Governing Board Best Practices

About the Webinar:

We apologize that the audio for this session was not usable, and therefore we are unable to provide the video recording. However, the presentation slides are available below.

In this session, Paul O’Neill shared essential best practices for charter school boards, focusing on structure, roles, ethics, and common challenges. He emphasized that boards hold ultimate responsibility for school governance in Florida, including ensuring mission fulfillment, academic success, operational effectiveness, and financial viability. A recurring theme was the need for clarity: boards must stay in their governance lane, set strategy, hold leaders accountable, and avoid drifting into day-to-day operations.

The presentation also explored practical tools for effective governance, including the use of committees (such as finance, academics, and board development), conducting efficient meetings under Florida’s Sunshine Law, and using dashboards and strategic plans to guide priorities. O’Neill walked participants through real-world scenarios involving financial mismanagement, board conflicts, and under-enrollment, illustrating how boards should respond with professionalism, transparency, and adherence to duty of loyalty. He also highlighted the “Top Ten Pitfalls to Avoid”, such as neglecting training, ignoring the authorizer relationship, failing to monitor special education compliance, or allowing factions and overreach within the board.

O’Neill concluded by reinforcing the principles of ethical leadership and accountability. Strong boards, he noted, operate with respect for proper roles, conduct effective meetings, follow conflict-of-interest rules, and keep a clear record of communications with authorizers and regulators. By applying these practices, boards can navigate challenges successfully, avoid common mistakes, and foster schools that are academically strong, financially sound, and mission-driven.