Abstract
This article connects the accountability and small group dynamics literature by testing several hypotheses related to the link between perceived dynamics on American school boards and board member agreement on accountability perceptions. The authors conclude that board members who view their boards as productive, low-conflict, and active, are more likely to be in agreement with their fellow members’ perceptions of accountability. The results are of use to scholars seeking to understand the relationships between small group dynamics, accountability, and performance on governing boards.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
A complete copy of the governance survey is included in Appendix A.
Note all states are included in the analysis except Hawaii, which has a single non-elected school board.
The authors caution that a number of survey respondents preferred not to respond to this specific question on the survey. Comparisons of the demographics of respondents and non-respondents, including exploratory logistic regression models predicting non-response, yielded no evidence of response bias. Nonetheless, the reluctance of some board members to specifically address this question should be kept in mind when interpreting results.
References
Berry, C., & Howell, W. (2005). Democratic accountability in public education. In W. G. Howell (Ed.), Besieged: School boards and the future of education politics (pp. 150–72). Washington D.C: Brookings Institution.
Delagardelle, M. L. (2008). The lighthouse inquiry: Examining the role of school board leadership in the improvement of student achievement. In T. L. Alsbury (Ed.), The future of school board governance (pp. 191–224). Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
Dubnick, M., & Yang, K. (2011). The pursuit of accountability: Promise, problems, and prospects. In H. White & D. Menzel (Eds.), The state of public administration: Issue, challenges, opportunities (pp. 171–86). Armonk: M.E. Sharpe.
Epstein, N. (Ed.). (2004). Who’s in charge here?: The tangled web of school governance and policy. Washington D.C: Brookings Institution.
Favero, N., & Bullock, J. B. (2015). How (not) to solve the problem: an evaluation of scholarly responses to common source bias. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 25(1), 285–308.
Ford, M. R., & Ihrke, D. M. (2015a). Comparing nonprofit charter and traditional public school board member perceptions of the public, conflict, and financial responsibility: is there a difference and does it matter? Public Management Review. doi:10.1080/14719037.2015.1028975.
Ford, M. R., & Ihrke, D. M. (2015a). Active charter school board member governance and performance: perceptions and reality. Paper presented at the Complications and Conundrums: The New Era of Research on Nonprofit Governance and the Work of Boards, Kansas City, MO.
Ford, M. R., & Ihrke, D. M. (2015b). School board member definitions of accountability: what are they, and do they impact district outcomes? Public Performance & Management Review, 39(1), 198–222.
Frederickson, H. G., Smith, K. B., Larimer, C. W., & Licari, M. J. (2012). The public administration theory primer. Boulder: Westview Press.
Gabris, G. T., & Nelson, K. L. (2013). Transforming municipal boards into accountable, high-performing teams: toward a diagnostic model of governing board effectiveness. Public Performance & Management Review, 36(3), 472–95.
Gabris, G. T., Golembiewski, R. T., & Ihrke, D. M. (2001). Leadership credibility, board relations, and administrative innovation at the local government level. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 11(1), 89–108.
Golembiewski, R. T. (1995). Practical public management. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Grissom, J. A. (2014). Is discord detrimental? using institutional variation to identify the impact of public governing board conflict on outcomes. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 24(2), 289–315.
Guan, W. (2003). From the help desk: bootstrapped standard errors. The Stata Journal, 3(1), 71–80.
Hanushek, E. A. (1997). Assessing the effects of school resources on student performance: an update. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 19(2), 141.
Hanushek, E. A., & Raymond, M. E. (2005). Does school accountability lead to improved student performance? Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 24(2), 297–327.
Heidbreder, B., Grasse, N., Ihrke, D., & Cherry, B. D. (2011). Determinants of policy conflict in Michigan municipalities. State and Local Government 5view, 43(1), 32–45.
Hess, R., & Meeks, O. (2011). School boards circa 2010: Governance in an accountability era. Washington D.C: National School Board Association.
Hochschild, J. (2005). What school boards can and cannot (or will not) accomplish. In W. G. Howell (Ed.), Besieged: School boards and the future of education politics (pp. 308–23). Washington D.C: The Brookings Institution.
Hogue, C. (2013). Government organization summary report: 2012. Washington D.C: United States Census Bureau.
Ihrke, D. M., & Niederjohn, S. (2005). Conflict on city councils in Wisconsin. Journal of Urban Affairs, 27(4), 453–462.
Ihrke, D., Proctor, R., & Gabris, J. (2003). Understanding innovation in municipal government: City council member perspectives. Journal of Urban Affairs, 25(1), 79–90.
