John Fisher College Fisher Digital Publications Education Doctoral Ralph C. School of Education 8-2017 School Boards and Team Learning: A Phenomenological Study of the Beliefs of School Board Presidents in Central New York Mary K. John Fisher College, mcoughlin123@gmail.com Follow this and additional works at: https://fisherpub.edu/education_etd Part of the Education Commons How has open access to Fisher Digital Publications benefited you? Recommended Citation Coughlin, Mary K., "School Boards and Team Learning: A Phenomenological Study of the Beliefs of School Board Presidents in Central New York" (2017). Please note that the Recommended Citation provides general citation information and may not be appropriate for your discipline.
To receive help in creating a citation based on your discipline, please visit http://libguides. This document is posted at https://fisherpub.edu/education_etd/301 and is brought to you for free and open access by Fisher Digital Publications at St. John Fisher College. For more information, please contact fisherpub@sjfc.
School Boards and Team Learning: A Phenomenological Study of the Beliefs of School Board Presidents in Central New York Abstract The Boards of Education in New York State schools face formidable challenges in an educational environment characterized by accelerated and complex change. This contemporary context requires boards to function as high-performing teams to generate outcomes. Board members typically are well- intentioned yet unprepared for such challenges. This research study used a qualitative phenomenological design to examine the beliefs of school board presidents about how boards develop the capacity to work together to create results.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with school board presidents in Central New York. Interview questions were guided by the theoretical framework of team learning. The analysis revealed four major categories and conclusions: (a) school boards develop the capacity of their teams through acquisition and sharing of knowledge, balanced board composition, and board president leadership; (b) boards interact as a team through communication, adhering to governance structures, understanding of roles, and mutual respect; (c) boards are confronted with challenges to address including personal agendas, micromanagement, and time; and lastly, (d) school boards create results by establishing students as the highest priority and continually reflecting on performance. A group of individuals does not constitute a team; rather, successful teams (boards) perform as a unit and are accountable to a collective performance.
The study recommends that boards be mindful of the beliefs of the board presidents captured in the research as they work together to create results that will benefit future generations of school children. Information gleaned from this study adds to the literature and understanding of school boards and informs school board learning and preparation. Document Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Education (EdD) Department Executive Leadership First Supervisor Theresa Pulos Subject Categories Education This dissertation is available at Fisher Digital Publications: https://fisherpub.edu/education_etd/301 School Boards and Team Learning: A Phenomenological Study of the Beliefs of School Board Presidents in Central New York By Mary K. Coughlin Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Ed.
in Executive Leadership Supervised by Dr. Theresa Pulos Committee Member Dr. Ryan Pacatte Ralph C. School of Education St.
John Fisher College August 2017 Copyright by Mary K. Coughlin 2017 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my husband, Rick, and our three wonderful children, Liz, James, and Katherine. Their love and steadfast confidence and encouragement have been instrumental in the successful completion of my dissertation. I am truly blessed and eternally grateful for my family.
Thank you to my parents for selflessly providing me with opportunities for education throughout my life. To my dad, who would be beaming with pride for this accomplishment; and to my mother for her love and kindness. Thank you to the dedicated faculty at St. John Fisher College.
Michael Robinson – we had a conversation and, in the blink of an eye, I was enrolled in the doctoral program. Linda Evans and Dr. Kim VanDerLinden, you kept me motivated through many Friday evening and Saturday classes. To my committee member, Dr.
Ryan Pacatte, thank you for always being the kind voice of reason and keeping me centered. I extend my heartfelt gratitude and deep appreciation to my committee chair, Dr. Because of her sage advice and guidance, I left every meeting feeling more scholarly, confident, and inspired. To my executive mentor, Lisa, and colleague, Jeff, I thank you for supporting me throughout the program.
To Ray – I am so thankful to have shared this journey with a wonderful friend and the world’s best high school principal. To my classmates, thanks and I wish you happiness and success. iii Lastly, thank you to all my friends and colleagues throughout my career in the Fayetteville-Manlius and Syracuse City School Districts. It has been my tremendous good fortune to work beside such exceptionally talented and dedicated individuals.
iv Biographical Sketch Mary K. Coughlin is currently Assistant Superintendent for Instruction at the Fayetteville-Manlius School District in Manlius, New York. Coughlin attended Skidmore College and Syracuse University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1981. She attended Syracuse University and graduated with a Master of Science degree in 1982 and a Certificate of Advanced Studies degree in 1988.
She came to St. John Fisher College in the spring of 2015 and began her doctoral studies in the Ed. Program in Executive Leadership. Coughlin pursued her study on school boards and team learning under the direction of Dr.
Theresa Pulos and Dr. Ryan Pacatte and received the Ed. v Abstract The Boards of Education in New York State schools face formidable challenges in an educational environment characterized by accelerated and complex change. This contemporary context requires boards to function as high-performing teams to generate outcomes.
Board members typically are well-intentioned yet unprepared for such challenges. This research study used a qualitative phenomenological design to examine the beliefs of school board presidents about how boards develop the capacity to work together to create results. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with school board presidents in Central New York. Interview questions were guided by the theoretical framework of team learning.
