Agenda Item
2. READY FOR ACTION: Amendment to the Bylaws & Policies: Revision of Board Policy BBD: Board ~ School Superintendent Relations
Summary: Presented by: Mrs. Marissa Key, Executive Director of Employee Relations, Division of Legal Services
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education adopt the proposed version of Board Policy BBD: Board-School Superintendent Relations.
Why: This policy is being proposed to outline the roles and responsibilities, communication protocols, evaluation and accountability between the Board and the Superintendent.
Details: Board Policy BBD: Board- School Superintendent Relations was presented to and reviewed by the Board Policy Committee. The Policy Review Committee recommended creation of this policy.
Financial impact: No Financial Impact
Contact: Mrs. Marissa Key, Executive Director of Employee Relations, Division of Legal Services
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Attorney Approval Not Required
Board Policy Manual
DeKalb County School District
Board Policy BBD: Board-School Superintendent Rela ons Status: DRAFT
Original Adopted Date: Pending
PROPOSED VERSION
This policy establishes the roles, responsibili es, and working rela onship between the DeKalb
County Board of Educa on and the superintendent to ensure effec ve governance, accountability,
and a shared focus on improving student outcomes and organiza onal performance.
I. Roles and Responsibili es:
A. Board of Educa on
The board serves as the legisla ve, judicial, and evalua ve body responsible for
se ng policies, approving budgets, and ensuring the district’s strategic goals are
met. The board will:
1. Operate in a transparent, collabora ve, and ethical manner at all mes.
2. Focus on policymaking, long-term planning, and oversight.
3. Approve budgets, set tax millage rate, review financial reports and audits, and
monitor district financial health.
4. Support the superintendent in carrying out board policies while refraining
from micromanaging opera onal ma ers.
5. Evaluate the superintendent’s performance annually in alignment with the
district’s strategic plan and established evalua on criteria.
6. Engage with the community, seek input, and maintain open communica on
about district ma ers.
7. See also Board Policy BH: Board Code of Ethics.
B. Superintendent
The superintendent serves as the chief execu ve officer of the district and is
responsible for implemen ng board policies, overseeing daily opera ons, and
managing staff. The superintendent will:
1. Operate in a transparent, collabora ve, and ethical manner at all mes.
2. Develop and recommend policies, budgets, and strategic plans to the board.
3. Develop administra ve regula ons and implement board policies in
alignment with the district’s strategic plan.
4. Effec vely manage district opera ons and promote a posi ve organiza onal
culture.
5. Evaluate and develop staff to ensure instruc onal excellence and posi ve
student outcomes.
6. Represent the district to the community, advocate for public educa on, and
maintain posi ve rela onships with stakeholders.
7. Serve as secretary to the board and be present at all mee ngs of the board,
except when the superintendent’s contract, salary, or performance is under
considera on.
II. Communica on and Collabora on
To develop and maintain a produc ve and effec ve rela onship between the board and the
superintendent, both the board and the superintendent will communicate in a manner that is
honest and transparent and builds upon mutual respect and trust.
A. Communica on Protocols
1. Board members and the superintendent will communicate with each other in
a mely manner and make reasonable efforts to avoid last-minute
communica onsurprises.
2. The superintendent will provide the board with accurate, relevant, and
complete informa on on all ma ers of concern, including opera onal
updates and educa onal trends.
3. Board members will seek to be well-informed and direct requests for
informa on or clarifica on to the superintendent. See also Board Policy BBI:
Board-Staff Rela ons.
4. Informa on requested by one board member that is related to pending board
ac on will be shared with the en re board to ensure transparency.
5. The superintendent will provide a calendar of district events and ac vi es to
the board to facilitate par cipa on and foster connec ons with the
community.
6. The superintendent will make reasonable efforts to no fy the board within
24 hours promptly of any emergencies or incidents that may significantly
impact the district, its schools, or its students.
B. Communica on Frequency
1. The superintendent and board chair will meet at least weekly, at a mutually
agreed upon me, unless waived by both individuals.
2. The superintendent will meet with individual board members at least twice
per month, at a mutually agreed upon me, unless waived by both
individuals. Formatted: Pattern: Clear
2.1.Mee ngs may be reduced to once per month during the of May, June Formatted
and July.
