I'm often asked what type of characteristics a new charter school governing board member should have. I think someone's character is more important than the skills they bring to a charter board.
Charter school board members in the state have done some pretty bizarre things over the years: completely changing the vision/mission of the school, not reporting things they must by law, changing the bylaws and reconstituting the board when questioned by parents, holding executive sessions to discuss issues not covered under Open Meetings laws, and the classic--micromanaging the administrator. One wise person I know says that the best and worst of charter schools are parent board members. It's true.
CDE recently released a charter school board training handbook. It's online at www.cde.state.co.us/index_htm and will be the basis for future online training modules. Every person who serves on a charter school board in Colorado should read the handbook.
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