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Introducing the Governance Health Index: A Framework for Effective Stewardship
By Dr. Brett Jacobsen, SAIS President
Across the independent school landscape, governance challenges are growing more complex. From rising stakeholder expectations to increased financial and strategic pressures, boards and heads are being called to lead with sharper alignment, deeper trust, and greater clarity of purpose.
In response, SAIS launched a bold initiative during the 2024–2025 school year to ask a critical question: How might we design a governance framework that strengthens organizational health in a rapidly changing educational environment?
To explore this, we convened a Governance Summit in November 2024 with 23 heads of school representing a diverse cross-section of our membership—across geography, school type, size, and mission. Through a design thinking process, these leaders created four governance prototypes, each exploring new ways to improve board effectiveness, strengthen the head-board partnership, and align more deeply with strategic priorities.
From this generative work, the Governance Health Index (GHI) was born (see SAIS Tools below to download). The GHI defines six core competencies essential to healthy, high-performing governance:
- Collaborative Leadership
- Community Engagement
- Strategic Direction
- Talent Cultivation
- Shared Accountability
- Adaptive Innovation
This framework is not a checklist or one-size-fits-all rubric. It’s a dynamic tool designed to help governance teams assess their current reality and identify practical opportunities for growth. Each competency is accompanied by a developmental continuum, providing boards and heads with a roadmap for strengthening their partnership and leadership practice—from disconnection to optimization.
Refined through input from SAIS board chairs, trustees, and staff, the GHI provides a shared language for reflection, review, and development. It’s a forward-looking model—one that helps governance teams not only meet today’s demands, but prepare for tomorrow’s challenges.
In each edition of Board Bulletin this year, we will explore one of the six competencies in depth—highlighting examples, insights, and essential questions to guide your work. We invite you to engage with the Governance Health Index as a tool for building clarity, coherence, and resilience in your leadership.
We wish you the best 2025-2026 school year.
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