas, the Board recogruzes the separation between effective governance and management of the school system and respects the role of the superintendent as the entity charged with managing the day-to-day operations of the school system; and 

Whereas, the Board leadership and organizational structure should promote the Board's governance role while simultaneously protecting the superintendent's management role; and 

Whereas the Board should carry out its job with discipline, emphasizing strategic rather than short-term issues, policy rather than single events, and group rather than individual decisions 

Be it hereby resolved that the Board will endeavor to perform its oversight responsibilities through the use of workshops that allow for and promote both transparency of the Board policy development process and public participation in the examination of policy recommendations; and 

That the Board will use ad hoc committees to perform oversight and development of policy and to address issues that require immediate attention by the Board; and 

That the Committee of the Whole will serve as the Rules Committee for the Board and will meet a week before the regularly scheduled Board meetings; and at that meeting the agenda for the stated Board meeting will be voted upon and set; and 

That in developing the agenda for the Committee of the Whole the Board President will rely upon action items recommended by the superintendent and by Board members during working sessions, briefings, or workshops; and 

That all finance, budgetary, and contracting matters, including the approval of all contracts over $100,000 consistent with Title 5 Chapter 3702.10 of the D.C. Municipal Regulations, shall be under the jurisdiction of the Committee of the Whole; and such contracts will be automatically placed on the Committee of the Whole agenda for action after they are received by the Office of the Executive Director; and 

That the Board shall convene a working session two days prior to the Committee of the Whole for the purposes of presenting new ideas or policy proposals by individual Board members, receiving information, deliberating issues before the Board, and maintaining Board operations, but not for taking any official Board actions; and at that meeting the agenda for the Committee of the Whole shall be set, except for extenuating circumstances, in which instance the Superintendent or any Board member can seek to have an item added to the agenda by vote at the beginning of the meeting of the Committee of the Whole; and 

That the Board shall operate in a manner consistent with allowing the superintendent to manage without interference the day-to-day operations of the school system and therefore all requests for information or action will come from the Committee of the Whole; and no Board member will make a direct request to teachers, principals, or administrative staff, except with regard to appropriate constituent-related issues; and all requests for information or action will be submitted in writing through the Executive Director of the Board; and 

That the superintendent shall designate a staff liaison to the Board who has the authority to respond to Board requests and obtain the needed information from school system staff and the superintendent shall instruct staff not to respond to the individual Board members unless specifically directed by the superintendent; and 

That all actions of the Board shall be adopted through the approval of resolutions and such resolutions shall identify the purpose of the policy; the impact of the policy on the operating and capital budgets, the instructional plan, and other existing policies or plans; and shall require the development by the superintendent of an implementation plan with performance standards for determining the successful implementation of the adopted policy; and 

That the Board adopts the recommendations by the President for officer positions of the Board. 

Date Adopted: February 18, 2004