2028 Governance Roadmap
Goal-setting is not an annual event that happens in February. It is a three-month process that starts in December.
This roadmap gives your board a complete project plan for the December-to-March goal adoption season — the data packet format, the community input timeline, the superintendent communication template, the January organizational meeting agenda, the Q1 governance calendar, and the superintendent evaluation cycle timeline. Use it as your board's working document through the first quarter of 2028.
This resource accompanies the December 14, 2027 edition of The Effective School Board Member newsletter: "2028 Goal Adoption Preview — What Your Board Should Be Preparing Right Now."
Part 1: Goal Adoption Timeline — December Through March
The boards that adopt real, measurable goals by March do not start in February. They start in December. Here is the month-by-month timeline.
December
Preparation and Direction
Board action: Pass a resolution directing the superintendent to prepare the 2028 Goal Data Packet. Specify format (one-page dashboard per goal area), deadline (two weeks before the goal-setting work session), and scope (baseline data, current trajectory, student group disaggregation, resource implications).
Board action: Decide the community input timeline. Public hearing? Survey? Board meeting agenda item? Communicate the decision and timeline to the community before the holiday break.
Superintendent action: Begin gathering 2027 annual data, fall semester assessments, and Progress Monitoring data from October and November reviews. Draft the one-page Goal Data Dashboard for each goal area.
Superintendent action: Prepare the January organizational meeting agenda with the goal-setting data packet as a main agenda item.
January
Data Packet and Organizational Meeting
Board action: Hold the January organizational meeting. Review the 2028 Goal Data Packet. Discuss each goal area's baseline, trajectory, and student group breakdown. Give direction on target ambition and scope.
Board action: Launch the community input process. Publish the year-end governance report with an invitation for community priorities. Open the survey or schedule the public hearing.
Superintendent action: Present the 2028 Goal Data Packet at the January organizational meeting. Include baseline data, trend projections, student group disaggregation, and resource implications for each goal area.
Superintendent action: Draft proposed goal language based on board direction and data — specific, measurable, time-bound targets for each goal area.
February
Draft Goals and Public Review
Board action: Hold a goal-setting work session. Review the superintendent's draft goal language. Discuss and revise based on board member input. Reach consensus on final draft language.
Board action: Publish the draft 2028 goals for public review. Open a formal 28-day community comment window. Announce the window at a regular board meeting and on the district website.
Superintendent action: Present revised goal language incorporating board direction from the work session. Provide supporting data for each proposed target.
Superintendent action: Prepare the budget alignment crosswalk showing how the proposed goals connect to the preliminary budget planning for FY2028-29.
March
Adoption
Board action: Close the community comment window. Review and summarize public input at a regular board meeting. Discuss any adjustments to the draft goals based on community feedback.
Board action: Adopt final 2028 goals at a regular board meeting with the community present. Publish the adopted goals on the district website within 48 hours.
Superintendent action: Present a summary of community input and the board's response. Provide final budget alignment estimates for each adopted goal.
Superintendent action: Begin operational planning — assign goal owners, establish monitoring cadence, and schedule the first data review for Q2 2028.
Part 2: January Organizational Meeting Agenda Template
Use this template to structure your board's January organizational meeting. The goal-setting data packet should be the substantive agenda item that anchors the meeting.
