Becoming a Nationally Certified School Board Member is a significant commitment that requires a deep understanding of the Effective School Boards framework and the ability to demonstrate that understanding in practice. School board members who attain national certification are better prepared to represent the vision and values of their community, more likely to reamin focused on student outcomes themselves, and able to support their school board at attaining and/or maintaining a focus on student outcomes as well. Most journeys to national certification begin by attending an ESB Workshop,

These competencies are revealed through demonstrations of learning regarding:

• Governance Knowledge (GK 1-12)
• Governance Skill (GS 1-10)
• Governance Mindset (GM 1-4)

Unless there is a demonstration of learning (DoL) defined in the competency, each competency type relies on a default DoL. The default DoL for knowledge competencies is a one page writing. The default DoL for skills competencies is a written or video artifact. The default DoL for mindset competencies is coach observation with rubric. Alternative DoLs can be determined by a Senior Coach.

Governance Knowledge

1. Distinguish between inputs, outputs, and outcomes
2. Distinguish between adult outcomes and student outcomes
3. Distinguish between customer service and owner service
4. Distinguish between low and high quality goals
5. Distinguish between board work and superintendent work
6. Distinguish between low and high quality monitoring reports
7. Summarize similarities and differences between the policy governance principles and ESB
8. Summarize observations of at least 20 school board meetings from at least 5 different school boards and in at least 5 different states
9. Summarize observations of at least 2 ESB workshops that are led by at least 2 different ESB coaches
10. Summarize the similarities and differences of the accountability systems for school systems for five different states
11. Summarize the similarities and differences of the statutory frameworks for school boards for five different states
12. Individually summarize learnings from each of the following five ESB recommended readings:
    1. Great On Their Behalf: Chapters 1, 7, 8, 9 and 10
    2. Four Disciplines of Execution
    3. Boards That Make A Difference
    4. A Framework for School Governance
    5. School District Leadership That Works

Governance Skills

1. Communicate the difference between inputs, outputs, outcomes, and why it matters
2. Communicate the difference between adult outcomes and student outcomes, and why it matters
3. Conduct a time use evaluation for at least 3 school board meetings from at least 3 different school boards and in at least 3 different states
4. Conduct an agenda evaluation for at least 3 school board meetings from at least 3 different school boards and in at least 3 different states
5. Conduct a committee diet sample (at least 3 committees) for at least 3 different school boards and in at least 3 different states
6. Create a draft implementation timeline
7. Create a draft set of goals, guardrails, interim goals, and interim guardrails
8. Conduct a policy diet sample (at least 10 policies) for at least 3 different school boards and in at least 3 different states
9. Conduct a quarterly self evaluation sample (at least Clarify Priorities 1 & 2, and Monitor Progress sections) for at least 3 different school boards and in at least 3 different states
10. Individually summarize learnings from each of the following four ESB recommended readings:
    1. Great On Their Behalf: Chapters 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
    2. Policy Governance Consistency Framework
    3. The Relationship Between School Board Governance Behaviors & Student Achievement
    4. Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards

Governance Mindset

1. Communicate why school systems exist
2. Communicate why school boards exist
3. Communicate the intention behind, “student outcomes don’t change until adult behaviors change”
4. Individually summarize learnings from each of the following five ESB recommended readings:
   1. Great On Their Behalf: Introduction and Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6
   2. Leadership & Self-Deception
   3. Immunity To Change
   4. School Governance Matters
   5. Is Discord Detrimental