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 (The Commission held its second meeting in Macon, July 8. Here is the Macon Telegraph's coverage of that meeting.) Background: The Georgia State Board of Education at their April 3 meeting unanimously passed a resolution asking the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, and AdvancED to put together an advisory panel on the issue of local school board governance. This panel will work with education advocates and support groups to research best practices and policies for school board operations. The state board asked for a report in 90 days. Wanda Barrs, chair of the State Board, said, “The State Board of Education members thought it was an appropriate time to ask our business partners to work with us on this issue.” She added, “Businesses understand the link between strong boards and successful businesses. Many of these same principles can be applied to school board governance.” State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox praised the state board’s decision to start a conversation about the subject. “We want Georgia to be a model state for local school board governance, and I’m very pleased that our state’s business leaders have stepped up to the plate to offer assistance and expertise,” Superintendent Cox said. “Working together we can pull together proven strategies and effective policies from the business and education worlds that will best serve our students, our educators and the community at large.” In accepting the invitation, Gary Price, managing partner for PricewaterhouseCoopers and chair of the regional education policy committee for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, said “We applaud the State Board of Education for its leadership in working to strengthen Georgia’s school boards.” He added, “Our work will be guided by the understanding that good boards create and sustain good organizations, both public and private. Ultimately, good school boards create good schools that develop the talented work force our state needs to remain competitive.” Ed Heys, deputy managing partner of Deloitte, chair of the education committee for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and a Georgia Partnership Board member, echoed Price’s comments. “We happily accept the board’s invitation to study the best practices of school boards across the nation and to recommend ways to put those ideas to work in Georgia.” He continued, “We recognize that school boards play a vital role in school performance. They appoint superintendents, approve budgets and establish policies that directly affect how Georgia’s students compete in the global marketplace.” Links: Georgia Chamber of Commerce Coverage of the initial June 10 meeting: Atlanta Business Chronicle |
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