January Organizational Meeting — Sample Agenda
[District Name] Board of Education
January [Date], 2028 — [Time]
[Location]
I. Call to Order and Opening (5 min)
Roll call Board secretary confirms quorum
Pledge of Allegiance Board president leads
Approval of agenda Board votes to adopt meeting agenda
II. Organizational Business (15 min)
Election of officers Board selects president, vice president, secretary for 2028 (if applicable per district policy)
Committee assignments Board approves committee membership for the calendar year
Board calendar Board reviews and adopts the Q1 2028 governance calendar
III. 2028 Goal-Setting Data Packet (40 min)
Superintendent presents 2028 Goal Data Dashboard for each goal area — baseline, trajectory, student group disaggregation, resource implications
Board discussion Board members ask clarifying questions on each goal area
Board direction Board gives formal direction to superintendent on target ambition, scope, and timeline for draft goal language
IV. Community Input Process (10 min)
Community input plan Board reviews and approves the community input timeline for goal-setting
Public comment period Community members may address the board (per adopted public comment policy)
V. Superintendent Evaluation Preview (10 min)
Evaluation timeline Board reviews the superintendent evaluation cycle timeline for 2028
Evaluation instrument Board confirms the evaluation instrument and process
VI. Closing (5 min)
Board roundtable Board members share observations and commitments
Adjournment Board votes to adjourn
Note: Actual agenda items and duration depend on district policy, state law, and board custom. This template prioritizes the goal-setting data packet as the main substantive item. Adjust locally.
Part 3: Superintendent Communication Template
Send this communication from the board president to the superintendent in December to set clear expectations for the goal-setting process.
Board President to Superintendent — December Goal-Setting Direction Letter
From: Board President
To: Superintendent
Subject: 2028 Goal-Setting Process and Timeline Direction
Dear [Superintendent],
As we discussed at the December board meeting, the board is directing the following timeline and deliverables for the 2028 goal-setting process.
1. 2028 Goal Data Packet
Please prepare a 2028 Goal Data Packet for the January organizational meeting that includes, for each current goal area:
- The 2027 baseline data — where we started and where we ended for each goal
- The current trajectory — trend line projected into 2028 based on the rate of improvement in 2027
- Student group disaggregation — performance data by student group alongside the aggregate data
- Resource implications — what it would take to accelerate progress or reverse a flat trajectory
The board requests a one-page Goal Data Dashboard format for each goal area — an executive summary that every board member can read and understand. The full data set can accompany the dashboard for board members who want to go deeper.
Deadline: [Date — two weeks before the January organizational meeting]
2. Draft Goal Language
Following the January organizational meeting and board direction on target ambition, please prepare draft goal language for board review at a February work session. Each goal should include a specific, measurable, time-bound target.
Format example: "Increase the percentage of third-grade students reading at or above grade level from 62 percent to 70 percent by May 2028."
Deadline: [Date — two weeks before the February work session]
3. Budget Alignment Crosswalk
Please prepare a preliminary budget alignment crosswalk showing how the proposed 2028 goals would connect to spending priorities in the FY2028-29 budget planning cycle.
Deadline: [Date — same as draft goal language submission]
4. Community Input Support
The board has chosen the following community input format for the goal-setting process: [public hearing / survey / board meeting agenda item / other]. Please support the board's community input process by [publishing the survey link / scheduling the hearing / preparing the agenda item materials / other].
Deadline: [Date]
Thank you for your partnership in this process. The board's goal is to adopt measurable, publicly supported, and operationally feasible goals by March 2028.
Sincerely,
[Board President]
Board of Education
Part 4: Q1 2028 Governance Calendar
The first quarter of the governance year sets the trajectory for everything that follows. Here is what every board should have scheduled for January through March 2028.
Week 1: Organizational meeting
Goal Data Packet review, board direction on targets, community input launch
Week 2: Regular board meeting
Community input on goals (public comment), superintendent evaluation preview
Week 3: Board work session
First progress monitoring check-in (Q4 2027 data), budget direction resolution
Week 4: Regular board meeting
Q1 governance calendar adoption, budget direction vote
Week 1: Preliminary budget review
Supt presents preliminary budget aligned to draft goals
Week 2: Goal-setting work session
Draft goal language review, board revision, consensus building
Week 3: Regular board meeting
Publish draft goals for public review, open 28-day comment window
Week 4: Board self-evaluation
Annual board self-evaluation against governance standards
Week 1: Regular board meeting
Community comment window update, budget timeline review
Week 2: Community input close
Close 28-day comment window, summarize public input
Week 3: Regular board meeting
Goal adoption vote, publish final goals
Week 4: Q1 data review
First quarterly data review against adopted 2028 goals
Part 5: Superintendent Evaluation Cycle Checklist
The superintendent evaluation cycle operates on a parallel timeline to goal adoption. Both processes should be coordinated so the board evaluates the superintendent against the goals the board has adopted. Here is the five-month evaluation cycle that starts in December.
