Top Strategies to Support a More Tech-Savvy School Board

Lena Eisenstein
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School boards serve their communities as representatives and advocates for local public education. For school boards to be successful, they need to evolve and become more tech-savvy. Boards can use strategic tools and informed practices to perform their best work for the district. Applying the right technology is key to school boards performing efficiently, effectively, and successfully.

Intuitive technology, like board management software, can help school board members become more adept to technological tools while supporting modern governance practices. Tech-savvy boards do not just apply any technology, but seek out resources that can support efficiency and efficacy. Board management software should have key characteristics and features that supports the work to be accomplished for the district and community.

Better Technology for Better Boards

Technology can be intimidating, but it can be a tool that, when properly applied, can support boards in performing their best work and encourage better board performance. School districts are evolving, utilizing the technology that is currently available in classrooms and other formats to benefit students and schools; school board members must do the same. School board management software can be utilized to support modern governance and best practices.

Technology can equip school board members to be more organized, efficient, and effective. Leveraging the right board management software, school boards are better equipped to carry out the mission and vision of the district.

Accessible Board Information

The capability for board members to have access to the materials and information that they need and when they need it creates opportunities. School boards then have the ability to form more strategic decisions related to the district through the constant access to board materials.

Utilizing the right technology school board members can be empowered in their responsibilities through seamless access to important information, board member training and education documents, tracking progress of the strategic plan, and the simplified process of maintaining information for public access.

Modern governance practices support board accessibility through a single, simple, and efficient portal for school board members to retrieve and maintain pertinent information, which can positively impact the work the board achieves for the district.

The procedure of having quick and simplified access to policies related to school board governance sets the board up for success in modern governance practices. Board members and administrators can continuously be mindful of the laws and regulations that guide the actions taken by the board. The right board management software meets the board's current needs, and works to push the board toward better governance practices and accomplishing their best work.

Simplify Meeting Management

Tech-savvy school boards know that technology should streamline certain processes. Utilizing meeting management technology through a school board management software can simplify the preparation and follow-up for school board meetings.

The board can easily create an agenda based on a template that meets your board's specific needs. School board management software supports a variety of attachments and these documents can be linked to specific agenda items. School boards can upload an unlimited number of attachments to each agenda item.

The creation of a meeting minutes document after the board meeting can be an arduous process, especially if the amount of information that must be recorded into the official record is significant. The automated production of the school board's meeting minutes document can really save time and energy, while also improving the accuracy of details and information. This is truly helpful in supporting efficiency and correctness in school board meeting minutes, which are used as an official and legal record of the board's activities and decisions.

Another great feature of meeting management software is that if the school board records meetings through video or audio, the footage of meetings are also able to be attached to minutes. All of these documents and files can then be easily distributed to board members, the public, and other pertinent parties. This level of accessibility to meeting materials empowers individuals who are physically unable to appear at or participate in meetings, but still want to contribute and remain informed of the work being done by the school board.

Secure Software

Some school boards may have concerns regarding technology and some of the risks that are often associated with it. However, tech-savvy boards know the importance of utilizing a secure and intuitive software that mitigates cyber risks, like data loss.

When school boards are utilizing board management software, it is imperative that they look at the features and capabilities of the software in terms of securing sensitive data. The software should promote and support strong cybersecurity practices to protect sensitive data related to the public school district and its students.

Technology Supporting School Board Success

Technology is always transforming and shifting to meet the needs of school boards, administrators, and community members. Community by Diligent is designed to support school boards and the public that they serve.

The investment in software that effectively and efficiently assists in the work of the school board pays for itself. Community by Diligent can support boards in mitigating risk when it comes to sensitive data. Community maintains board information on a private secure server and on sites with high-level encryption (256-bit encryption is the strongest level of security currently available).

School boards have the opportunity to apply technological tools in order to not miss any opportunities for better strategic decision making. Leveraging Community, board and other meeting information and materials can be easily shared and accessed seamlessly through a secure board portal, from any location or device. Not only are public constituents able to access this information (to encourage board compliance with local sunshine laws), but it can be made searchable by keyword.

Community is dedicated to increasing civic engagement through the application of ADA-compliant board management software that is accessible to all. Not only are individuals able to access meeting-related documents anytime and anywhere, but live, fully inclusive meeting participation is now possible.

All school boards can recognize the usefulness of leveraging technology to perform better work for the district. The right technology can mitigate cyber risks, support efficiency, and provide board members and other members of the community with access to pertinent information. Tech-savvy boards take advantage of these resources to go beyond the standard to apply board management software to encourage greater engagement from the public, comply with local and state laws, and support better strategic decision making.
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Lena Eisenstein
Lena Eisenstein is a former Manager at Diligent. Her expertise in mission-driven organizations, including nonprofits, school boards and local governments, centers on how technology and modern governance best practices empower leaders at these organizations to serve their communities with efficiency and purpose.