Alpharetta, GA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/16/2012 --Educational advisory company School Growth today releases its research-based web application designed to improve the performance of school boards in public, charter, and independent school settings.

The School Growth Board Index provides school administrators the feedback and resources needed to evaluate and improve board performance:

· Assesses the performance of each trustee and the board as a whole
· Assures legal and regulatory compliance
· Accesses online materials for trustee orientation and professional development
· Acclimates the board to current education issues and trends
· Addresses the board's need for feedback and benchmarks

School Growth’s Chief Reinvention Officer, Scott Barron, views The Board Index as a vital part of providing direction for a school board. “I’ve never seen a high performing school that had a dysfunctional school board. Excellence starts at the top, with clear metrics and real-time feedback to build purpose, focus, and improvement. The School Growth Board Index is like a GPS for the board—providing the trustees with a map to positively contribute to the health and growth of the school. It also provides access to a library of resources for board orientation and training.”

According to research conducted by Dr. Jason Grissom of The Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs, the health of a board has implications for organizational outcomes that fall under the close control of the board and also for outcomes in more distant parts of the organization. So, a board in conflict can create disastrous results throughout the system. The School Growth Board Index addresses specific compliance issues in order to make the board’s impact a positive one for the organization:

· Strategic plan with actionable results
· Clear delineation between governance and management
· Minimum criteria for board training and certification
· Notified all conflicts of interest
· Appropriate self-assessment

The School Growth Board Index was created to help boards become models of high performance in their schools. The Index enables boards to set a tone and pace that will have lasting impact on their entire community.

Schools can request a free Board Index consultation at the Board Index webpage: www.schoolgrowth.com/services/board-index/.