Leading State Associations:Leading State Associations:Building the Skills and Assets Building the Skills and Assets

Necessary to SucceedNecessary to SucceedNSBA Leadership Conference

February 1, 2009

Julia Bernath, GSBA President 1

About GSBA

Strategic Planning

Building the Infrastructure and Capacity for

Success

Developing Critical Skills

Tracking Results

Handouts

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About GSBA: Governance About GSBA: Governance Board of Directors

◦5 Officers◦14 District Directors◦Expectations

Technology Time

Committees◦Executive Committee◦Finance Committee◦Audit Committee◦Bylaws Committee

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New Board Member Orientation◦ Agenda◦ Manual

Executive Director

Organizations◦ Georgia School Boards

Association, Inc.◦ eBOARDsolutions, Inc.◦ GSBA Workers' Compensation

Fund◦ GSBA Risk Management Fund

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About GSBA: Governance About GSBA: Governance

About GSBA: FinancialAbout GSBA: Financial GSBA

◦ FY09 Budgeted Revenue = $6,308,608◦ FY09 Membership Dues = $1,070,627

(17% of total revenue)◦ 6 Year Historical Growth

eBOARDsolutions ◦ FY09 Budgeted Revenue = $1million◦ Operating in 11 states

GSBA Workers' Compensation Fund ◦ FY09 Budgeted Revenue = $8 million

GSBA Risk Management Fund ◦ FY09 Budgeted Revenue = $14.3 million

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About GSBA: StaffingAbout GSBA: Staffing

34 Full Time Employees

1 Part-Time Employee

11 Contracted Positions

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GSBA Strategic PlanningGSBA Strategic Planning

Process◦Focus Groups◦NSBA Programs and

Services Audit◦Membership

Surveys◦Planning Team◦Action Teams

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Format◦Beliefs◦Mission◦Strategic Goals◦Performance

Objectives◦Initiatives◦Performance

Measurements

GSBA Strategic PlanningGSBA Strategic Planning

Alignment◦ GSBA BOD meet in an annual

retreat to review/discuss the plan

◦ Plan is tied to items on board meeting agendas

◦ Plan Updates at Board Meetings

◦ Job accountabilities for all staff are aligned to the strategic plan

◦ Annual Budget - all budget areas are aligned to plan

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Accountability◦ Staff job accountabilities◦ Annual Budget◦ Annual Report to Membership◦ Executive Director Evaluation◦ GSBA BOD Self-Assessment

Reminders◦ Mission statement on board room wall◦ Mission statement on staff computer

desktop◦ Mission statement on eMEMBERSHIP

home page◦ Belief statements on wall throughout the

building ◦ Pictures of kids throughout the building

and in every staff office

Building an Infrastructure Building an Infrastructure and Capacity for Successand Capacity for Success

Facilities◦ Building expansion in 2005

Technology◦ VoIP Phone System◦ Association Management Software◦ Board Governance Software◦ Electronic Content Management System◦ Legislative Tracking System◦ Remote Access and Teleworking

Capabilities◦ Electronic Membership Surveys◦ Laptops for all staff and BOD◦ Webinars◦ Wireless access◦ Staff Development - Lunch N Learns

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People◦ Board of Directors◦ Full-time employees◦ Part-time employees◦ Contractors◦ Key Business Partners

Developing Critical SkillsDeveloping Critical Skills Planning

Collaboration◦ Superintendents Association◦ Other Education Associations◦ Georgia Partnership for EE

Candidate Training◦ Large System

Board Chairs Superintendents

◦ Superintendent's Advisory Council◦ Technology Director Advisory Council◦ Mentor Programs◦ Veteran Board Member Training◦ FRN◦ GMA◦ ACCG

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Innovation◦ New and expanded services◦ Reduce dependency on

membership dues

Problem Solving

Communications

Advocacy◦ Funding◦ Local Control◦ Vouchers

Modeling

Tracking Results:Tracking Results:GSBA 5 Year Strategic Plan ResultsGSBA 5 Year Strategic Plan Results Administrative

◦ Increased staff from 17 to 34◦ Completed Building Expansion

Board Development◦ Task force to revise and align Board/Superintendent Improvement instruments

GSBA Standards for Local Boards of Education Board Self-Assessment Superintendent Evaluation

◦ Created the “Board of Distinction” recognition program to recognize excellence in board governance

◦ Developed and distributed, free of charge, a new School Board Member Handbook (both online and hard-copy)

◦ Started a new Veteran Board Training program◦ Began offering Saturday training sessions◦ Rolled out three online board training classes◦ Co-Sponsored Legislative/Board Candidate training sessions with the Georgia Partnership for

Excellence in Education (GPEE)

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Technology Services◦ Provided over $400,000 in training and technology grants

GaDOE Georgia Power Foundation

◦ Revamped and expanded eBOARD, our web-based board governance system◦ Developed eMEMBERSHIP system◦ Developed eBOARD Strategic Plan Module◦ Formed eBOARDsolutions, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, to expand our

technology services◦ Georgia Districts ranked among the top in the NSBA/Center for Digital Education

Digital School Boards Survey

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Tracking Results:Tracking Results:GSBA 5 Year Strategic Plan ResultsGSBA 5 Year Strategic Plan Results

Policy Services◦ Began offering a free Policy Contact workshop for district staff

Superintendent Search Service◦ Conducted close to 60 superintendent searches

Risk Management Service◦ Expanded and enhanced our risk management services

Communications◦ Redesigned the Association website◦ Started a new Public Engagement service◦ Created and distributed, free of charge, a “School Finance Communications

Kit”

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Tracking Results:Tracking Results:GSBA 5 Year Strategic Plan ResultsGSBA 5 Year Strategic Plan Results

Advocacy◦ Increased our advocacy efforts through greater grassroots

lobbying and coalitions with other groups on key issues◦ Started having weekly District legislative site visits throughout the

legislative session◦ Started offering Fall regional legislative updates sessions

(Inforums)

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Tracking Results:Tracking Results:GSBA 5 Year Strategic Plan ResultsGSBA 5 Year Strategic Plan Results

Develop processes and procedures to assist boards that have departed from acceptable ethical standards.

Offer a comprehensive strategic planning service to members.

Expand communications efforts within the association to better inform members and other stakeholders on GSBA programs and services.

Expand communications efforts to address negative public perception of public education.

A plan to address the loss of local control occurring through state initiatives that restrict the use of funds and redistributes the authority of local boards.

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Tracking Results:Tracking Results:Current Strategic Plan InitiativesCurrent Strategic Plan Initiatives

HandoutsHandouts

GSBA Strategic Plan Brochure Executive Summary from NSBA

Review Sample GSBA Job

Accountability Instrument Board Agenda (tied to strategic

plan) GSBA Budget GSBA Standards for Local

Boards of Education

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GSBA Board of Distinction GSBA Board Self-Assessment GSBA Superintendent

Evaluation Instrument GSBA BOD Self-Assessment eMEMBERSHIP Flyer eBOARD Flyer eBOARD Strategic Plan

Module Flyer

Powerpoint, MindMap and the following supporting documents may all be downloaded from the following website: http://www.gsba.com/nsbaleadershipconference2009