The Role of the Governing Board

This presentation, titled "The Role of the Governing Board" and delivered by Dr. Valerie Moore Hyer at the FCI Governance Conference, provides a comprehensive overview of the core responsibilities, legal obligations, and strategic functions of charter school governing boards. It emphasizes the vital distinction between board governance—which focuses on high-level oversight, policy creation, academic accountability, and financial stewardship—and school management, which oversees daily operations and staff supervision. Grounded in the legal duties of care, loyalty, and obedience, board members are tasked with hiring and evaluating the school leader, approving budgets and key policy compliance measures, setting strategic SMART goals, and utilizing continuous improvement frameworks to ensure overall organizational and student success.