Jehn, K. A., & Mannix, E. A. (2001). The dynamic nature of conflict: a longitudinal study of intragroup conflict and group performance. Academy of Management Journal, 44(2), 238–51.
Johnson, T., & Ihrke, D. M. (2004). Determinants of conflict on Wisconsin town boards. State and Local Government Review, 36(2), 103–17.
Kettl, D. F. (2015). Politics of the administrative process (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks: CQ Press.
Kukla-Acevedo, S., Streams, M. E., & Toma, E. (2012). Can a single performance metric do it all? A case study in education accountability. The American Review of Public Administration, 42(3), 303–19.
Long, J. S., & Freese, J. (2006). Regression models for categorical dependent variables using stata. College Station: Stata Press.
Manna, P., & McGuinn, P. (Eds.). (2013). Education governance for the twenty-first century. Washington D.C: Brookings Institution.
McDermott, K. A. (2007). “Expanding the moral community” or “blaming the victim”? The politics of state education accountability policy. american educational research journal, 44(1), 77–111.
Meier, K. J., & O’Toole, L. J. (2013). Subjective organizational performance and measurement error: common source bias and spurious relationships. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 23(2), 429–56.
Miller, M. (2008). First, kill all the school boards. Atlantic Monthly, 92–94.
Mulgan, R. (2000). ‘Accountability’: an ever‐expanding concept? Public Administration, 78(3), 555–73.
Mullins, D. R., & Pagano, M. A. (2005). Local budgeting and finance: 25 years of developments. Public Budgeting & Finance, 24(4s), 3–45.
Nelson, K. L., Gabris, G. T., & Davis, T. J. (2011). What makes municipal councils effective? An empirical analysis of how council members perceive their group interactions and processes. State and Local Government Review, 43(3), 196–204.
Peterson, P. E. (1976). School politics Chicago style. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Peterson, P. E. (1981). City limits. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Polikoff, M. S., Porter, A. C., & Smithson, J. (2011). How well aligned are state assessments of student achievement with state content standards? American Educational Research Journal, 48(4), 965–95.
Portz, J., Stein, L., & Jones, R. R. (1999). City schools & city politics. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas.
Ravitch, D. (2010a). Why public schools need democratic governance. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(6), 24–7.
Ravitch, D. (2010b). The life and death of the great American school system: How testing and choice are undermining education. New York: Basic Books.
Ravitch, D. (2013). Reign of error: The hoax of the privatization movement and the danger to America’s public schools. New York: Knopf Doubleday.
Romzek, B. S., & Dubnick, M. J. (1987). Accountability in the public sector: Lessons from the Challenger tragedy. Public Administration Review, 227–238.
Rudalevige, A. (2003). The politics of no child left behind. Education Next, 3(4), 63–9.
Smoley, E. R. (1999). Effective School Boards: Strategies for Improving Board Performance. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Superfine, B. M. (2005). The Politics Of Accountability: The Rise and Fall of Goals 2000. American Journal of Education, 112(1), 10–43.
Svara, J. (1990). Official leadership in the City: Patterns of conflict and cooperation. New York: Oxford University Press, USA.
Tucker, M. S. (2014). Fixing our national accountability system. Washington D.C: The National Center on Education and the Economy.
Van Dunk, E., & Dickman, A. (2003). School choice and the question of accountability: The Milwaukee experience. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Walser, N. (2009). The essential school board book: Better governance in the age of accountability. Cambridge: Harvard Education Press.
Wong, K., & Langevin, W. (2007). Policy expansion of school choice in the American states. Peabody Journal of Education, 82(2), 440–72.
Yang, K. (2012). Further Understanding Accountability in Public Organizations: Actionable Knowledge and the Structure–Agency Duality. Administration & Society, 44(3), 255–84.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendix A: School Board Survey Instrument
