Strong risk oversight has become one of the most essential responsibilities of today’s school boards and superintendents. Managing risk in education goes beyond compliance and insurance policies; it’s about safeguarding the conditions that allow students to learn and teachers to thrive. It requires coordination, communication and a commitment to seeing potential challenges before they become full-blown crises.

To understand how school districts can build that kind of resilience, we spoke with two leaders on the front lines of educational governance: Dr. Gabriel Trujillo, Superintendent of Tucson Unified School District, and Nathan Mains, CEO of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. Both bring unique perspectives on how proactive oversight helps districts anticipate risk, strengthen decision-making and keep the focus where it belongs: on students and their success.

What is risk oversight in the context of school boards?

Risk oversight has a strong presence in the corporate world but also must be a central part of school governance. Both Trujillo and Mains sketched out the responsibilities of school boards in this key area.

Trujillo defines it as “lessening the probability or the possibility of physical or emotional injury to students or staff, and then also simultaneously lessening or minimizing the possibility of formal legal action in the form of litigation because of injury to student or staff.”

 includes creating structures, policies and processes that minimize the possibility of financial malfeasance or criminal misconduct. 

For Mains, it’s a comprehensive term that reflects the school board’s responsibility to all levels of their district: “School boards, of course, are responsible for oversight of their local district, but they need to take a deeper dive and be well-informed, get ahead of the curve and look at what the prospective risks are. Identify those (risks) and provide the resources and the support so that the folks that operate the district day-to-day — the school superintendents, the principals — are able to better manage and better see those things coming around the bend.”

Why risk oversight matters for school boards

“When you look at the service that we provide from the time students walk into a building to the time that they leave us,” Trujillo says, “all day is filled with possibilities of risk. What are the structures and the teams and the processes that you put in place to manage that risk?”

Communities are entrusting their children to the local schools, and they are relying on leaders to ensure that undue risk is minimized, from classroom to playground to cafeteria and beyond. And beyond physical safety, local citizens want to know financial resources are being protected, including budget dollars, facilities, equipment and more. Poor risk management can lead to litigation, financial loss and reputational damage.

In one example, Trujillo points to risk mitigation around transportation, noting, “It could be anything from cameras on our school buses or the placement of monitors on our school buses, right? That's called risk mitigation. It could be the careful consideration of where you put bus stops. This is why we don't put bus stops on major thoroughfares. We put them into the neighborhoods where buses have to pull off. That's risk mitigation.”

Thinking like a risk manager can be a significant change for a new board member, or one serving on a board that has not previously prioritized risk oversight. Risk categories can include the following:

Physical safety: Transportation, facilities, student behavior

Financial oversight: Budget management, fundraising, procurement

Cybersecurity: Increasing threats and the need for data protection

Compliance: Navigating local, state and federal regulations

Mains describes the revelation that hits board leaders, saying, “You could be a parent that's passionate about athletics. And so you're coming in to make sure that the district's addressing the needs there correctly. Once you get to the table, you're going to be confronted, if you're not already aware, with (it being) a much bigger, more comprehensive role. The job is not down in the weeds the way that the public may think. It is much more of a position of looking broadly at the district, understanding the great challenges and the opportunities that are there.

“And then (you’re) thinking a little more long-term about, ‘What are the risks if we go this way?’”

Trujillo itemizes the many aspects of financial risk: “You are an organization that deals with hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money. So, there's financial risk involved, right? There's cash handling going on at schools every single day, whether it's the local PTA fundraiser, selling water before the football game or the softball team selling candy because they're trying to raise money for the team's Disneyland trip.

“Somebody somewhere is handling cash, and, if you don't have structured risk mitigation structures and practices around the handling of that cash, the environment is right for financial misconduct. It's the same thing with your budget.”

For more on financial risk oversight, Diligent offers a 

 for public education leaders as well as an in-depth guide to 

Download this free step-by-step playbook for elected officials and public administrators navigating risk, regulation and responsibility

Outsmart financial surprises

For boards new to risk oversight or taking a new look at integrating this effort, there are key strategies to adopt.

Set transparent, accessible and enforceable policies

Use scenario planning such as cyberattack simulations and safety drills

Adopt consistent training and education schedules, leveraging school board associations and institutes

Make use of technology like board management software for transparency and compliance

Establish committees to support the board’s work.

