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November/December 2003

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IASB Publications
2921 Baker Drive
Springfield 62703
217/528-9688, extension 1131

• Five valuable lessons emerge from service
  by Brian J. Gerloff
  A former board member feels the experiences he had and lessons he learned from serving on his board may help others just coming into their new governance roles.
  Sidebar: Foundational principles of school governance

• Making the grade
  New school testing takes us closer to 'Old Europe'
  by Jonathan Zimmerman
  Moving assessment and accountability to a national level under No Child Left Behind also moves this country closer to the European model of education.

• Aim for improvement by targeting policies
  by Linda Dawson
  A new process being piloted in Illinois has the potential to help boards frame their policy conversations around a goal of improving student achievement.
  Sidebar: Targeting workshop opportunities
  Sidebar: Targeting your policies

• Two thumbs up on topics for boards
  by John Cassel, Linda Dawson and John Fagan
  Reviews of three books offer insights for board members on leadership and management, as well as a look at the toll that bullying can take on a student's life.

• New members contrast sharply with retirees
  by Gerald R. Glaub
  A comparison of survey information from new board members attending a workshop points out how different they are from those who, when surveyed last winter, said they would not seek another term.

• From higher education's perspective:
  To help teachers change, first understand vision
  by Jama Wahl
  Education reform will only succeed if teachers are willing to change. But in order to change, teachers also need to reconcile their "ideal" classroom with their practices.

• Practical PR: Better retention begins with good interviewing
  by Jennifer Bialobok, Tom Bill and Dennis Kelly

• Hiring teachers: More than a feeling
  by Alan E. Simon
  To ensure that districts hire not only highly qualified teachers but also those who will do the best by students, interview questions need to get to the heart of teacher motivation.

• Ask the staff: Boards should prepare for verbatim recording
  by Melinda Selbee