School Board of the Year

The following criteria serve as the basis for selection of the Outstanding Board and Honor Boards. Listed under each criterion are examples of documentation and materials that districts may wish to include as evidence. The number in parenthesis following each criterion indicates the maximum possible points for that criterion (total maximum possible = 220 points).

1. Functions as a policy-making body (20)

• policies established or revised by the board in the last two years
• evaluation time and support allowed for new board policies prior to making judgments and alterations
• active school board support for the superintendent and other school personnel in carrying out policies
• input from professional staff and/or patrons into the policy-making process

2. Adherence to adopted board policies (30)

• formal procedures for initiating, adopting, or changing board policies
• frequency of policy review, including last date of review and revision
• procedure for updating and maintaining policy book
• board decisions based on policy statements that have been implemented when such action was opposed by others
• availability of board policies to district personnel and the community

3. Support for educational performance in accordance with state-established standards (30)

• descriptive data that profiles student performance and gains in student performance
• evidence of support for programs that contribute to high performance at district and campus levels
• examples of recognition received for educational performance
• trends in student performance and evidence of support for efforts to correct deficiencies in student performance

4. Support for educational improvement projects and school transformation initiatives (40)

• approval of long-range plans for curriculum design and revisions and other phases of the academic program
• evidence of technology integrated into the learning process
• support for innovative programs initiated by the district
• evidence of student engagement
• evidence of exemplary student performance
• evidence of long-term planning for school improvement
• support for bond elections, facility planning, and other district improvement plans

5. Commitment to a code of ethics (20)

• copy of the board’s code of ethics
• evidence of ethical practices adhered to in dealing with the professional staff both collectively and individually
• evidence of ethical considerations in dealing with professional contracts, grievances, and dismissal procedures
• demonstrations of commitment on the part of each board member to the “Ethics for School Board Members” published by the Texas Association of School Boards, or a code of ethics developed and adopted by the board itself

6. Provision of financial support for the school system (20)

• statement showing total taxable base of district; applied tax rate; average expenditure per child in the district; adequacy of facilities, educational programs, and employee salaries and benefits; and efforts being made to finance schools
• evidence of efficient business management practices
• trends indicating financial support for educational programs

7. Participation in workshops and other performance improvement programs (20)

• association membership and participation
• encouragement of professional staff to participate in activities designed to improve performance
•  specific workshops, conventions, or other training programs board members have attended in recent years, including evidence of completion of required board member training
• support of professional development opportunities for the superintendent

8. Placement of the welfare of children served by the school system above personal or political motives (20)

• support of potentially unpopular actions when those actions are clearly to the benefit of the district and its children
• examples of placing dedication to the school system above special favors and policy exceptions

9. Public relations efforts, including community awareness (10)

• copies of newsletters or news clippings illustrating the school district’s efforts to convey information on procedure and policy to the community
•  examples of publications and digital communications aimed at informing the community about the board and the district, as well as actions affecting local public schools
• evidence of efforts to obtain community input and/community engagement in decision making

10. Maintenance of harmonious and supportive relationships among board members (10)

• statements from individual board members and news media personnel testifying to the harmonious working relationship among board members
• indications of unified action by the board, including evidence of effective resolution of differences

Submitted materials must adhere to the following guidelines to make the contest competitive to all districts:

• Please be sure to read the eligibility rules above; not all superintendents are eligible to nominate their boards each year.
• Each entry must be submitted as a PDF document, uploaded to a designated Box folder. Note: Email TASA Awards Coordinator Faye Alexis to get the URL for the Box folder for your ESC region. (The links will also emailed to superintendents in spring 2025.)
• Total number of pages in the PDF document must not exceed 100; total file size must not exceed 5 GB.
• Biographical information, including a photo if desired, must be limited to a half-page per board member.
• Entries should be divided into 10 sections — one for each corresponding criterion — in the order that the criteria are stated below.
• Photos, hyperlinks, and embedded videos (or links to videos posted online) are acceptable, but everything must be included in the single PDF document; no extra documents or files will be accepted.
• PDF should follow this naming format: districtname-sba-2025. Example: SomewhereISD-sba-2025