Best approaches for managing risk in your school district
The Sidelake School Board gathered for their monthly meeting. On the table were several important items: expanding a one-to-one laptop program, reviewing a teacher recruitment plan and responding to safety concerns following a school bus accident in a neighboring district.
As the board was preparing for deliberation, Board Chair Ms. Lopez offered a reminder: “Every decision we make tonight involves risk.”
Keeping risk top of mind is a good habit for effective board members. School board decisions impact the health and well-being of their students and staff. The board’s choices shape the future of their students and also have immediate repercussions to the school community.
With growing complexity in school operations — ranging from cybersecurity threats to student safety, legal liability and financial pressure — risk management must be proactive, strategic and, as the example above shows, embedded in district-wide decision-making. Risk management is essential for safeguarding your students, staff and community.
Recognizing risks
School board members have a sworn duty to be responsible stewards of taxpayer money. However, boards can get wrapped up in their day-to-day duties and neglect to consider and prepare for what may be ahead.
Potential risks faced by school districts include:
- Student and staff safety
- Finance and funding
- Legal and regulatory compliance
- Cybersecurity and data privacy
- Community relations and public perception
- Human resources, including teacher shortages and low staff morale
Tips for school boards to minimize risks
1. Emphasize risk awareness
Creating a risk-aware culture starts at the top. Boards and superintendents must encourage open discussions around potential risks and promote transparency in reporting issues. They look at past incidents opportunities to discuss how to handle them better next time. When leaders acknowledge and openly discuss risk, staff at every level feel comfortable doing so, as well. Policies that reward early reporting of concerns will establish a climate of trust and responsiveness.
Dr Chad Bledsoe, President, Montgomery Community College points out, “Ultimately the board has the responsibility of ensuring that the institution is meeting its mission, i.e. serving the educational needs of the community. And that can't be done if there's not adequate oversight of financial resources, of the risk that we all take on, whenever we talk about providing services, equipment, training, employing teachers, all of that.
They're overseeing public funds. So these are tax dollars that go to support education and by default they are overseeing the funds that citizens are paying in to receive that education. So, it's very important that we make sure that we're spending our money in a very efficient manner, that we're spending it on the things that support education.”
2. Establish a risk management plan
An effective risk management plan should be a living document, regularly reviewed and updated. It should include procedures for responding to crises, and strategies for identifying and mitigating risks before they escalate.
Components of a risk management plan include:
- Risk identification and assessment protocols
- Crisis communication plans
- Roles and responsibilities in an emergency
- Regular training and simulations
This plan should be reviewed regularly and tested through drills or tabletop exercises to ensure it remains actionable and relevant.
3. Strengthen cybersecurity
School districts are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks, including ransomware, phishing and data breaches. Protecting student and staff data should be a top priority.
Consider these potential solutions to see what works best for your district:
- Multifactor authentication for all users
- Routine network audits and testing for potential weaknesses.
- Staff training on phishing and data privacy
- Create protocols specific to digital threats
Partnering with IT professionals or third-party experts can bolster your district’s defenses and ensure compliance with evolving state and federal data privacy regulations.
4. Evaluate physical and operational safety
Regular safety audits of school facilities are important. Ensure building access controls, surveillance systems, and emergency exits meet current standards. Include threat assessments for violence, severe weather events and other natural disasters.
Transportation safety, food service compliance and playground equipment inspections are often overlooked but crucial for risk prevention.
5. Monitor potential financial and legal issues
Budget shortfalls, misappropriations, and contract disputes can lead to significant liabilities. Strong financial oversight—including internal audits and board-level financial literacy—reduces the likelihood of financial issues.
Legal risks, including those related to student discipline, special education compliance, and employee grievances, require ongoing review of policies and procedures. Regularly consult with your board’s with legal counsel. Staff training on legal responsibilities is also an important prevention measure.
6. Ensure clear communication and transparency
Clear and consistent communication with parents, staff, students and the broader community helps build trust and prevent misinformation during a crisis. Use multiple communication channels and maintain up-to-date contact information across the district.
Transparency means sharing the “what” and the “why” behind decisions and updates, especially when they relate to risk mitigation efforts or safety procedures.
Risk management in education is an essential duty of board members. It must be embedded in strategic planning and daily operations. For school districts, the best approach is comprehensive and inclusive. The goal is to protect people and manage taxpayer money and resources wisely.
Andrea Messina, CEO, Florida School Boards Association says, “It is always the responsibility of board members to mitigate and manage risk. Sometimes, that comes in form or reporting to legal or HR something that may have been heard in passing or even deliberately shared with a board member. I like to remind board members that if they heard something and fail to report it and it happens again, they, too, now are culpable. Board members need to set the example for risk mitigation if they ever expect others to manage risk effectively.”
Diligent Community helps school boards address risk management
Diligent Community is the next-generation governance solution designed to enhance effectiveness and efficiency for school boards. Tailored to cater to the unique needs of school board governance, Diligent Community empowers streamlined decision-making, ensuring transparent and effective governance.
Diligent Community is your essential tool for driving impactful governance, fostering better communication and achieving shared success for your students and community.
When it comes to managing risks, school boards face tough decisions. Whether it’s managing cyber risk, ensuring compliance of state and federal laws, preparing for audits or staying ahead of new regulations, the risks are constant. That’s where Diligent Community steps in. It streamlines meeting preparation, making sure agendas and board packets are centralized, secure, accessible and easy to update.
Board information and documents are kept securely stored with granular permissions to give access only to those who should view them.
Diligent Community helps improve public trust by giving the board a way to show the community they are making thoughtful, responsible decisions. The solution makes it easy to share meeting minutes, voting records and financial updates online. With everything out in the open, parents and community members can feel reassured, and board members feel empowered to keep making smart choices.
Diligent Community is built for local governments like school boards, with features designed to tackle your biggest challenges. It helps your stay organized, prepared and transparent — all while you as a board member can focus on managing risks so your students can achieve at the highest levels.
