The Echo

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School boards can be responsible for everything from approving performance evaluation systems, hiring district leadership, and negotiating union contracts, to developing and enforcing budgets. Their decisions have consequences for local school systems, but there is limited information available about how they function. Now, given the recent trend toward increased local control, school boards are likely to have increased authority over accountability decisions in the future.

On May 15, ICW will unveil a new 13 city case study which will take a closer look at school boards across the country. The report will highlight rural and urban districts with diverse school boards to uncover the extent to which the business community has played a role in school governance. We will examine how school boards function and help to understand the importance of making them more accountable, effective, and focused on the needs of students.

SPEAKERS Kelly Brough, President and CEO, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Anne Bryant, Executive Director, National School Board Association Linda Childears, President and CEO, Daniels Fund Sandy Kress, Senior Counsel, Adkin Gump; Fellow, Education Policy, George W. Bush Institute Don McAdams, Chairman and Founder, Center for Reform of School Systems Cheryl Oldham, Vice President, Institute for a Competitive Workforce Andrew Rotherham, Founder, Bellwether Education Partners Margaret Spellings, President, Institute for a Competitive Workforce; Senior Advisor, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Juan Williams, Journalist, Author; Political Analyst, Fox News Channel