- Determine the charter school’s mission and purpose. A statement of mission and purpose should articulate the charter school’s goals, means, and primary constituents served. It is the board of directors’ responsibility to create the mission statement and review it periodically for accuracy and validity. Each individual board director should fully understand and support it.
- Select the charter school administrator. Boards must reach consensus on the charter school administrator’s job description and undertake a careful search process to find the most qualified individual for the position.
- Support the charter school administrator and review his or her performance. The board should ensure that the charter school administrator has the moral and professional support he or she needs to further the goals of the charter school. The charter school administrator, in partnership with the entire board, should decide upon a periodic evaluation of the administrator’s performance.
- Ensure effective organizational planning. As stewards of the charter school, the board must actively participate with the staff in an overall planning process and assist in implementing the resulting plan.
- Assure adequate resources. One of the board’s foremost responsibilities is to assure that there are adequate resources for the charter school to fulfill its mission. The board and each individual Board member works in partnership with the charter school administrator and development staff, if any to raise funds from the community.
- Manage resources effectively. The charter school board, in order to remain accountable to the charter granting entity, parents and students, its donors, the public, and, in the case of a separately incorporated nonprofit, to safeguard its tax-exempt status, must approve the annual budget and ensuring that proper financial controls are in place.
- Determine and monitor the charter school’s programs and services. The board’s role in this area is to determine which educational programs and services are the most consistent with the charter school’s mission, and to monitor their effectiveness.
- Monitor and ensure compliance with Department of Education regulatory statutes. The Board should review school policies and programs to ensure compliance with state regulations.
- Enhance the charter school’s public image. A charter school’s primary link to the community, including constituents, the public, and the media, is the board. Clearly articulating the organization’s mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public, as well as garnering support from important members of the community, are important elements of a comprehensive public relations strategy.
- Assess its own performance. It is the board’s responsibility to ensure that the total organization is effective in achieving its mission and efficient in using its resources. It should begin this annual discussion by evaluating its success as a board. By evaluating its performance in fulfilling its responsibilities, the board can recognize its achievements and reach consensus on which areas need to be improved.
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ADOPTED BY THE BOARD ON: April 15th, 2009
REVISED BY THE BOARD ON:
