Preparing to Return: Is Our Leadership Focused on Student Outcomes?

Leadership is not something we wait to step into when the school year begins—it is what we prepare for now.

Whether you are a school board member, superintendent, educator, parent, or advocate, this is the moment to reflect, realign, and ready ourselves for the work ahead.

The legislative session is behind us. Budgets are being finalized. Goals are being written. The next school year is around the corner.

But before the buses roll, before students return to classrooms, and before the first board meeting is called to order, we must ask:

Are we truly focused on improving student outcomes—or just preparing to do what we have always done?

Let us explore that together—and lead forward with renewed purpose.

Q1: What does it mean to be “focused on student outcomes”?

A: Being focused on student outcomes means aligning every decision—whether made in the boardroom, the classroom, or the community—with what’s best for student success. It’s not about adult comfort, politics, or tradition. It’s about ensuring students are learning and growing—in real, measurable ways.

When student outcomes are the priority, we ask:

• Are students meeting grade-level expectations?

• Are they prepared for life after school—college, career, or military service?

• Do we know what students know and are able to do at each grade level?

• Are we removing barriers that hinder learning?

True success is not in seat time, but in mastery. In what students can demonstrate, apply, and achieve.

Q2: How can I tell if my local school board or district is outcome-focused?

A: Look at what they measure—and talk about.

• Do they have clear goals for student achievement, like reading and math proficiency or graduation rates?

• Are they monitoring progress publicly and regularly?

• Are community voices—including yours—reflected in the district’s vision?

If meetings are dominated by adult issues, contracts, or operational noise, but student results are rarely mentioned, that is a red flag.

Q3: What role do families and communities play in student outcomes?

A: A powerful one. Research shows that when families are engaged, students do better—period. Attendance improves. Behavior improves. Learning improves.

Communities can:

• Hold school boards accountable to their mission.

• Support teachers and students through mentoring, volunteering, and partnerships.

• Show up to board meetings, ask questions, and demand transparency.

Q3A: Who is responsible for student outcomes—and how should they work together?

A: Everyone plays a role—but the most effective school systems are those where the school board, superintendent, and community work in partnership with a shared vision.

• The school board sets the vision and goals for what students should know and be able to do.

• The superintendent leads implementation by aligning resources, instruction, and operations to those goals.

• The community brings voice, trust, and accountability—ensuring the work reflects the values and needs of the people.

This collaboration ensures:

• Decisions are data-driven, not politically motivated.

• Progress is public and transparent.

• The vision is shared—not siloed.

  
  

When these three groups work in alignment, students win.

Q4: What are some warning signs that we are not focused on student outcomes?

A:

• Conversations are centered on adult preferences, not student needs.

• Decisions lack data or ignore what the data says.

• Goals are vague—or missing entirely.

• There is no regular, public monitoring of student progress.

• Family engagement is minimal or performative.

As noted in The Effective School Board Member newsletter:

“When boards fail to define the outcomes they’re working toward, or when their time is consumed by mismanaged operations, the focus shifts away from students—and outcomes suffer.”

When we are not focused, student growth slows—and achievement gaps widen.

Q5: What can I do right now to help shift the focus toward student success?

A:

• Educate Yourself – Learn how your district sets and monitors goals.

• Ask Questions – At board meetings, parent groups, or online.

• Get Involved – Join a parent advisory council, volunteer, or participate in community education forums.

• Share What You Learn – With neighbors, church groups, or local leaders.

• Vote – For school board members who prioritize student outcomes and know how to measure what students know and are able to do.

It is time to stop accepting what’s always been and start insisting on what should be.

Because student outcomes don’t change until adult behaviors change—starting with me, starting with you.

Let us lead with love, accountability, and a clear focus on what matters most: What students know, what they can do, and how prepared they are for the world ahead.

In Leadership…

Leadership does not begin in the classroom, at the board table, or behind the superintendent’s desk.

It begins in the decisions we make before the year begins, in the questions we are willing to ask, and in the courage we bring to the work.

In leadership, we do not wait for change—we drive it.

In leadership, we do not settle for what is comfortable—we commit to what is right.

In leadership, we do not make excuses—we measure impact.

If we say we believe in children, then our actions must align with that belief—in how we govern, how we serve, and how we lead.

Related Reading:

For deeper insight into how operational distractions and poor governance impact student success, read:

👉 Operations, Community Issues & Mismanagement – The Effective School Board Member