Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kennewick board reviews annual self-assessment, debates survey anonymity and follow-up actions
Summary
At its semiannual retreat the Kennewick School District board reviewed aggregated results from an annual self-assessment, discussed how to get more actionable feedback (including whether the survey should remain anonymous) and asked staff to collect cabinet input for a follow-up report over the summer.
Kennewick School District board members met at a semiannual retreat to review the board’s annual self-assessment, compare results with prior years and give staff direction on next steps.
The self-assessment work was led by a consultant, Cindy, who said, “I did not bring a PowerPoint presentation, but I did bring a worksheet” for board members to use during discussion. The consultant walked the board through aggregate data showing higher average scores this year and areas with wider variation among members.
Board members discussed whether the anonymous format used for the survey helps candor or prevents productive follow-up. One board member called the exercise “an assessment of how we view our performance,” and several members said they would prefer a way to connect specific responses to follow-up conversations without exposing staff or individual respondents to undue pressure. The board asked staff to consult with WASDA (the Washington Association of School Directors) about options to preserve candor but permit targeted discussion where standard deviations indicate disagreement.
The meeting’s discussion also emphasized that the assessment should lead to concrete next steps rather than remain a self-congratulatory exercise. Cindy summarized the packet’s analysis, including question-level detail and standard deviations, and advised the board that the most value comes from items where members disagree.
Directives and next steps included asking the superintendent and cabinet to: collect additional clarifying input from the district’s leadership team, consider a mechanism for cabinet-to-board feedback that protects staff from retaliation, and return to the board over the summer with options for a nonanonymous or identifiable-response mechanism (for board members who opt-in) or an executive summary of cabinet feedback. The board also agreed to review draft revisions and final strategic objectives in August and approve the updated strategic plan in September.
Board members emphasized maintaining respectful internal debate and using the assessment to improve processes, including communication of board priorities into the district. The retreat closed the self-assessment segment with agreement that the tool should drive a small set of clear improvements rather than a long list of changes.
