The board and CEO: an analysis of roles, relationships, and performance expectations in Christian school governance

Literature addressing the function of non-profit boards provides a beginning focus for this study. However, literature regarding Christian school governance issues is still fairly limited. As a result, most Christian school boards face challenges regarding expectations for their role and the role of the head of school (CEO). This quantitative study examined the differences between how Christian school board members and their CEO\u27s believe they perform their roles and responsibilities as compared to how they believe they should perform those same roles and responsibilities. Analysis was conducted to identify the extent of the gap between the two views of does perform and should perform for each group, with further analysis focused on the gap between how the boards and CEO\u27s perceived each other\u27s performance. The study included 20 accredited Christian schools with 800 or more students in a Kindergarten through 12th grade program. These schools are located across the United States, representing a broad demographic area and operating with a variety of board structures. The research findings indicate Christian school boards believe there is a gap in their performance across all eight areas of function with current board function falling below desired function. Data reveals that while CEOs identified areas of concern, statistical analysis revealed no significant gaps so CEOs believe they are performing as they should in all eight functions. The findings of this study can assist boards in addressing areas for growth to improve their effectiveness in board leadership