3. Mee ngs may be held virtually or in person. Formatted: Pattern: Clear
3.4. The board and superintendent will meet for team-building ac vi es at least
twice per year.
4.5. The superintendent will a empt to balance communica on equally between
all board members, with the following excep ons:
1. The superintendent may meet more frequently with the chair and/or
vice chair.
2. The superintendent may choose to meet more frequently with new
board members.
C. Mutual Support
1. The board and superintendent will work collabora vely to achieve the
district’s goals and improve student outcomes.
2. The board and superintendent will share credit and responsibility for district
successes and failures.
3. Board members and the superintendent will make reasonable efforts to
protect the integrity and posi ve image of the district by cri cizing privately
and praising publicly.
4. Board members will respect the superintendent’s role as the educa onal
leader and decision-maker in opera onal ma ers.
5. The superintendent will respect the board’s role as the governing body and
will implement its policies with fidelity.
6. Communica on between the board and superintendent should be courteous
and professional.
III. Evalua on and Accountability
A. Superintendent Evalua on
The board will conduct an annual formal evalua on of the superintendent. This
evalua on will include the following steps:
1. Collabora ve goal-se ng
2. Superintendent self-evalua on
3. Midyear check-in and assessment
4. Direct-report leadership feedback
5. Final evalua on by the board
6. Contract and compensa on review
The board’s evalua on of the superintendent will be guided by the following
principles:
1. Goals will include S.M.A.R.T. objec ves be clearly outlined and will be
developed with input from both the board and the superintendent.
2. The final evalua on will be provided in wri ng and will iden fy areas for
con nued professional growth and development.
3. The superintendent will have an opportunity to respond to board feedback,
including the final evalua on.
4. Midyear check-in and final evalua on will allow opportuni es for a dialog
between board members and the superintendent.
B. Board Self-Evalua on
The board will engage in an annual self-evalua on, guided by an independent
facilitator. Based on the results of the self-evalua on, the board will develop
collec ve S.M.A.R.T. goals to ensure con nuous improvement of district governance
and board opera ons. The self-evalua on will include the following domain areas,
which are outlined in the Georgia State Board of Educa on Standards for Effec ve
Governance:
1. Governance structure
2. Strategic planning
3. Board and community rela ons
4. Policy development
5. Board mee ngs
6. Personnel
7. Financial governance
8. Ethics
IV. Conflict Resolu on and Dismissal of Superintendent
1. Disagreements or conflicts between the board and the superintendent will be
addressed promptly and professionally.
2. The board chair and superintendent will work together to resolve issues or engage a
neutral mediator to maintain a posi ve working rela onship.
3. Dismissing the superintendent should be considered only as a last resort, following a
thorough review of concerns and a empts to address issues collabora vely.
Formatted: Pattern: Clear
V. Defini ons
Formatted: Font: Bold
Formatted: Pattern: Clear
3.A. S.M.A.R.T. – A S.M.A.R.T. goal is a clearly defined objec ve that follows a specific set Formatted: Font: Not Bold
of criteria to ensure it is both achievable and meaningful. The acronym S.M.A.R.T. Formatted: Outline numbered + Level: 2 + Numbering
stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. A S.M.A.R.T. Style: A, B, C, … + Start at: 1 + Alignment: Right +
goal clearly iden fies what is to be accomplished, how success will be measured, Aligned at: 0.75" + Tab after: 1" + Indent at: 1"
ensures the goal is realis c given available resources, aligns with broader priori es or
objec ves, and includes a deadline or meframe for comple on of the goal.
Policy Reference Disclaimer:
These references are not intended to be part of the policy itself, nor do they indicate the basis or authority
for the board to enact this policy. Instead, they are provided as addi onal resources for those interested in the
subject ma er of the policy.
Note: To access the policy references, CLICK HERE: State of Georgia Terms and Condi ons and close the
LexisNexis tab, which will return you to the policy. Click on the links below to be taken to each specific
code. You should only have to do this one me per session.
State Descrip on
O.C.G.A. 20-02-0061 Fundamental roles of local boards of educa on and local
school superintendents
O.C.G.A. 20-02-0109 Du es of local school superintendents; repor ng
Rule 160-5-1-.36 Local School Board Governance
Cross References
Code Descrip on
BDC Policy Adop on
BDC-R(1) Policy Adop on
BH Board Code of Ethics