In March 2004, the Center issued a report with recommendations for state policymakers, school boards and superintendents, and voters and community leaders about how they could improve the effectiveness of school boards and increase the number of citizens who are motivated and prepared to serve on boards. The report also included a model Governance-Management Compact and model Board Code of Conduct, developed by the Center.
To assist EPLC in identifying and considering key issues and recommendations, EPLC appointed a 20-member study group including representatives of school boards, school administrators, school study councils, parents, higher education, and the business community. In addition to working with the study group, EPLC conducted two focus group meetings to address specifically the roles and responsibilities of boards and superintendents in leading districts and ways to improve state policy to promote more effective governance relationships.
EPLC also conducted a web-based survey of superintendents and school boards from November 2003 to January 2004 to gather a broader cross-section of views on appropriate superintendent and school board roles, the relationships between boards and superintendents, and the characteristics of effective boards.