Acting on the recent report of ASCD's Governance and Member Participation Panel, the Association has launched a new process to increase the quality and timeliness of ASCD's positions on education issues.
The new process, to be phased in over the next two years, will mark the end of the traditional Resolutions process ASCD has used since its early years. The new Issues process is designed to allow ASCD to anticipate top education issues and craft substantive plans for addressing them. Under the new process, the Board of Directors, ASCD's governing body, will continue to be the group responsible for adopting official ASCD positions on education issues. The Board will discuss and adopt positions at ASCD's Annual Conference.
A major change is the creation of an Issues Committee. The Committee will review a wealth of data regarding emerging education issues, organize that information, and present a report to the Board for its consideration at the Annual Conference.
In the past, ASCD has taken positions through its resolutions. ASCD over the years has taken strong stands, for example, advocating school integration and the importance of a balanced curriculum. However, the process has been hampered in recent years by the paucity of members either proposing resolutions or coming to the open hearing at the Annual Conference to debate them. The Governance panel urged that the Resolutions process be replaced with a new Issues process, citing "widespread dissatisfaction with the current Resolutions process and the perceived lack of action on critical issues."
The Process
The new Issues process begins with the gathering of information about emerging education issues. Information will be gathered in the fall through a questionnaire mailed with Update (see box), a survey of ASCD's Board of Directors, various processes to be designed by ASCD affiliates, and other means.
During the winter, the Issues Committee will review the issues proposed and prepare a report for the Board of Directors. The Board will be asked to rate each issue on two criteria: (1) importance to ASCD goals, values, and mission, and (2) potential for effective action. The Board will also identify the top several issues.
At ASCD's Annual Conference each spring, there will be several opportunities to address these priority issues. The issues will be explored at three "town meetings"; members are encouraged to attend one or more of these meetings to debate the issues. Later in the Conference, the Board will hold an extended meeting to debate and vote on the issues. A two-thirds vote will be required to adopt a position, and only two positions will be adopted during a single year.
After positions are adopted, ASCD staff members will develop plans for taking action on the issues. Possible strategies include position papers, collaboration and dialogue with other groups and with legislators, and the development of new products and services. In addition, affiliates will be encouraged to support ASCD positions and to develop their own strategies.
As in the past, the Executive Director and Executive Council will have some leeway to respond to fast-breaking issues. The Executive Director may speak on behalf of ASCD on issues requiring immediate action, after conferring with officers and the Executive Council.
This is a transition year as ASCD begins using its new Issues process, and a committee will evaluate the new process at the close of the Annual Conference.