New Board Member Training Modules
As a new charter school board member, there is a lot to learn to ensure you are making governance decisions that lead to positive, high-quality outcomes for kids, families, and the educators in your school. To help you get started, the GVSU CSO has created a series of modules that briefly touch upon items that are important for every board member.
After viewing the modules, you should have a basic understanding of:
- The history of charter schools
- Your board's relationship with GVSU
- Your responsibilities and how to be successful in your role
To go deeper into the content you review in the modules, you can always contact your GVSU School Consultant or check to see if there is a Virtual Board Training session that aligns with what you are looking to learn.
**NOTE** Review of these videos does not count toward your board's training requirements related to the Academic Grant. These videos are currently only supplementary resources that work alongside new board member orientation sessions.
Module 1: History of Charter Schools
In this introductory module, you'll learn a little about when, where and why charter schools started, how the charter movement grew throughout the country, and what the charter environment looks like in Michigan. You'll also learn about key statewide and national charter schools advocacy groups that can support your governance work.
Run Time: 7 minutes
Module 2: Role of a Charter School Authorizer
In this module, you'll learn about the types of charter school authorizers you can find in Michigan, as well as the relationship that a charter school board has with the authorizing entity that has issued the charter.
Run Time: 6 minutes
Module 3: GVSU and the GVSU CSO
In this module, you will learn a little about GVSU's role as a charter school authorizer and how the university positions itself to be a unique leader in the authorizing space.
Run Time: 7 minutes
Module 4: Responsibilities of a Charter School Board
In this module, we cover the 12 core responsibilities and 3 key duties that the National Charter Schools Institute has identified as good guidance for each charter school board's governance actions.
Run Time: 9 minutes
Module 5: The Charter Contract and Open Meetings Act
In this module, GVSU School Consultant Matt Cawood, Ph.D., explains why every charter school board member should be familiar with their school's charter contract as well as the Open Meetings Act.
Run Time: 10 minutes
Module 6: Basics of Being a Successful Board
Long-time charter school board member Phil Catlett and GVSU School Consultant Cheryl Edwards-Cannon describe what board members individually and collectively can do to ensure the board functions at a high capacity.
Run Time: 11 minutes
Module 7: Parliamentary Procedure
This module covers the basics of Parliamentary Procedure, including its origins and the role it plays in public meetings today (including charter school board meetings).
Run Time: 6 minutes
Module 8: Mock Board Meeting
In this final module, you will observe characteristics that can be found when a board meeting is conducted well. This mock board meeting takes viewers through an entire scripted agenda and is led by 5 board members serving on the boards of 5 different GVSU-authorized charter schools.
Run Time: 17 minutes