On the last point, committees such as those for audit and bond oversight can be effective strategies for many boards. Trujillo describes these committees and the roles they play in his district. He explains, “Our school board has set a policy that we have an audit committee made up of members of the public that are appointed by the board that the administration meets with every single month. The audit committee reviews our financials and also any complaints that come in from the community that allege that one of our employees has a financial conflict of interest.”

He adds, “In the case of our $480 million capital bond that the voters approved, it's $480 million for facilities, renovations and upgrades. Our board didn't just want the administration running point on all this money. So, they called for the creation of a bond oversight committee that oversees all of the procurement and all of our engagement with vendors. They review our proposed expenditures to make sure that they are aligned to what the voters approved. It's publicly accessible, it's transparent and it holds the administration accountable.”

The first step to building a culture of risk awareness may surprise you. Mains describes it as simply developing board relationships, with “a recognition that we're not always going to agree. You've got nine unique individuals there, but if you can, get beyond ‘let's agree to disagree.’ Let's take up this issue. And I want to understand where you are, and you want to understand where I am. If we can arrive at an appreciation that we're not always going to be in the same place, it fosters more trust, and that greater sense of trust and collaboration will get you further when the tough issues really hit.

“So, I think that's vital to figure out a way to open up those communication channels and bond as a board.”

As noted earlier, scenario planning also can help with getting board members in the right frame of mind, and real-world scenarios can be particularly effective. There are many real-world stories to pull from. When studying these stories, board leaders can frame risk mitigation as a commitment to student safety and community trust.

Another piece Mains encourages is “staying well-informed of everything that's happening around you, because you're going to have an easier time recognizing those prospective risks on the horizon if you're staying connected.” Strategies for staying informed could include following state-association messaging and conversations, attending conferences and reading on subjects that extend beyond education, to technology, community development and other issues that may affect schools.

Trujillo describes how his district uses a board management solution to strengthen its relationship with the community: "Transparency is the strongest aspect of it. When you look at our accountability structures like a bond oversight committee and audit committee, they're using Diligent to share agendas, meeting minutes and other key information direct to the community. If a community member thinks that we are favoring one vendor over another on a project at one of our high schools that was approved through the bond project or the bond program, they can actually go on our board management solution and they can look at the meeting in which bond oversight committee reviewed the vendor quotes and looked at the procurement timeline. That's the magic, right? That's what keeps people's confidence in the school board.”

The right board management solution will balance this transparency with security and privacy elements that keep the district’s sensitive data safe.

If your board is lagging on risk oversight efforts, take comfort that you are not alone, but it is time to act. Trujillo advises, “Be transparent and be honest with your school board. If you're talking about administration, if you're a new superintendent and a new CFO, and you see that there is a total and complete lack of effective financial controls, have a conversation — like yesterday — with your school board. You can do it in executive session with your general counsel in attendance.”

It’s time to start auditing and asking for help. “School boards are made up of regular people who want to do right and understand that school districts aren't perfect,” Trujillo says. “Take that opportunity to be honest with them and say, ‘Let's put some effective financial controls in together. Let's go get an expert. Let's do an audit. Let's take this out into the public and frame it as a growth area. Hey, listen, we have concerns.’ We view it as a district growth area. We want to have strong financial controls.”

Last, no matter where your board is in the process, frame gaps in risk oversight as growth opportunities, not failures. By shifting the mindset from blame to improvement, boards can foster a culture of accountability and continuous progress.

Mains offers this observation: “Information is king. Relationships are second. If you've got strong relationships up and down the organization, you're going to get the right information. It's going to make your lives a lot easier.”

Trujillo emphasizes the transparent financial oversight structures that have worked for his district, but also the human aspect, saying, “We're about keeping who parents love most in this life safe when they're with us. Because parents trust us with who they love most in this life for about eight hours a day. And if we're doing everything that we can to keep them safe, that in and of itself is risk mitigation.”

Risk oversight is a shared responsibility that strengthens governance and community trust.

Diligent Community for risk-aware governance

Effective risk oversight starts with access to the right information, securely, efficiently and in one place. Diligent Community is a cloud-based board management platform built for the public sector, with secure servers and 256-bit encryption to protect school districts’ most confidential data.

