The District 120 School Board earned state recognition for their effective governance behaviors, the Illinois Association of School Boards announced.

The Board was one of 35 Illinois school districts honored with the School Board Governance Recognition. It recognizes the Board’s effective governance behaviors and their commitment toward obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively govern the district.

“This is a well-deserved honor for the entire Board of Education,” District 120 Superintendent Kevin Myers said. “This is a dedicated group of people who are doing everything to positively impact student outcomes and improve organizational effectiveness.”

IASB’s School Board Governance Recognition program acknowledges local boards of education that practice good governance behaviors as outlined by IASB's Foundational Principles of Effective Governance. The focus of Governance Recognition is on full board development and participation, rather than on individual members. Boards of education that meet the necessary requirements are recognized for the two-year honorary distinction.

The District 120 School Board has shown commitment to IASB Foundational Principles in several ways including its orientation process for newly seated board members, its implementation of a formal Equity Policy for the district, its communication with the public and its Playbook that helps evaluate its work and helps administration to continue moving in the right direction.

The formal Equity Policy, passed in April of 2021, was an historic measure that directs the district to address the systemic barriers to equity and creates a system that values the racial and ethnic diversity of students, contributing to successful outcomes for all students as well as the community and society.

The Board’s Playbook helps evaluate how it is progressing as well as providing input to the administration. The Board also makes sure new members have received mentoring, attend professional development opportunities and are prepared to best meet the needs of students.

The Board will be formally recognized at the IASB’s Lake Division meeting on Oct. 13.

The Illinois Association of School Boards is a voluntary organization of local boards of education dedicated to strengthening the public schools through local citizen control. Although not a part of state government, IASB is organized by member school boards as a private not-for-profit corporation under authority granted by Article 23 of The Illinois School Code.            

More information about the IASB School Board Governance Recognition program can be found on the Illinois Association of School Boards website.