Guam's shape-shifting education board

Yes&Know By Aline Yamashita

Historically, the governance of our education board has transitioned from being under gubernatorial control to being determined by voters, then to a gubernatorial system with legislative approval and finally to a mix of elected and appointed members.  

The board's thrust has shifted from policy to both policy and operations and then back to policy alone.

The best way to provide education is influenced by the political landscape, the needs of the community, the voices of the people, changing demographics and teaching and learning research.

 In 1900, U.S. Naval Gov. Richard Leary mandated “Americanization” and English literacy. After World War II, compulsory education was mandated, with a civilian-headed Board of Education advising the naval councils.

Agueda Iglesias Johnston served on the governor-appointed board while providing executive leadership over the budding school system, which was recovering from wartime destruction.

In 1950, the Organic Act of Guam provided unified local governance, which put the responsibility for teacher recruitment on the board.

Throughout the 1960s, Simon Sanchez, chair of the Territorial Board of Education, pushed for institutional stability and the expansion of local high school tracks.

Mother Nature impacts our public education system. When Super Typhoon Karen leveled our island in 1962, the board managed the federal disaster relief funds. Wooden structures were replaced with typhoon-proof concrete school buildings. More recently, Mawar and Sinlaku shortened school calendars.

Demographics affect school programming. In 1964, when baby boomers became secondary students, the board restructured junior and senior high school attendance areas. Today, fewer students raise questions about facility usage.

In 1970, Speaker Carlos Taitano, who once served as board chair, expanded administrative authority over school leadership.

The Guam legislature mandated that board members be elected by the school districts. Herman Skipper, Jose Cepeda, Juan Baza, Arthur Jackson, Gloria Nelson, Franklin Cruz, Pilar Lujan, Felipe Borja, Pedro Roberto, Vicente Sanchez and Josephine Maanao were elected in a special election in 1977.

Jose Cepeda, Arthur Jackson, Lorraine Yamashita, Robert Underwood, Greg Borja and Clarrissa Tolentino were elected in the 1978 general elections.

Lorraine C. Yamashita, who chaired the board from 1987 to 1994, led the successful fight to secure an amendment to Section 29b of the Organic Act by the U.S. Congress. 

This amendment transferred oversight of the local public school system from the governor to the local board and the legislature. The Education Reform Act of 1997 required all members to be elected.

Public Law 25-03 addressed the perceived chaos at the Guam Department of Education, eliminated the board and placed the department under the governor.  Gov. Carl Gutierrez became both board chair and department director. 

P.L. 26-143 restored the board with all members appointed by the governor with legislative approval.

P.L. 30-183 restructured the board into a hybrid model in which six members are elected and three are appointed by the governor.

Today, Sen. Vince Borja's Bill 286-38 proposes reverting the board under the governor's control. Under the bill, all board members would be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature.

Nationwide, 61.3 percent of education boards focus solely on policy, while the other 38.7 percent handle both policy and operational matters. On Guam, we have implemented both models.

While I believe the fully elected and hybrid models are designed to curb political interference, the school system is best positioned when the executive branch has authority.

Efficiency and support are heightened when the education department is part of the executive cabinet. While political influence may be expected, the degree and motivation for that influence should be monitored.

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The concern about political interference boils down to electing leaders who are ethically sound, honest and capable of collaborative leadership. 

Concerns about board efficiency boil down to having individuals willing to serve and who care about teaching and learning. 

Concerns about board efficiency and superintendent performance boil down to having performance evaluation systems that are timely, transparent and meaningful. 

An effective superintendent is an energetic, hopeful, knowledgeable leader who is student-driven, community-based and family-focused. The school system needs a visionary with strong organizational leadership skills and someone who enjoys building partnerships to get the job done.

Educational leaders fought to ensure that the whole community was represented because they believed in a school system that best served this community.

Today, our size, community structure, proximity and cultural competency best support teaching and learning through collaborative governance and operations. 

Simpler is always better. That simplicity comes through uncomplicated lines of communication and partnerships. Those are best supported when the education

system is part of the cabinet, with its full rights and responsibilities and with focused, collaborative legislative oversight.

Aline Yamashita is a mom, a teacher and former senator. She served in the 31st and 32nd Guam Legislatures. Send feedback to aline4families@gmail.com.

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