It’s centralized, secure and streamlined, with one hub for all materials. Store agendas, minutes and financial reports in a single, searchable document library — no more digging through emails or shared drives. Compliance and transparency functions are built-in, supporting open meeting laws and strengthening community trust by making decisions and oversight activities easy to access. By keeping discussions and document sharing within the platform, boards reduce risks associated with email or unsecured channels.

Other Diligent Community features include:

Livestream Manager: Broadcast meetings directly to your district’s public governance site with high-quality video, split-screen agendas and time-stamped recordings, making transparency simple.

Policy Publisher: Digitally manage the entire policy lifecycle with version control, auditable history timelines, adoption voting and one-click publication to your online handbook.

Committee Manager: Create dedicated, secure spaces for risk or finance committees with customizable permissions and approval workflows.

Diligent AI Risk Essentials: Use this AI-powered tool that benchmarks risk data and helps leaders spot emerging issues before they escalate. It also offers guided onboarding and access to the Diligent Institute’s new ERM Certification, supporting ongoing education and governance excellence.

With Diligent Community, your board can simplify oversight, strengthen public trust and stay ready for whatever comes next. 

 to learn more about how Diligent can support your district’s risk oversight. 

School leaders speak: Expert advice on managing risk in public education

 aren’t just events, they’re launchpads for smarter work, stronger networks and fresh ideas. They’re not just about sitting through sessions, they’re about leveling up your skills, discovering smarter ways to work and connecting with people who truly get the highs and lows of public service. 

From expert-led workshops to inspiring keynotes and buzzing networking events, conferences are designed to energize and empower. But let’s be real: walking away with a notebook full of ideas doesn’t always translate into action.

That’s where strategy comes in. With the right approach before, during and after the event, you can turn inspiration into impact and bring real value back to your community.

clerks and local government professionals

 can make the most of every conference moment. 

Plan ahead: Know your sessions, goals and key connections

Whether it’s a state municipal association meeting, a national governance summit or a regional leadership workshop, preparation is key to a productive conference. Careful review of the agenda in advance helps you to identify which sessions align best with your professional goals.

This advance planning is especially important if you’re seeking continuing education credits or micro credits by attending the conference. Confirm which sessions qualify for credits by reaching out to the event organizer, education coordinator or regional association president.

When planning your session schedule, take time to also look over the companies who will be exhibiting at the conference. Identify a few key vendors or exhibitors you want to engage with and schedule meetings with them before the conference. Meeting one-on-one with a vendor or company representative can be more productive and valuable than short conversations in a crowded and noisy tradeshow environment.

Once the conference begins, make the most of every learning opportunity. Take detailed notes and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Participate in formal and informal discussions to deepen your understanding of the topics presented.

Consider pairing with a colleague as a “conference buddy.” Plan to attend different sessions and reconvene at the end of the day to share insights and key takeaways. This approach not only broadens your exposure to new information, but it also helps reinforce learning through discussion and reflection.

Planning and engagement transforms can transform your conference experience by ensuring you can apply the knowledge you gain to your role.

Get practical tools, real-world AI tactics and a clear plan to drive impact in your organization from day one at Elevate 2026.

Make change happen faster

Network with purpose and enjoy the experience

Beyond the sessions and workshops, conferences are valuable spaces for connection. Receptions, social gatherings, and even informal meals and coffee breaks can lead to meaningful professional relationships beyond the conference.

, networking can be one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience. Complimenting a presentation, asking about another attendee’s experiences, or sharing your favorite session to an attendee sitting next to you at breakfast can open the door to lasting professional connections.

Remember you are representing your employer at these public events. Maintaining a balance between professionalism and approachability reflects positively on you. And while it’s important to stay focused on learning, remember that taking time to enjoy the conference experience contributes to stronger, more authentic relationships with colleagues and peers.

Keep operations running smoothly while you’re away

Attending a conference sometimes requires finding ways to stay lightly connected to work back home. Dedicating just 15 minutes a day to check in on key communications or pending items can prevent backlogs and reduce stress when you return.

Technology can make it easier to stay connected. With Diligent Community, 

 can securely access agenda packets, documents and correspondence from anywhere. This remote access ensures important tasks continue smoothly, even while away. Digital accessibility means you can focus on professional development without losing touch with critical responsibilities. 

