Racine Unified board hears consultant: align strategic plan with coherent governance

At a meeting of the Racine Unified School District Board of Education, governance consultant Dr. Steech told trustees the board should define broad results and leave operational and strategy decisions to the superintendent and staff, arguing that helps create clear accountability.

The consultant emphasized that “if you are responsible for a decision, you have the accountability for that decision,” and urged trustees to limit board direction to high-level outcomes rather than operational details. He said the board’s principal responsibility is to “define the desired results for the district students and require their achievement.”

The message responded to board concerns that the district’s current strategic plan — adopted in 2022 and widely developed with staff and community input — became “murky,” with board members unclear whether it was the board’s plan or the…