In keeping with the need for continuing professional development to enhance effective governance, Bellingham Public Schools encourages the participation of its members at appropriate board conferences, workshops, and conventions. Additionally, board members will obtain the trainings required by Washington state. Funds for board leadership training and professional development will be budgeted for on an annual basis.
Required Training for School Board Directors
There are two areas of training required by Washington state:
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Open Government Training
School board directors must receive Open Government training no later than 90 days after they take their oath of office or assume their duties. They can take the training before they are sworn in or assume their duties of office. School board directors must also receive 鈥渞efresher鈥 training at intervals of no more than four years, so long as they remain on the school board. Open Government training is available from the Washington Attorney General鈥檚 Office () and at the annual conference of the Washington state school directors鈥 association.
Cultural Competency, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Training
Beginning with the 2022 calendar year, each member of a board of directors shall complete a governance training program once per term of elected office. If the director is appointed or elected to a first term of office, the director must complete governance training requirements within two years of appointment or certification of the election in which they were elected.
The governance training completed by directors must be aligned with the cultural competency, diversity, equity and inclusion standards for school director governance developed and provided by the Washington State School Directors鈥 Association. Per Washington state law, the required training elements for both first and subsequent school director terms are defined by the Washington state school directors鈥 association.
Recommended Professional Development for School Directors
In addition to the required areas of training above, Bellingham Public Schools is committed to ongoing professional development both for individual school board directors and the board as whole. Each school board director is a member of the Washington State School Directors鈥 Association, which provides professional development and resources at its annual conference and through year-round leadership development services for individual school board directors and boards.
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1005 – Key Functions of the Board 1731 鈥 Board Member Expenses 1805 鈥 Open Government Trainings 1810 鈥 Annual Governance Goals and Objectives 1820 鈥 Board Self-Assessment
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| Legal References: | Content |
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RCW 28A.345.120 School director governance 鈥 Cultural competency, diversity, equity and inclusion 鈥 Training programs |
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