Appendix 1: flowchart

Appendix 1

1. Is the goal important in its own right rather than as a means to another end?

This flowchart is designed to assist the Board in identifying goal statements that fit the definition of a Board Ends Policy. Ends Policies reflect the educational priorities of our community. They define the purpose of our schools and set direction for the district by identifying the ultimate end targets of the educational process. Other goal statements that describe what must be accomplished in order to reach these ultimate targets function as means, not as ends, and as such belong in the Superintendent’s toolbox. The Board limits these means by stated standards of prudence and ethics but does not prescribe them. Thus the first question to ask when considering if an educational goal should be an Ends Policy is whether it refers to an outcome that is important in its own right rather than as an intermediate step toward a higher target.

2. Is it one of the main reasons we have schools?

Not all goals that are important in their own right are Ends Policies. Policy Governance separates issues of organizational purpose (ends) from all other organizational issues (means). So the next question to ask is whether the goal concerns one of the main reasons we have schools. Does it describe our purpose? If so, the Board may need to write an Ends Policy requiring its accomplishment.

Many district goals are important in their own right but do not reflect the primary purpose of our schools. Such goals are considered means issues. School safety is an example of such a goal. While we build schools to educate children, it is certainly not acceptable that we should fail to keep our students safe while we do so. Superintendent Limitations policies are appropriate in such cases. This distinction ensures these policies are defined proscriptively rather than prescriptively but does not imply that they are less important or should be monitored less closely.

3. Is it a top priority that needs to be driven by specific board policy?

The board cannot determine every result for every child. In order to keep the process of prescribing ends from deteriorating into unnecessary detail the Board first defines Ends in as broad a way as possible. This broad level is open to a wide range of interpretations and the Board may need to define its intentions further. Thus the final question to ask is whether the goal statement is adequately covered by a higher level of policy or needs to be driven by a more specific statement.