The real success of professional conference lies in how its insights, experiences, connections and lessons are applied afterward. Upon returning to the office, take time to debrief with your team and share what you learned. Identify actionable ideas, new tools or process improvements that could strengthen governance, transparency or community engagement 

Turning inspiration into implementation ensures that the benefits of professional development extend beyond the individual. These actions enhance efficiency, collaboration and service across your entire organization.

Conferences serve as reminders of how important communication and organization are to effective leadership. Diligent Community supports clerks and administrators by providing a centralized platform for agenda management, document collaboration and secure information sharing. 

Whether attending a conference or managing day-to-day operations, teams can stay connected and aligned with Diligent Community.

Continuous learning and connection are vital to effective local governance. To explore how Diligent Community can help your team stay organized, transparent and future-ready, wherever your next conference takes you, 

How to get the most out of your next professional government conference

This article originally appeared in our November 20th edition of the Diligent Minute Newsletter. For more insights like these, delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe

Boards in transition: Why active, data-driven governance is the 2026 imperative

Boards entered 2025 facing rising heightened risk, economic volatility, and an urgent mandate to modernize oversight. We recently hosted Diligent’s Elevate Leadership Summit, a by-invitation event where corporate directors, executives and leading experts gathered for candid, Chatham House Rule-style discussions on today’s challenges and the future of corporate governance.

Top Board Governance Trends for 2026: Active, Data‑Driven Oversight

Across sessions, a clear throughline emerged: the most effective boards are shifting from passive oversight to active, data-driven governance with disciplined processes and human judgment at the center. Here’s what our expert speakers and experienced director attendees had to say about the trends to watch in 2026:

From passive to active GRC, augmented by AI

Active GRC is replacing passive oversight as directors confront increasing risk and low confidence in near-term conditions. 

Speakers urged leaders to augment teams with AI agent

s to handle foundational tasks and “ask the next question,” freeing capacity for strategy amid resource constraints. The shift isn’t about automation for the sake of it; it’s about using technology to strengthen discipline, improve foresight and increase resiliency in governance processes.

AI governance: Measure what people actually do

The biggest AI risk isn’t only technical, it’s invisible usage

. Effective AI governance should incorporate real usage metrics

, not just periodic sentiment surveys, so boards and management can see where tools are actively embedded in work and where shadow adoption may be creating risk. Pair cultural encouragement (safe experimentation and knowledge sharing) with “lighthouse” projects that prove measurable value, building confidence while establishing standards that scale.

Culture oversight is expanding and needs better data

Board oversight of culture has outgrown legacy tools as public trust shifts towards employers and brands, and employees increasingly make choices based on societal values. Activism is rising, yet many boards still haven’t addressed company stances on social issues. Leaders discussed responsibly tapping a broader range of anonymized, unstructured data, such as employee intranet messages and chat activity, to surface actionable insights, while ensuring that individual employees aren’t singled out or penalized for raising concerns.

Board Priorities and Next Steps for 2026 and Beyond

The year ahead will reward boards that turn judgement into action: clear crisis protocols, richer data streams on people and culture, pragmatic compensation strategies, and stepwise AI adoption grounded in how employees actually use it. The common denominator is disciplined curiosity. The best directors will ask sharper questions, measure what matters and adapt faster.

If these insights resonate with your board or leadership team, start with a structured review of your speak-up mechanisms, succession playbooks, culture data sources and AI governance metrics to ensure they match today’s pace of change. Then, pick one “lighthouse” initiative to prove value within the next two quarters — and use what you learn to scale.

 to dive deeper and benchmark your board’s readiness for 2026 and beyond.

Ten insights shaping boards in the year ahead

Boards entered 2025 facing rising risk, economic volatility, and an urgent mandate to modernize oversight. At Diligent, we recently hosted the Elevate Leadership Summit, a by‑invitation gathering of corporate directors and executives alongside a curated set of experts, for confidential, Chatham House Rule-style discussions to dissect these issues and look to the future of corporate governance.

Across sessions, a clear through‑line emerged: the most effective boards are shifting from moving from passive oversight to active, data‑driven governance with disciplined processes and human judgment at the center. Here’s what our expert speakers and experienced director attendees had to say about the trends to watch out for in 2026:

1) From passive to active GRC—augmented by AI

Active GRC is replacing passive oversight as directors confront increasing risk and low confidence in near‑term conditions. Speakers suggested augmenting teams with AI agents to handle foundational tasks and “ask the next question,” freeing leaders to focus on strategy amid resource constraints.

