Iowa School Boards Foundation

Supporting High Achievement for All Children through Policy Research

The Iowa School Boards Foundation conducts and reviews research to inform IASB and its members about educational policy issues relevant to preK-12 public schools. Through a shared commitment to excellence and equity in student achievement, IASB relies on support from ISBF to provide a sound base of objective, reliable information and research to its members and other education policy makers. The foundation's ground-breaking Lighthouse Study has received national attention for identifying the differences between boards in high- and low-achieving school districts. Efforts of the foundation are funded by private fundraising and grants to ensure that IASB funds from dues or othersources focus on direct member service.

Read below for more information about the foundation or contact Mary Delagardelle, executive director, 1-800-795-4272.

Dedicated to the belief that research is central to improvement in education

Every day, local, state and national leaders make policy decisions that affect the education of children in Iowa public schools. Yet far too often, these leaders lack good information on which to act.

• School boards are challenged by a national education agenda--and their own moral commitment--to create great gains in student achievement, especially for low-achieving students. What can school boards do to meet those challenges?
• School boards are bombarded with claims about "research-based initiatives." Which of these initiatives will be appropriate and meaningful to match the needs of their students?
• State and national leaders consider billions of dollars in public funding for state and federal education programs. Which investments are proven to get results for improved outcomes for students?

The foundation was established to answer those questions and others.

About the Iowa School Boards Foundation

The foundation is responsible for implementing the research policy of the IASB and producing new knowledge and information about

• school board leadership for improving student achievement,
• district actions and decisions that impact achievement,
• beliefs and practices of Iowa school board members that impact student achievement, and
• policy level support for practices that impact student achievement.

Mission

To foster excellence and equity in public education by providing objective, reliable information and research to school boards and other education policy makers.

Goals

• To implement a research agenda associated with educational policy issues relevant to preK-12 public schools and provide a knowledge base for use by policy makers.

• To develop the foundation as a respected, unbiased and credible source of information related to current and emerging educational policy issues.

• To maintain the highest standards in donor relationships, fund stewardship and promotion of philanthropy.

Key Stategies

1. Apply various research approaches to create knowledge and inform education policy makers about educational policy issues.

2. Synthesize and report summaries of existing research.

3. Establish partnerships with other organizations and agencies with similar interests.

4. Build the financial base of the foundation.

5. Increase the capacity of IASB to serve education policy makers.

Lasting Benefits through Informed Decisions

Those who benefit from the foundation’s work include:

• School board members who make choices about policies and resources that shape education in their communities, as the foundation’s work results in improved services for IASB members.
• State and federal legislators who make decisions about state and federal support and mandates.
• Iowa citizens who care about the return on investment of $3.6 billion in public funds in education.
• Most crucially, the 485,000 Iowa students whose future will be affected by better informed decisions.

The foundation accomplishes its mission by activities such as:

• Conducting original research focused on improving school board effectiveness in governing for high student achievement.
• Helping school boards and communities face current challenges, such as ensuring students have quality early childhood literacy so that all children learn to read well.
• Providing research briefs and analysis to help policy makers address critical issues of educational improvement.

The foundation’s projects provide models intended to be applicable across all school districts in Iowa and potentially, the nation. 

Current Projects

The Lighthouse Project and Research

In the arena of educational research, the effect of school boards on student achievement is largely uncharted territory.  Since 1998, IASB has been a leader in this area with the Lighthouse project and research, which has grown from an initial study released in 2000 to two expanded projects.

The original ground-breaking Lighthouse Study received national attention for identifying the differences between boards in high- and low-achieving school districts. The second phase of the study is the first of its kind to identify:

• five key roles of the school board for improving student learning,
• seven important areas of performance for fulfilling those roles, and
• the knowledge and skills board members need to improve those performance areas.

The results of the second phase of the study generated enough national interest to launch a third phase in which nine states and over 100 school districts are studying how to scale-up board development directly related to school boards’ role for improving student learning.

Each phase of the project is briefly described below:

• Original Lighthouse Study (1998–2000):  The study showed that school boards in districts with a history of higher student achievement were significantly different in knowledge, beliefs and actions from the boards in the lower achieving districts. This study became one of the first and only studies that made a credible research-based connection between the work of the school board and levels of student achievement.
• The Iowa Lighthouse Project (2002–2007):  Preliminary results in five pilot districts reveal significant learning about key behaviors of the board/superintendent team that influence district culture and are correlated with higher achievement. When boards in these sites have focused on creating a sense of urgency, developing a districtwide focus for improvement, creating conditions within the system for success, monitoring progress, deliberative policy development, and developing a leadership continuum, student learning results have shown positive trends of improvement.
• Lighthouse Multi-State Project:  Board Leadership for Student Achievement:  A five-year national study will replicate the Lighthouse approach developed in Iowa to test its effectiveness in five states and compare its effectiveness with best practices of state school board associations for developing board leadership for improving student learning in three additional states.

For more information on the Lighthouse Project, contact Hilary LaMonte, information management consultant, or Mary Delagardelle, executive director.

Communities for Literate Iowa Kids (CLIK)

Ensuring all children learn to read well is an investment that will pay dividends across society and our economy for years to come: more efficient use of education dollars, higher student achievement, stronger economic productivity, a more effective work force, less drain on welfare programs, and reduced crime.  That’s the legacy of quality, literacy-based early childhood experiences.

To promote effective policy and best practice resulting in the early literacy development of all Iowa children, the Communities for Literate Iowa Kids (CLIK) project serves educational policy makers, business leaders and other key stakeholders with credible research, information and tools related to quality early literacy and early childhood issues. An example is the recent launch of ISBF’s Preschool Collaboration Tool Kit designed to support schools and communities in the application and implementation of the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program.

For information on CLIK, contact Lou Ann Gvist, CLIK project director.

Leadership and Governance

The foundation is an affiliate of IASB and is governed by a board of directors who link the foundation to public schools, private sector and education reform experts. The board provides vision and sets priorities in alignment with the mission of IASB, and plays a major role in fund raising, through their own gifts and by opening doors to corporate, foundation and individual donors.

Research on State Policies for Improved Student Achievement

For a presentation on our recent "Research on State Policies for Improved Student Achievement," click here.