What's the relationship between the board and superintendent?

The school board's role is to ensure that schools are well run through oversight and accountability. But the board does not actually run the schools. It's the superintendent's job to oversee the day-to-day district operations. The board establishes school district policy and goals, and the superintendent uses these policies and goals to run the schools. The board focuses on the "what," and the superintendent focuses on "how" things will be implemented.

It's important to recognize the board has only one employee: the superintendent. The superintendent is accountable to the board, and every other staff member is accountable to the superintendent. Also, one of the board's most important roles is to hire and evaluate the superintendent. The annual evaluation is like a summative communication tool between the board and the superintendent, and ongoing teamwork between the board and the superintendent is essential for a high performing school district.