2) AI governance: Measure what people actually do 

The biggest AI risk isn’t only technical, it’s invisible usage. AI governance should incorporate real usage metrics, not just periodic sentiment surveys, and pair cultural encouragement (safe experimentation and knowledge‑sharing) with “lighthouse” projects that prove measurable value to employees and shareholders.

3) Culture oversight is expanding and needs better data

Board oversight of culture has outgrown legacy tools. Public trust continues to concentrate on employers and brands, and employees increasingly make choices based on societal beliefs. Activism is rising, and many boards still haven’t discussed company stances on social issues. Our speakers discussed the possibility of utilizing a broader range of anonymized unstructured data - such as employee intranet messages and chat data - into decisio useful insights, while ensuring individual employees aren’t being singled out or retaliated against for escalating concerns.

4) AI literacy and security remain non‑negotiable

Boards need AI literacy and strong cyber foundations; there’s no leapfrogging weak security into trustworthy AI. Keep a human in the loop, test for bias systematically (using available benchmarks), and consider experimenting with smaller models and improved licensing terms where they fit the use case and data‑governance needs.

Early red flags require pre‑defined protocols, not improvisation. The first 72 hours following a crisis event should trigger escalation playbooks, evidence preservation (including email freezes), independent counsel where appropriate, and non‑retaliation toward whistleblowers, all paired with board‑level visibility and documented independence.

Continuous monitoring (increasingly AI‑enabled) can surface fraud risk indicators earlier, narrowing the expectation gap around what audit and compliance actually do.

6) Speak‑up culture is a strategic asset

A speak‑up culture with higher hotline usage is a positive signal, but only if organizations close the loop, protect anonymity, and report metrics to the board. Leaders should be encouraged to normalize and celebrate reporting, which reduces fear and builds trust across the enterprise.

7) Board-executive dynamics are shifting under scrutiny

Executives are pushing for director refreshment, and more of them see boards overstepping compared to last year. Meanwhile, CEO turnover is up, with most U.S. departures described as unplanned. These themes raise the premium on preparedness, role clarity, and disciplined engagement between boards and management.

8) Succession planning must be continuous and robust 

Effective succession planning should be continuous and discussed at every meeting, with directors knowing the pipeline at least one level down and preparing for unexpected transitions – including mission-critical roles beyond the CEO.

The board chair’s (or independent lead director’s) role in tone‑setting and inclusion is pivotal. Boards can benefit greatly from periodic third‑party evaluations to raise effectiveness.

9) Executive compensation is evolving amid volatility

Executive compensation committees are recalibrating discretion, which allows boards to award compensation based not only on results, but qualitative assessment. COVID‑era lessons showed shareholders tolerate discretion in executive compensation when the rationale is strong and disclosure is clear.

Executive security as part of the compensation package is rising as a governance and risk issue; Policy and regulatory discussions happening at the SEC point to potentially simpler disclosures as early as the 2027 proxy season, while state‑level rules are reshaping proxy‑advisor practices.

10) Better questions and diverse composition strengthen oversight

Directors who ask, “What do I need to understand?” and “Do I have all the information?” sharpen risk oversight. Building formal and informal trusted channels with audit and compliance leaders can improve signal quality, while targeted training helps boards recognize fraud indicators. Evidence that boards with a broader range of perspectives are more effective highlights the value of having a well-balanced and diverse composition.

The year ahead will reward boards that operationalize judgment: clear protocols for crises, richer data streams on people and culture, pragmatic approaches to compensation, and step‑wise AI adoption that starts with the reality of how employees are using it. The common denominator is disciplined curiosity. The best directors will ask better questions, measure what matters, and adapt faster.

If these insights resonate with your board or leadership team, consider a structured review of your speak‑up mechanisms, succession playbooks, culture data sources, and AI governance metrics to ensure they’re meeting today’s pace of change. Then, pick one “lighthouse” initiative to prove value within the next two quarters and use the learning to scale.

Note: The Elevate Leadership Summit is an annual, by‑invitation gathering of corporate directors and CEOs, alongside a curated set of experts, for confidential, Chatham House Rule-style panel discussions.

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School leaders speak: Expert advice on managing risk in public education

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