Charter school boards use a variety of tools to help manage their meetings. For example, I have observed some boards using Google Drive to assist with the myriad of documents. Although not entirely secure for sensitive documents, this is clearly an option.
However, advances in technology brings many new tools into the boardroom making the business of managing charter school boards much more efficient. Charter schools are increasingly finding that electronic board portals incorporate many helpful templates and processes within the security of a portal.
As Board Chair of KIPP Minnesota for five years, I found board meeting preparation very time consuming. The meeting cycle required careful attention to detail which was compounded by a lack of a centralized board platform.
Meeting Preparations
A whirlwind of activity occurs preparing for a board meeting, creating an agenda, gathering reports, ensuring quorum and complying with Open Meeting Law, finalizing the meeting location, distributing board packets and ensuring your authorizer is included in the process.
Portal Advantage:
Following through on task completion
The meeting may generate some action items for board members. And some of the agenda items may have been tabled or moved to committee work.
Portal Advantage:
To streamline annual tasks, our board management portal, partnering with BoardEffect, provides Minnesota specific tools and templates to complete the following processes:
Sample Documents and Resources
In addition to built-in survey applications, the library boasts over 140 sample documents, articles and studies. No need to recreate a nomination form, board dashboard, school goals framework, election ballot or leadership succession plan. Simply access the library charter school resource center. Laborious tasks that once took hours now take just minutes to implement.
Best practices and Minnesota law indicate charter boards should provide annual board development. Access to the following assists the onboarding of new board members.
Board Basics Webinar Series – We provide a seamless, convenient platform to train board members complete with authorizer report generation. Our growing library presented by local Minnesota experts include:
Board Chats – A monthly charter school conference call available for discussions and questions with fellow Minnesota board members. Do you have questions regarding Issues such as performance reviews, Minnesota Open Meeting Law, succession planning or engaging board members? Jump on anytime for a quick question or stay the entire 60 minutes and join in on the conversation.
Board Handbook – Use our board handbook function and template for ease of a professionally formatted electronic handbook.
Technology applications provide many benefits for boards as they strive for greater transparency and accountability. An electronic board portal is a one-stop solution that sets the stage for improved communication, greater board member engagement, enhanced collaboration and informed connectivity across board cycles.
Click here to learn more about our board management portal.