US Chamber of Commerce

While drafting the Declaration of Independence the founders wove in words near and dear to American hearts. The phrase “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” is known to every child as the unalienable rights given to us as Americans. But, there is another thing that the founders had the forethought to weave throughout this document; the concept of accountability.

The unique system of checks and balances that governs this nation allows each branch of a government to amend or veto acts of another branch so as to prevent any one branch from exerting too much power. In short, the system assures accountability.

It is every American’s duty to ensure our systems are working to the best of their abilities and are accountable for their actions. That is why on May 15th the Institute for a Competitive Workforce (ICW) will unveil a new 13-city case study report to take a close look at the role school boards play throughout the country at an event titled, From the Boardroom to the School Board: Why Business Engagement in School Governance is Important.

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.

This series of case studies will highlight rural and urban districts with diverse school boards to examine how they function. The report will uncover the vital role the business community has played in school governance and help us to understand the importance of making them more accountable, effective, and focused on the needs of students.

Checks and balances come in a variety of forms. Join us on May 15th to make sure this system checks out.

This article appears in ICW's April 2012 newsletter.