Appendix A: School Board Survey Instrument
1. What is your sex?
2. Which best describes your race?
3. What is your age?
4. Would you identify yourself as:
Liberal |
Conservative |
Moderate |
Non-Partisan |
5. Do you share political beliefs with:
All of your fellow board members |
Some of your fellow board members |
Few of your fellow board members |
None of your fellow board members |
6. Have you held elected office prior to serving on your school board?
Yes |
No |
7. Do members of your board serve under term limits?
Yes |
No |
8. How long have you served on your school board?
0-2 years |
3-4 years |
5-6 years |
More than 6 years |
9. In your last election did you have an opponent?
Yes |
No |
10. Do you have a job outside of the school board?
Yes |
No |
11. If yes, which best describes the nature of your non-school board job?
Education |
Business/commerce |
Labor/production |
Transportation |
Farming/fishing/forestry |
Sales |
Construction |
Professional services (law, medicine, etc.) |
Nonprofit |
Government |
Homemaker |
Other |
12. Which best describes your education level?
Did not complete high school |
High school Graduate or GED |
Some college or other post-secondary education/ training (including AA or AS degree) |
Bachelor’s degree |
Advanced degree (MA, MS, Ph.D., Ed.D., MD, JD, DVM, etc.) |
13. Have you ever been employed as a teacher in your district?
Yes |
No |
How strongly do you agree with the following statements?
14. My school district has adopted a performance budgeting process. Programs must show and document activities and levels of program success in order to continue receiving current levels of funding.
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
15. Conflict among some school board members is high.
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
16. Cooperation among school board members is high.
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
17. Disagreements between board members often become personalized.
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
18. Conflict over issues on the school board usually results in a clear solution to the problem.
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
19. School board coalitions (two or more individual members joining forces) tend to form along predictable lines (e.g. political party, male/female, etc.)
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
20. During board negotiations, prior conflicts often resurface.
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
21. The school board has a clear leader.
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
22. The clear board leader is also the board president.
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
23. The board is highly productive.
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
24. Board decisions are supported by all members once made.
Strong, intense agreement |
Agreement |
Neutral, mixed agreement and disagreement |
Disagreement |
Strong, intense disagreement |
25. How often do you meet as a board?
Less than Once a Month |
Once a Month |
2-3 Times a Month |
More than 3 Times a Month |
26. Do you think your fellow board members share your definition of accountability as it relates to academic outcomes in your district?
Yes |
No |
27. Please rank the following topics in order of your school board’s priority.
Strategic Planning |
Setting Academic Standards |
Making Assessment Policies |
Making Student Behavior Policies |
Hiring the Superintendent |
Holding School Staff Accountable for District Performance |
Collaborating with Interest Groups |
Interacting with the Public |
Board Development |
Monitoring Fiscal Performance |
28. Which best describes the way in which your board governs?
The board governs and oversees operations through committees established along functional lines (finance, human resources, programs) but delegates the management functions to the superintendent – traditional |
The board manages, governs and performs the work of the organization. – Operations boards |
The board governs through policies that establish organizational aims (ends), governance approaches, and management limitations. These policies also should define the relationship of the board with the superintendent. The superintendent broad freedom to determine the means that will be used to achieve organizational aims. – Policy Governance board |
The board manages operations through functional committees that may or may not have a staff coordinator. – Management Board |
How much do the following statements describe the members of your board?
29. Members take responsibility for past decisions.
Very Little |
Little |
Some |
Greatly |
Very Greatly |
30. Members freely admit when they are wrong.
Very Little |
Little |
Some |
Greatly |
Very Greatly |
31. Members can take each other at their word
Very Little |
Little |
Some |
Greatly |
Very Greatly |
32. Members do what they say they will do.
Very Little |
Little |
Some |
Greatly |
Very Greatly |
33. Members willingly try new things without fear of ridicule.
Very Little |
Little |
Some |
Greatly |
Very Greatly |
34. Members willingly try new things without fear of retribution.
Very Little |
Little |
Some |
Greatly |
Very Greatly |
35. Members are open about how they feel about other members’ preferences.
Very Little |
Little |
Some |
Greatly |
Very Greatly |
36. Members are open about their own preferences.
Very Little |
Little |
Some |
Greatly |
Very Greatly |
Please choose the extent to which each of these statements describes your board
37. We do not regularly update our strategic plan.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
38. We engage in planning when the academic and/or fiscal direction of the district needs to be changed.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
39. We engage in strategic planning at regular intervals, such as every 5 years or after each board election.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
40. We engage in continuous strategic planning, our plan is frequently updated
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
41. We use the academic standards set by the State Board of Education (or Department of Public Instruction).
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
42. We set and tweak district academic standards in response to student needs.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
43. We set and update district academic standards at regular intervals, such as every 5 years or after each board election.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
44. We consistently set academic standards more rigorous than those required by the State Board of Education (or Department of Public Instruction).
