Board receives coaching on student-outcome-focused governance

The Long Beach Unified School District board met in a special session to receive governance coaching from the Council of Great City Schools, which urged trustees to prioritize board work—setting goals and guardrails—and to leave operational matters to the superintendent.

Greg Klein, the council coach, gave an overview of the framework’s six core practices and emphasized the premise that “student outcomes don't change until adult behaviors change,” presenting the model as a tool boards can use to focus meetings and agendas on long-term student results. Klein said the board should own goals and guardrails while the superintendent authors interim goals and the aligned initiatives to achieve them.

Board members raised questions about where particular issues fall between board and superintendent responsibilities. Trustees said they appreciated the recommendation to write interim goals, guardrails and aligned initiatives down so the board can monitor progress and ask evidence-based questions about which strategies are driving improvements. The coaches recommended limiting formal board goals to a small number — generally 1–3 goals and 1–3 guardrails — to concentrate resources and oversight.

Klein previewed the timeline the board previously adopted and urged trustees to consider how the timing of new goals would affect budget planning for the 2028–29 cycle. The session closed with agreement to continue the conversation about timing and community engagement at future meetings.