THE POLITICS OF EXCELLENCE - TRUSTEE LEADERSHIP AND SCHOOL-DISTRICT ETHOS

This article examines the role of school boards in the development of a productive ethos in nine school districts in British Columbia. A pro ductive district ethos was associated with higher than expected studen t achievement and lower than expected costs over a five-year period. T he more successful boards were found: (a) to be considerably more know ledgeable about district programs and practices; (b) to have a clearer sense of what they wanted to accomplish, based on a set of firmly hel d values and beliefs; and (c) to engage in activities that provided th em with opportunities to articulate and discuss these values and belie fs with educators in the district.