Drawing on history, research, and his personal journey from Wall Street to a school board seat, Scott makes the case that school boards have transformational power. While trends such as polarization and the rise in social media make governing more difficult, school boards have the unique potential to strengthen our public education system and our overall democracy. 

​

A call to action for board members, administrators, teachers, parents, students, and policymakers, Scott returns boards to the center of our education governance ecosystem. Board governance can be messy, but airing differences in a public forum is quintessentially American. Board meetings require us to make tough decisions with transparency and encourage us to engage in civil discourse and listen to our neighbors who don’t always think like we do. As policymakers debate the federal government’s role in K-12 and states pursue sharply divergent policies, Levy reminds us of the essential role school boards play in shaping education and our country. 

​

Why School Boards Matter: Reclaiming the Heart of our Education System

This keynote, tailored to school board members, administrators, and policymakers, touches on school boards and democracy (see above) but focuses in on how boards are in a unique position to solve our most pressing educational challenges: avoiding initiative fatigue, fostering a positive district climate, engaging productively with the community, driving local accountability, and avoiding short-termism. 

Overcoming an Erosion of Trust: Board-Community Engagement 

In districts across America, board-community trust has frayed, as societal trends such as social media usage, polarization, anti-institutionalism, and outside money in elections make governing more difficult. There are also structural aspects that set school board meetings apart from nonprofit and corporate boards, such as transparency requirements and public comment period. Finally, the blurry line between state and local power often fuels frustration and confusion. 

Drawing on history, research, and his personal journey from Wall Street to PTA advocacy to a school board seat, Scott makes the case that school boards have transformational power and have been a place throughout American history for parents to voice concerns. This keynote provides a roadmap for boards and community members to rebuild trust and work together constructively to confront public education challenges. Insights are shared to help parents navigate the advocacy world by focusing on whether the issues they care about should be adjudicated at the local, state, or federal level. Together, boards and community members can enhance our public schools and model civil discourse for the next generation.

Other Topics:

• How Boards Can Avoid Initiative Fatigue and Drive Innovation

• Transforming District Climate Through Board Leadership

• Maintaining a Productive Board-Superintendent Relationship

• Measuring District Progress Using Key Performance Indicators

• How to Avoid Short-Termism and Think Strategically About Your District

• Can Business Principles Be Applied to Public Education? 

• How School Boards Can Empower Teachers and Staff

​
​​​