Policy decisions made by school board members, affect the lives of thousands of adults and children.  Most board members work on a volunteer basis or for a minimal salary.  While the position is meant to be part time, it can become all-consuming because of the volume of issues that school board members must face. 

A school board with a vision and leadership that is in sync with the school district's staff is a tremendous asset to the school system and the community.  There is no more effective way to connect policy makers with the people that run the school system than through objective, timely information.

Performance Matters™ is a great asset for any school board because we deliver information that provides the board with an objective perspective on the impact their policy decisions have on student learning and the school system's academic performance compared to others.

Board Member Scenario:  "Last year, our school board election resulted in three new members to our five-member board, including myself.  All of the new board member platforms had one thing in common; to improve the academic ranking of our district within the state.  During our first year, we emphasized the importance of student learning and academic performance above all other goals."

Guiding Question:  "After our first complete year in office, have our district academic rankings improved?"

Performance Matters™ in Action:  The example below is one of many reporting modules available to board members.  The chart illustrates the district rankings by grade and over time for both proficiency and growth.  Those rankings can be compared to any other district within the state.  The rankings are colored by quartile; red, yellow, green and blue respectively.  Blue is the top quartile. 

As illustrated below, the district did not rank well in proficiency, however they did rank very high in growth and they outperformed the neighboring school district.  The stated board focus on academics is indeed having a significant impact on student learning growth.  This type of information would be ideal to share with the school board's constituents.