December
Evaluation framework confirmation. Board confirms the evaluation instrument, timeline, and process for the 2027-28 evaluation cycle. Board president communicates the timeline to the superintendent.
Evaluation instrument confirmed
Timeline communicated to superintendent in writing
Board agrees on evaluation criteria (student outcome goals, governance standards, operational management)
January
Goal-aligned criteria confirmed. Following goal adoption preview and board direction on targets, board confirms that evaluation criteria align with the adopted 2028 goals.
Board reviews evaluation criteria against goal direction
Board confirms data sources for each evaluation criterion
Board president schedules individual board member input collection
February
Board member input collection. Board president collects individual input from each board member using the agreed evaluation instrument. Superintendent submits self-evaluation.
Board member evaluations completed individually
Superintendent self-evaluation submitted
Board president compiles individual input into composite evaluation (without attribution)
March
Evaluation deliberation. Board meets in closed session (or open, per state law) to discuss the composite evaluation, identify areas of agreement and divergence, and reach consensus on the final evaluation narrative and rating.
Board discusses composite evaluation as full board
Board reaches consensus on final narrative and rating
Board president drafts final evaluation document
April
Evaluation delivery and goal-setting handoff. Board president delivers final evaluation to the superintendent in a private meeting. Board and superintendent discuss results, set improvement goals for the coming year, and connect the evaluation to the 2028-29 goal-setting cycle.
Final evaluation delivered in private meeting
Improvement goals established for the coming year
Evaluation summary shared publicly (per state law)
Evaluation results connected to FY2028-29 goal-setting
Part 6: Data-Gathering Checklist
Use this checklist to track what data the board needs for the 2028 goal-setting process — and whether it is gathered, reviewed, and ready for January.
Student Outcome Data
2027 annual state assessment data — all tested grades and subjects
Fall 2027 benchmark/interim assessment data
Winter 2027-28 assessment data (where available by January)
Student group disaggregation for ALL outcome measures — race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English learners, students with disabilities
Graduation rate data — four-year and five-year, by student group
Chronic absenteeism data — current year trend vs. prior year
Progress Monitoring Data
October 2027 Progress Monitoring report — baseline and trajectory for each goal area
November 2027 Progress Monitoring update — any changes from baseline
Q1 2027-28 budget alignment report — spending vs. goal areas
Board dashboard metrics for each goal area — current status, trend, health check
Operational Data
Staffing data — teacher retention, recruitment pipeline, vacancy rates by subject area
Budget data — preliminary FY2028-29 projections, known funding changes, ESSER cliff impact
Facilities data — capacity utilization, deferred maintenance backlog
Community survey or feedback data from fall 2027
Governance Data
Current board-adopted goals — text, targets, and deadlines
Board meeting minutes from January-December 2027 — goal-related decisions and direction
Board self-evaluation results from 2027 (if completed)
Community input data from prior goal-setting cycles
Using This Roadmap
This roadmap is designed to be a working document — not a report that sits on a shelf. Here is how to use it:
- December board meeting: Print the goal adoption timeline (Part 1) and the superintendent communication template (Part 3). Pass the resolution directing the superintendent to prepare the data packet. Send the communication letter.
- January organizational meeting: Use the meeting agenda template (Part 2). Review the data-gathering checklist (Part 6) to confirm everything is ready. Vote on the Q1 governance calendar (Part 4).
- February work session: Review the Q1 calendar and confirm the goal adoption timeline is on pace. Schedule the superintendent evaluation feedback collection using the evaluation checklist (Part 5).
- March adoption: Follow the timeline through to adoption. Publish the final goals. Begin the Q1 data review cycle against the newly adopted goals.
