School boards are meant to act as bridges between provincial governments, schools, and communities. But too often, they feel like broken telephones: messages get lost in translation, priorities shift as they move down the chain, and communities are left wondering who is actually listening.
Why It Matters
Parents and students: Need clarity and timely information, not bureaucratic delays.
Teachers and staff: Often feel caught between school-level realities and board-level mandates.
Trust and transparency: When messages are muddled, trust erodes.
Canadian Context
Provincial authority: Education is governed by provinces, but boards are tasked with managing local delivery. This overlap can blur accountability.
Budget bottlenecks: Provincial funding rules sometimes tie the hands of boards, leaving communities blaming the wrong decision-makers.
Representation questions: Are school boards truly representative of their communities, or are they echo chambers for a few voices?
Recent debates: Some provinces (like Nova Scotia) have even abolished elected boards, citing inefficiency and lack of accountability.
The Opportunities
Clearer channels: Streamlined communication tools between boards, schools, and parents.
Direct accountability: Making board decisions transparent and accessible in plain language.
Community involvement: Inviting parents and students into board-level conversations before decisions are made.
Digital engagement: Using online platforms for open dialogue rather than relying on one-way announcements.
The Bigger Picture
If school boards are to fulfill their role as connectors, they need to stop being broken telephones and start being two-way radios. That means listening as much as they speak, and ensuring communities know exactly where decisions are coming from — and why.
The Question
How can school boards move from being message muddling middlemen to clear, accountable partners in education governance?
School Boards and Broken Telephones
The Communication Breakdown
School boards are meant to act as bridges between provincial governments, schools, and communities. But too often, they feel like broken telephones: messages get lost in translation, priorities shift as they move down the chain, and communities are left wondering who is actually listening.
Why It Matters
Canadian Context
The Opportunities
The Bigger Picture
If school boards are to fulfill their role as connectors, they need to stop being broken telephones and start being two-way radios. That means listening as much as they speak, and ensuring communities know exactly where decisions are coming from — and why.
The Question
How can school boards move from being message muddling middlemen to clear, accountable partners in education governance?