ISBA BOARD
RESOURCES

Tools

• Parliamentary Procedure Reference Guide
• Board Self-Assessment
• Drafting a Superintendent's Contract

Strategic Planning

• From paper to practice: Making strategic plans work by Adam VanOsdol, December 2025
• Essential elements of goal setting and strategic planning focused on raising student achievement outcomes by Terry Spradlin and Steve Horton, Summer 2025
• Focusing on strategic goals by Steve Horton
• Starting with a strategy by Dr. Robert Stwalley

Roles and Responsibilities

• Building a foundation of effective school board governance by Steve Horton, Winter 2025
• Are we reflecting light? by Steve Horton
• Laws board members should know by Lisa Tanselle
• Policy development is an important school board function by Julie Slavens
• Picking a lane by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Understanding the school board's role in personnel matters by Lisa Tanselle
• Board members and policy development by Julie Slavens

Boardsmanship

• Seven framework questions for effective board reports by Steve Horton, August 2025
• How board members can avoid common pitfalls by Steve Horton
• Hitting your stride by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Rules of the road by Dr. Robert Stwalley
• Dealing with difficult decisions by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Alignment & balance by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Professional development: Necessary or not? by Dr. Michael Adamson
• When things go south by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Finding balance as part of a team by Dr. Michael Adamson

Boards and Superintendents

• Superintendent turnover since the pandemic by Adam VanOsdol, October 2025
• The new superintendent evaluation toolkit by Steve Horton
• School boards and the superintendent search by Steve Horton
• Five approaches to support an effective superintendent evaluation by Steve Horton
• Elevating and enhancing superintendent evaluation by Steve Horton

New Board Members

• Key takeaways from our new board member training by Steve Horton, Spring 2025
• Advice for making your school board experience a fulfilling journey by Rebecca Gardenour, Spring 2025
• How to welcome and integrate new school board members by Steve Horton
• Onboarding new members by Steve Horton
• Starting with purpose by Dr. Michael Adamson

Leadership

• Leading with vision, values, and vulnerability by Steve Horton
• The case for trust in school board leadership by Steve Horton
• Great leaders surround themselves with great people by Steve Horton
• Leading is a matter of trust by Tom Simpson
• On a clear day by Kim Woodward
• A season of leadership: Staying strong by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Patience: A leadership virtue by Dr. Michael Adamson
• The value of board service by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Learning leadership by Kim Woodward

Meetings

• A case for parliamentary procedure by Steve Horton, The Journal, Winter 2026
• Work sessions, trainings, and retreats: Tools for effective board leadership by Steve Horton, The Journal, Fall 2025
• Five rules for a great board meeting by Steve Horton
• The power of school board protocol by Steve Horton
• Are you mired in minutiae? by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Advice for board retreats by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Meeting time: Too long or too short? by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Why meeting preparation is crucial by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Reasons for utilizing working sessions by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Meeting speed vs. meeting efficiency by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Agenda packets: The best tool in board decision-making by Dr. Michael Adamson
• Abstaining from voting by Dr. Michael Adamson

Student Achievement and Learning

• Bad board behavior=Poor student performance by Ivan Lorentzen & William McCaw
• All districts should become learning districts by Ivan Lorentzen & William McCaw
• Science of achievement: Board standards impact student success by Ivan Lorentzen & William McCaw
• Research shows that school boards do impact student achievement by Ivan Lorentzen & William McCaw