Are you ready to lead with purpose in your role as a school board member? Rather than just managing your district, it’s important to put your focus on driving meaningful change through thoughtful governance and collaboration.  

In the 287 school districts in Kansas, there are over 2,000 elected school board members who are dedicated to shaping the future for more than 500,000 students. With their many duties and responsibilities, school boards can often get caught up in the day-to-day operations, yearly budgets and district policies, but the most important responsibility should always be supporting student achievement and success. 

Each district faces its own unique challenges based on factors like population, demographics and geography. Despite those differences, all districts can succeed when they have a clear plan, as well as a board equipped with the right tools to guide them forward. 

Starting this month, KASB’s team will be visiting districts across Kansas that are embracing the Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards—traits that research shows are essential for driving success. Discover how districts are applying these characteristics in real-world settings, tailored to meet their specific needs and opportunities. 

These characteristics are organized into three key areas: 

Expectations 

• Vision: Commit to a vision of high expectations for student success and quality instruction with clear goals that support that vision. 
• Values: Share strong beliefs and values about what is possible for students and their ability to learn, as well as the system and its ability to teach all children at high levels. 

Accountability 

• Policies: Focus on accountability, spending less time on operational issues and more time shaping policies to improve student achievement.
• Collaborative Relationships: Build strong relationships with staff and the community, creating a communication structure that engages everyone—inside and outside the district—in setting and achieving district goals. 
• Data-Savvy: Embrace and monitor data, even when the information is negative, and use it to drive continuous improvement. 

Collaboration and Trust 

• Goals and Resources: Align and sustain resources, such as professional development, to meet district goals. 
• United Team: Lead as a united team with the superintendent through strong collaboration and mutual trust. 
• Team Development: Invest in training and development to build shared knowledge, values and commitments. 

“The eight characteristics can be the foundation of high-achieving districts,” said Dr. Britton Hart, KASB assistant executive director of leadership. “When districts embrace the characteristics, they’re not just improving governance—they’re creating an environment where student success is the focus of everything they do.” 

Each month, we will spotlight a district that has demonstrated effective board leadership and made notable progress in one of the eight characteristics. These districts have invested time and resources into achieving their goals and are seeing the positive outcomes of their hard work.  

This month, we visited Haysville, where they developed a clear vision that has helped keep them on track and engaged the community in their strategic plan. Stay tuned to learn more about the successes in Haysville and other districts, as we celebrate the outstanding work happening in public schools across Kansas. 

If you need help in your district, our Leadership Team offers customized training and services that cover everything from leadership development to strategic planning. As your trusted partner in education, KASB is here to support your district’s journey, no matter what challenges you may face. Our services are designed to equip leadership teams with the tools they need to be more effective and efficient. 

Want to see more examples of how Kansas school districts are bringing the Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards to life? Explore other district stories in this series:

• Haysville's Vision Gets Community Buy-in
• Strong Values in Silver Lake Drive Student Success
• Lawrence Prioritizes Intentional Policymaking
• Collaboration Helps Rawlins County During Challenging Times
• Looking for Better Results, Burlingame Digs Into Data
• Focusing on People, Dodge City Aligns Goals and Resources