2nd Edition

The School Board Member's Guidebook Making A Positive Difference Through School Governance

By Ryan Donlan, Todd Whitaker Copyright 2026
136 Pages 3 B/W Illustrations
by Eye On Education

136 Pages 3 B/W Illustrations
by Eye On Education

136 Pages 3 B/W Illustrations
by Eye On Education

Every student deserves a high-impact, well-qualified, and governance-driven school board. In this helpful book, best-selling authors Ryan Donlan and Todd Whitaker show you as a school board member how to make smart, worthwhile decisions that will lead to positive change in your district. The School Board Member’s Guidebook addresses the challenges of making realistic choices that will truly... Read more

1. The Difference Maker  2. How to Find Common Ground  3. How to Maximize Constituencies  4. How to Communicate with and Manage Constituencies  5. What Boards of Education Are Really About  6. How Boards Can Govern More Effectively  7. The Superintendent as Your Shield  8. The Care and Feeding of Community Members  9. Holding Board Meetings  10. Between Board Meetings  11. The Board President: Neither Fish nor Fowl, or is it BOTH Fish and Fowl?  12. Community Caricatures  13. Governing Best: Advancing by Retreating  14. Starting Undefeated

Biography

Ryan Donlan is a Professor of Educational Leadership at Indiana State University and specializes in helping schools with leadership, governance, and performance improvement. He has authored books on governance, leadership, and teaching, including Uncommon Sense for New Teachers: A Good Beginning is Half the Work.

Todd Whitaker is a Research Professor at the University of Missouri. He is a leading presenter in the field of education and has written 65 books, including the national best seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently.