PRIORITY: STRONG FISCAL POLICY AND OVERSIGHT 

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Framework: Training, Policy, Checklist of Questions 

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Strong schools require strong stewardship of public dollars. School Board members have a fiduciary responsibility to fully understand the financial structure, risks, and long-term obligations of the school system they govern. That responsibility requires training that goes beyond the minimum NC General Assembly statutory requirements. 

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To ensure transparency, accountability, and sound fiscal decision-making, I support a clear framework built on 

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• rigorous financial training for Board members, offered by the NC School Board Association, and/or the UNC School of Government

• strong fiscal oversight policies grounded in the Office of the State Auditor's recommendations, 

• a standardized checklist of critical questions that must be answered by the CFO before major expenditures are approved. 

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This approach strengthens public trust, protects instructional resources, and keeps the focus where it belongs—on students and classrooms. 

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PRIORITY: SAFE, RESPONSIVE, HIGH-ACHIEVING SCHOOL COMMUNITIES

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Framework: Community School Framework 

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Every child deserves to learn in a school community where they feel safe, supported, and challenged to achieve. The Community School Framework - highlighted in North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan - offers a proven, whole-child, whole-family, whole-school approach to making that vision a reality based on

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• a simple but powerful premise: in school communities, students, families, staff, and community partners know what their schools need; effective leadership listens, and endorses, collaborative leadership, 

• student access to behavioral and health supports, enrichment opportunities, and mentorship, 

• teacher supports for behavioral and instructional interventions, rather than having policies that add one more thing to their plates,

• families connected to the resources they nee,

• School Board advocacy to State and Local leaders for Early Literacy and Economic Mobility strategies and funding, 

• not being a top-down, one-size-fits-all framework; many of our schools already operate with elements of this approach, and their strong results demonstrate its effectiveness. 

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PRIORITY: THOROUGH SUPERINTENDENT EVALUATION PROCESS

 

FRAMEWORK: Training and Policy 

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Although Policy 2112 in the WS/FCS policy portal requires the Superintendent to prepare an annual and equity report, this requirement does not substitute for a structured evaluation tied to measurable performance standards. A written report informs; a formal evaluation assesses and guides leadership effectiveness. 

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To support meaningful governance and continuous improvement, the Superintendent Evaluation Policy should include: 

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• alignment with the NC School Boards Association (NCSBA) evaluation process, including Board training (Policy Eval-020) and the NCSBA Superintendent Evaluation Rubric, 

• clearly defined procedures and timelines for the evaluation process, 

• performance standards and indicators tied to district goals and strategic priorities,

• contract provisions that reflect evaluation outcomes, expectations, and timelines,

• provisions for setting annual goals jointly between the Board and Superintendent. 

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Resource Support: 

Ramona Powers, Director of Board Development and Technology (NCSBA): Evaluation: A Powerful Governance Tool.