This chart describes the roles and responsibilities of the board and the charter school CEO in critical areas. Review each entry, and revise based on the specific needs and requirements of your organization. This chart should be reviewed annually and updated if necessary. Download a PDF chart below.
Responsibility |
Board of Trustees |
CEO |
Legal |
· Exercises fiduciary role to ensure that the charter school is properly managed. The board should have a mechanism to validate information from the CEO. · Maintains legal status; ensures the proper paperwork is submitted to governmental agencies. · Reviews financial and business dealings and exercises proper judgment in self-dealing transactions (avoiding conflicts of interest). |
· Provides information to the board to demonstrate that the charter school is well managed. · Compiles information for annual filing requirements.
|
Finance and Accounting |
· Approves annual budget. · Reviews periodic financial reports (balance sheet, income statement, changes in financial position). · Ensures that proper internal controls are in place. |
· Prepares annual budget with input from staff and finance committee. · Oversees preparation of periodic financial reports. · Implements proper financial controls. |
Planning |
· Establishes mission and strategic direction for the organization and approves goals and objectives designed to achieve those ends. · Reviews strategic plan and progress. · Assesses compliance/progress in achieving educational and other outcomes agreed to in the charter contract. · Assesses program evaluation plan. |
· Participates in establishing mission and program direction for the organization. · Contributes to the vision of the organization and assists the board in maintaining focus and momentum. · Develops specific program goals and objectives based on the mission. · Develops reports or oversees staff development of reports to demonstrate program progress. |
Policy |
· Develop and adopt written policies. · Review policies periodically. |
· Identifies need for new policies. · Assures the implementation of policies and assists the board in analyzing policy options. |
Personnel |
· Sets and reviews personnel policies. · Hires CEO and evaluates the CEO's performance.
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· Implements personnel policies. · Recommends changes in personnel policies to the board. · Hires all personnel and evaluates performance of staff members (or delegates to appropriate supervisor). |
Resource Development |
· Assures long-range commitments of resources; establishes a fund development plan and participates in its implementation. · Reviews and approves all major grant proposals. |
· Conducts research and maintains information database. · Assists in fund development efforts. · Develops grants, and other funding applications, plans fund-raising events. |
Board Accountability |
· Establishes and communicates clear expectations of board membership. · Assures effective participation of all trustees. |
· Assists in finding, recruiting, screening, selecting, and orienting new trustees. · Facilitates effective communication among board. |
Decision-Making |
· Defines and communicates the role of board, committees, and CEO in making decisions. · Assures appropriate involvement of board trustees in decision-making. |
· Takes action / makes decisions within parameters set by the board; collaborates both with the other staff and board in some decisions. |
Community Relations |
· Promotes the organization to parents and the general public, including serving as an emissary of the organization to the broader community. · Promotes cooperative action with other charter schools, including activities and occasions when the charter school should take part in coalitions, shared programs, joint action, etc. |
· Interprets the mission of the charter school to the community through direct involvement and public relations programs, including personal contact, descriptive program literature, and work with the media; works closely with the board for an effective division of labor. |
Contracts |
· Approves contracts. |
· Manages contracts. |
Updated