Silver State Governance (SSG) is a first of it's kind school board training initiative.

Founded on research, SSG is a continuous-improvement model for governing teams - board in collaboration with their superintendents - who choose to focus intensely on only one primary objective:

Improving student outcomes

Governance teams drive focus on improving student outcomes, the SSG philosophy and practices provide a system for managing the vital, though secondary, legal and fiscal responsibilities of the board. 

At the root of this work is the underlying belief that leadership matters; leaders' choices have the power to be transformative in the lives of our students. Therefore, the workshop is destined as a conversation about governance behaviors that lead to improved student outcomes and draws from research as well as promising practices from participant experience. The two-day workshop provides a supportive space where governing teams learn about and prepare for the intense focus on improving student outcomes as described in the SSG Implementation Integrity Instrument.

The Silver State Governance Manual includes five specific tools:

• Implementation SSG Instrument

• Board's Time Use Tracker

• Board's Staff Use Tracker

• Board's Quarterly Progress Tracker

• Sample Policies and Documents

Who should attend a Silver State Governance workshop?
All school boards and superintendents statewide are welcome to attend SSG workshops. Silver State Governance e workshops are specifically designed for school board members and superintendents. 

Do all school board members and superintendent need to participate in the two-day sessions?
Board members and superintendents are welcome to attend any SSG Workshop, but in order to earn a Silver State Governance Certificate, all members of the board and the superintendent must attend the entirety of the SSG Workshop.

Can other members of our leadership team attend the two-day workshop?
Yes. Other members of the leadership team, at the discretion of the superintendent, may attend the SSG Workshop.

When and where are the next Silver State Governance workshops scheduled?
Districts interested in attending an upcoming SSG Workshop can contact Dr. Oliver at NASB at doliver@nvasb.org.

What happens after the workshop?
The data is very clear, the implementation after the SSG Workshop is what creates the environment for the local school system to improve student outcomes. Following the two-day workshop, school boards and superintendents will be encouraged to engage with a SSG Coach for on-going support in implementing the mindset, knowledge, and skills gleaned during the SSG Workshop, evaluating their progress along the way. 

• Roles and Responsibilities of Local School Board Members in Relation to Student Achievement, Mary Delagardelle (2006)

• Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards, National School Board Association (2011)

• The Impact of School Board Governance on Academic Achievement in Diverse States, Michael Ford (2013) 

• The Relationship Between School Board Governance Behaviors and Student Achievement, Ivan J. Lorentzen (2013)

• School Boards and Student Achievement: The Relationship between Previously Identified School Board Characteristics and Improved Student Learning, Jonathon Holmen (2016)

• School District Leadership That Works, J. Timothy Waters & Robert Marzano (2006)

• Policy Governance Consistency Framework, International Policy Governance Association

• The 4 Disciplines of Execution, Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, & Jim Huling

• Boards That Make A Difference, John Carver

• Good To Great, Jim Collins

• The Fifth Discipline, Peter M. Senge

• Leadership and Self-Deception, The Arbinger Institute

• Crucial Conversations, Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, & Al Switzler

• Immunity To Change, Robert Kegan & Lisa Lahey

• ​The Future of School Board Governance, Thomas L. Alsbury

• The Relationship Between School Board Governance Behaviors and Student Achievement, Ivan J. Lorentzen

• School District Leadership That Works, J. Timothy Waters & Robert J. Marzano

• The Impact of School Board Governance on Academic Achievement in Diverse States, Michael Ford

• The Role of School Boards in Improving Student Achievement, Washington State School Directors' Association

• Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards, Center for Public Education

• Does School Board Leadership Matter?, Arnold F. Shober & Michael T. Hartney

• The Governance Factor: A Predictive Study of School Board Influence on Student Achievement in SSG Public Schools, Marc Puig

• The Lighthouse Inquiry: School Board/Superintendent Team Behaviors in School Districts with Extreme Differences in Student Achievement, The Iowa Association of School Boards

• School Board Governance and Student Achievement: School Board Members' Perceptions of Their Behaviors and Beliefs, Bobbie Plough

• School Boards and Student Achievement: The Relationship between Previously Identified School Board Characteristics and Improved Student Learning, Jonathon Holmen

• Pennsylvania Public School Board Effectiveness: Does It Influence Student Performance?, Aiko Maurer