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
45. We solely use standardized tests required by the State Board of Education (or Department of Public Instruction).
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
46. We set and tweak district assessment policies in response to student needs. For example, if we see our students struggling in math we will increase the use of math assessments.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
47. We set and update district standardized assessment policies at regular intervals, such as every 5 years or after each board election.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
48. We consistently use standardized assessments that are more rigorous than those required by the State Board of Education (or Department of Public Instruction). We also use student portfolios and/or alternative ways to measure student performance.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
49. We use the behavior policies required by the State Board of Education (or Department of Public Instruction).
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
50. We set and tweak district student behavior policies in response to incidents.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
51. We set and update district student behavior policies at regular intervals, such as every 5 years or after each board election.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
52. We set and consistently update student district behavior policies that are more rigorous than those required by the State Board of Education (or Department of Public Instruction).
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
53. We rarely change superintendents (or principal if a charter board). When we do we look for someone local.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
54. We conduct a broad search for a superintendent (or principal if a charter board) with expertise on the pressing needs of our district.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
55. We tend to hire a new superintendent (or principal if a charter board) at regular intervals, such as once every 5 years of after a board election.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
56. We look for a superintendent (or principal if a charter board) that shares the values of, and is willing to be a collaborator with, the school board.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
57. We primarily support and defend the decisions of the Superintendent (or principal if a charter board).
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
58. We support and defend the decisions of the Superintendent (or principal if a charter board) until concerns with those decisions arise.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
59. We allow the Superintendent (or principal if a charter board) to manage the district as he or she sees fit, but regularly monitor and review his or her performance.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
60. We view the Superintendent (or principal if a charter board) as a full partner in the governing process.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
61. Organized interest groups have significant influence over board decisions.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
62. We regularly listen to the ideas of organized interest groups and act on their input when we deem it appropriate.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
63. Organized interest groups are generally only active during board elections.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
64. We do not consider the input of organized interest groups when making board decisions.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
65. Community members have significant influence over board decisions.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
66. We regularly listen to the ideas of community members and act on their input when we deem it appropriate.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
67. We do not consider the input of community members when making board decisions.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
68. We do not engage in any formal board development.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
69. We engage in board development activities when obvious dysfunction arises.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
70. We engage in board development activities at regular intervals, such as every 5 years or after each board election.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
71. We frequently and consistently engage in board development activities.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
72. We follow the fiscal practices mandated by the State Board of Education (or Department of Public Instruction).
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
73. We set and tweak district fiscal practices in response to problems.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
74. We set and update district fiscal policies at regular intervals, such as every 5 years or after each board election.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
75. We set and consistently update district fiscal policies that are more rigorous than those required by the State Board of Education (or Department of Public Instruction).
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
76. In the past 5 years our school board has had very little board member turnover.
Does not describe at all |
Describes a little bit |
Somewhat describes |
Describes a great deal |
Perfectly describes |
Which best describes how your board handles....
77. Financial Decisions
The board as a whole deliberates and makes decisions |
The board makes decisions based on committee recommendations |
The board delegates decisions making authority to the superintendent (or principal if a charter board) |
The board follows its established policies when making decisions |
78. Personnel Decisions
The board as a whole deliberates and makes decisions |
The board makes decisions based on committee recommendations |
The board delegates decisions making authority to the superintendent (or principal if a charter board) |
The board follows its established policies when making decisions |
79. Decisions about the academic direction of the district
The board as a whole deliberates and makes decisions |
The board makes decisions based on committee recommendations |
The board delegates decisions making authority to the superintendent (or principal if a charter board) |
The board follows its established policies when making decisions |
80. Decisions regarding the public perception of the district
The board as a whole deliberates and makes decisions |
The board makes decisions based on committee recommendations |
The board delegates decisions making authority to the superintendent (or principal if a charter board) |
The board follows its established policies when making decisions |
81. Decisions regarding interactions with state government
The board as a whole deliberates and makes decisions |
The board makes decisions based on committee recommendations |
The board delegates decisions making authority to the superintendent (or principal if a charter board) |
The board follows its established policies when making decisions |
82. Using the continuum below, indicate who bears responsibility for the following organizational functions, where:
−5 means the Board is fully responsible for the function;
0 means the Board and Superintendent (or principal if a charter board) equally share responsibility for the function; and
5 means the Superintendent (or principal if a charter board) is fully responsible for the function.
Day-to-Day Operational Management |
On-Going Financial Management |
Strategic Planning |
Stakeholder and Public Relations |
Program Evaluation |
Public Advocacy |
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ford, M., Ihrke, D. Are We on the Same Page? Determinants of School Board Member Understanding of Group Accountability Perceptions. Public Organiz Rev 17, 451–479 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-016-0350-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-016-0350-6