Publications and Reports
Publications Catalog
To order any of the publications on this page, please print a copy of our order form (pdf) and fax it to: 603-228-2351 or email a request to terry@nhsba.org. If you have any questions, please call Terry at 603-228-2061.
Becoming a Better Board Member: A Guide to Effective School Board Service $40
This book is not only for new board members. So much is happening so quickly in public school reform and the areas of school law, personnel finance, curriculum, and public opinion, veteran board members also need to seek out new knowledge regularly. And novices and veterans alike must hone their understanding of how lay board members and professional educators can work together, and with the public, to deliver excellence and equity in public education. We believe this book can help both new and experienced school board members as they tackle their numerous responsibilities in a changing world.
Communities Count: A School Board Guide to Public Engagement $20
This publication guides school board members through the community engagement
process and includes help in understanding the rationale, the benefits, and the
concerns that are part of the process of convening the community. Although the
specifics of community engagement will be unique for every community, experience
shows that success is based on some common principles, a good plan, and
continuous work. These common principles are described, along with proven
engagement methods and what steps to take to be successful.
The Community Connection: Case Studies in Public Engagement $20
It is essential that communities be involved in determining the quality of their schools and setting their future direction. This publication focuses on how this can be done, and is presented in two parts. The first is an analysis and discussion of the issues, trends, and frameworks that emerged from an examination of district practices. The second consists of district profiles that are rich in detail, creative ideas, and practical solutions.
Effective School Boards: Strategies for Improving Board Performance $30
Here is a practical guide to improving school board operation. Filled with
real-life examples of soundboard action, Effective School Boards presents a
useful model for boards that want to make a difference in improving education
and leading wisely. Eugene Smoley analyzes information received from extensive
interviews with school board members about the key elements of highly functional
boards and offers advice and insights to help boards make better decisions, act
collaboratively, relate to their communities, and plan strategically. Practical
tools for improvement, a self-evaluation questionnaire, and concrete suggestions
are included.
"An empathetic but hard-hitting book about effective school board leadership. It should be required reading for superintendents, school board members, and all elected leaders."
--Anne L. Bryant, executive director, National School Boards Association
Robert’s Rules in Plain English $8
If you've ever had to run a meeting according to parliamentary procedures, you
know just how difficult it is to keep track of all the rules, much less follow
them. Figuring out what to say, and how to say it, seems an impossible task.
Robert's Rules in Plain English is the solution. Not only does it provide you
with the essential, basic rules in simple, straightforward English, it also
includes sample dialogue so you can see exactly how those rules work in
practice.
Reaching for Excellence: What Local School Districts are Doing to Raise Student Achievement $20
Student achievement is the ultimate goal of school boards. Reaching for
Excellence serves as a resource on student achievement initiatives in this
country and offers a framework through which to view them. It explores the
issues related to the student achievement movement, highlights the findings of
NSBA's Student Achievement Survey sent to 2,000 random school districts,
profiles eight districts and their student achievement successes, summarizes the
student achievement efforts of many other districts, and lists resources school
boards can use to build a knowledge base on student achievement. This report
will inspire, inform and help members of the education community in their
efforts to raise student achievement levels across the country.
Connecting Schools and Communities through Technology: A School Leader's Guide -
$35 
Find out how schools and districts are using technology to reach out and engage
parents and community members in making schools work better for students. Topics
include: electronic tools for school boards; planning, implementing, and
maintaining a parent and community engagement program; Web sites that work; and
legal issues related to computer-based outreach strategies.
The Educated Student: Defining and  Advancing Student Achievement $20
In succinct language, this unique publication presents key ideas from
education's best thinkers and examines future trends and other factors
influencing education today. It presents recent policy developments in the areas
of standards and assessments through a jargon-free discussion of the basic
concepts needed for effective decision-making. The goals of "The Educated Student" are to offer school board members a wide-angle lens through which to view student achievement, to suggest the right questions to bring to their policy deliberations, and to provide a working knowledge that will inspire dynamic board leadership to raise student achievement.
Improving School Board Decision-Making: The Data Connection $20
How do you strategically make a mission statement happen in your school
district, or for districts across your state? An essential step is for board
members to be educated about the necessity of using good data to inform
decisions that affect district-wide goals for the improvement of student
achievement. But for many, data conjure up images if indecipherable numbers,
statistics and percentages better left to the 'experts.' Percentiles.
Disaggregated data. Student-performance indicators. Norm-referenced test scores.
How can these numbers be used to improve student achievement? This guidebook,
from the National School Boards Foundation, can help local school board members
ask for the appropriate data to inform decisions, understand the data received,
work with the superintendent to analyze and interpret the data, use the data to
support the board's policy and budget decisions, and inform the community about
the meaning of district data.
The Key Work of School Boards Guidebook $20
This guidebook provides information for understandi ng and implementing the Key
Work of School Boards. It is intended as a support to help school boards
understand and achieve the essential elements of their work. The guidebook
provides a framework of eight 'key' action areas that successful boards have
focused their attention on: vision, standards, assessment, accountability,
resource alignment, climate, collaboration, and continuous improvement. It is
offered as a resource to help boards of education carry out their
responsibilities for creating equity and excellence in public education and for
leading the community in preparing all students to succeed in a rapidly changing
global society.
Raising the Bar: A School Board Primer on Student  Achievement $20
Raising the Bar is a guide that links the leadership role of the school board to
the concept of student achievement. It provides valuable content knowledge for
effective decision making, proven processes and activities that enhance the
school board's leadership role, and key information sources.
Reinventing School-Based Management: A School Board Guide to School-Based
Improvement $20
This report proposes a model of school-based improvement that emphasizes the district role in promoting continuous improvement through date-driven decision making. Following a systematic theoretical presentation and a review of corroborating evidence, the report offers specific guidance to local boards wishing to implement this new approach.
Team Leadership for Student Achievement $20 
This National School Boards Association publication builds on NSBA's "Key Work of School Boards," a framework for systems thinking and action for school governance to address student achievement as a top priority. The board and superintendent must work together as a leadership team for the district, modeling to staff and community a shared commitment to higher standards, an ability to discuss topics professionally, and the belief that continuous improvement is necessary if all students are to succeed.
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