The analysis revealed four major categories and conclusions: (a) school boards develop the capacity of their teams through acquisition and sharing of knowledge, balanced board composition, and board president leadership; (b) boards interact as a team through communication, adhering to governance structures, understanding of roles, and mutual respect; (c) boards are confronted with challenges to address including personal agendas, micromanagement, and time; and lastly, (d) school boards create results by establishing students as the highest priority and continually reflecting on performance. A group of individuals does not constitute a team; rather, successful teams (boards) perform as a unit and are accountable to a collective performance. The study recommends that boards be mindful of the beliefs of the board presidents captured in the research as they work together to create results that will benefit future generations of school children. Information gleaned from this study adds to the vi literature and understanding of school boards and informs school board learning and preparation.
vii Table of Contents Dedication. iii Biographical Sketch. vi Table of Contents. viii List of Tables.
xi List of Figures. xii Chapter 1: Introduction. 6 Statement of Purpose. 8 Significance of the Study.
8 Definitions of Terms. 10 Chapter 2: Review of the Literature. 11 Introduction and Purpose. 11 School Board Governance and Roles.
11 Effective School Boards. 16 School Board Preparation. 21 High-Performing Teams. 27 viii Team Learning.
36 Chapter 3: Research Design Methodology. 42 Instruments Used in Data Collection. 44 Procedures for Data Analysis. 49 Data Analysis and Findings.
50 Summary of Results. 82 Implications of Findings. 117 x List of Tables Item Title Page Table 4.1 Summary of Categories, Themes, and Essences 51 Table 4.2 Board President Years of Service 61 xi List of Figures Item Title Page Figure 5.1 School Boards and Team Learning: Categories and Essences 86 xii Chapter 1: Introduction The school board is a local board or authority responsible for the provision and maintenance of schools and the establishment of regulations and policies by which schools are governed (National School Boards Association [NSBA], n. The American Board of Education originated in 1647 when the Massachusetts Bay Colony mandated that towns establish and maintain public schools (Kirst, 2007).
Early schools were administered by the citizens through town meetings. As school issues became more complex, control was given to elected representatives (selectmen) and eventually to town committees. In 1826, Massachusetts formally established the system of school committees by requiring each town to elect a separate school committee to have charge over all public schools in the town. This model spread to the rest of the nation and established the school board model that exists throughout the United States today (NSBA, n.
School boards of education determine policies that govern the operation of the local public school systems (NSBA, n. The school board members are elected local officials, and they are typically volunteers. In New York State, school boards lead a statewide school system with budgets of $58 billion, 520,000+ employees, and approximately 2. Except for Yonkers and New York City, board members in New York State are elected.
1 The size of a school board depends on the district, and it consists of five, seven or nine members. According to law, voters have the power to change the size of their board. School board members typically serve 3-, 4-, or 5-year terms. Terms are staggered so all board positions are never open at the same time.
School board members annually elect a president and vice-president as board officer positions (NSBA, n. The overarching role of a public school board of education is to govern and represent the community in matters of education while overseeing district resources (NSBA, n. In recent years, school boards have experienced increasing pressure to understand their role and execute their authority (Mizell, 2010). In New York and throughout the United States, there are mounting student achievement expectations and demanding curricular reforms.
The ability to transcend these obstacles is a challenging, yet necessary, function of boards of education (Alsbury, 2008). State and federal education mandates are complex, and they require savvy and experienced board leadership (Hess & Meeks, 2010). The role specific to the school board president is unique in that there are formally identified responsibilities coupled with less formal, nuanced tasks. School board president responsibilities vary depending on the district; yet, most often, they conduct board meetings and maintain order, set meeting agendas with the superintendent, act as a bridge between the board and the superintendent, serve as the voice of the board, and act as a team builder and mediator (NYSSBA, n.
In addition to the stated responsibilities, the informal duties and nature of the school board president role can be stressful and unpredictable (Hurley, 2006). The resources and descriptions of course offerings from state organizations allude to the nature of the position as challenging and complex beyond the stated responsibilities. In an 2 era of high accountability, leadership from the school board president is essential (Daugbjerg, 2014). School board members may lack experience and professional background in the field of education, which results in a lack of expertise in governance areas (Hess, 2010).
School board members are not educational experts, but they require knowledge and understanding of districts to make informed decisions as a board (Delagardelle, 2008). Governance of major district operational areas, while staying abreast of education reform, often overwhelms new and inexperienced board members (Maeroff, 2010). Additionally, the evolving role of school boards now requires knowledge of complicated reforms and mandates. Gaining this knowledge is onerous as board governance and oversight extends the range of complex district operations, including budgets, personnel, curriculum, facilities, and instruction.
School board members’ need for knowledge in an era of unprecedented educational change remains a challenge for public school systems (Kirst, 2007). Alsbury (2008) stated the consequences for districts with under-qualified boards of education are potentially devastating and could affect the education of millions of school children.