Why the Schoolcraft board selected
the Policy Governance model

As Schoolcraft explored how best to set up our board, we continually heard about the Policy Governance model that was developed by John Carver. Before the doors opened at Schoolcraft, MACS Director Steve Dess described Policy Governance and encouraged our board to learn more about it from Dennis Montgomery, the Director of the Bemidji Area Council of Nonprofits. Mr. Montgomery provided some informational training on the model to the interim board and again at the board's 2001 summer retreat. Board members were intrigued with the concepts and when Mr. Montgomery presented more information about the model at the Board training in November of 2002, it was clear that this could be a model that would fit the needs of our board.

"Creating an Effective Charter School Governing Board," a comprehensive US Charter Schools resource that is used by our board, is based on a Policy Governance-type of model. Also, Gene Royer, author of School Board Leadership 2000, emphasizes that school change must include more effective governance and believes that Policy Governance provides a rational separation of board and management roles.

Finally, the following quote from a website that describes the Colorado Rural Charter Schools Network (CRCSN) suggests that the model can assist with the challenges of governance that are common among all charter schools:

"We have learned in our rural charter schools that an effective governance system is probably the single most important factor in ensuring the success of our schools. It is tempting, especially during the difficult years of initial start-up, to focus on finance issues, curriculum issues, facilities issues, and everything else but governance. Each of our schools in the Colorado Rural Charter Schools Network has discovered this the "hard way." As a result, it has been an important part of the network's mission to find a governance model that is tailored to the needs of small rural community schools."

This network of schools selected the Policy Governance model because it very clearly defines lines of accountability, encourages development of high quality educational programs, provides board members with a clear mandate for community linkage and offers a democratic approach to governance that reflects community values.

The Schoolcraft board voted in November 2002 to utilize the Policy Governance model and to begin crafting policies consistent with this approach. Several other Minnesota charter schools and the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools board are also interested in implementing this model. There are efforts underway to bring a trainer from Carver Governance Design Inc. to provide collaborative training to a network of Minnesota charter schools. For more information about the model, visit the website: http://www.carvergovernance.com/home.htm

Drafts of policies that have been adapted from other schools using the Policy Governance model are available in the Documents section of our website. The board will be reviewing and further developing these policies during the next few months.

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