Board of Directors Candidate Slating Process

After the first year of a completely new application process for the Board of Directors, the Leadership Development Committee (LDC) would like to share information around its process for slating candidates for election to the Board of Directors. The decision of who to slate is not taken lightly; therefore, we want to be transparent about the process.

The Application

Information on the new application process is available here. Fifty-one individuals completed the Phase 1 application. Each application was evaluated by groups of three members of the LDC, to ensure inter-rater reliability, based on a simple rating of yes/no for each question, and a final “Yes, advance” or “No, do not advance.” Thirty-one candidates with at least two “Yes, advance” went to Phase 2. Groups of three members also reviewed and numerically scored Phase 2 applications based on a rubric. A blind compilation of Phase 2 scores was provided to the committee prior to its slating of candidates who advanced to the “interview” phase. Fifteen candidates were selected to interview.

This is the third year the LDC has conducted “interviews.” They last 20-30 minutes and are more conversational in nature. Having learned from a previous, more formal process, the LDC is seeking additional information to expand its knowledge about the candidates beyond the responses to the application questions. The revised interview process allows the LDC to better assess candidates’ soft skills that are often difficult to assess just using a written application. Candidates are provided with the questions 24 hours in advance. Facilitators can ask follow-up questions, limited to predetermined prompts. Committee members collect qualitative information, including key thoughts from the candidates, pertinent ideas, and overall impressions. The interviews are recorded for viewing by LDC members unable to attend the live interview. Each LDC member scores each interview based on a rubric.

The Final Slating

The LDC is provided with a blind compilation of the application, interview, and total score for each applicant. The committee seeks to slate 1 ½ to two times the number of positions to be filled. The scores do not determine the final slate but are a starting point for discussion.

What ultimately guides the LDC’s decisions must be to develop a slate of candidates to fit the expressed needs of the board over the coming years. The final slate takes into consideration input from the CEC President and Executive Director on a.) the priority needs of the board as related to the Strategic Plan, and b.) areas where the board does not have needs/or is well represented (e.g., various demographic characteristics), as well as qualitative and quantitative data from the conversations, and the deliberations of the committee.

The LDC continually seeks ways to improve the application and slating processes. Each application cycle since 2018 has resulted in improvements that help us to get closer to a process that will indeed slate individuals who best meet the needs of the board. The final slate of candidates will be announced in mid-September.

The Election

We hope you will take the time to really learn about the candidates for the Board of Directors and vote in the upcoming election, which will open in early October. While we believe that all the candidates would make excellent board members, please consider what is important to you that each candidate could advocate for on your behalf. Who is the person you feel could bring your voice to the table to help CEC address the challenges you face daily? Who will represent you? Watch Special Education Today and the CEC website for details.

And, Finally, Campaigning

Candidates and their supporters, including units and divisions, may communicate with friends and colleagues through face-to-face communication, one-to-one telephone calls, social media platforms, and/or group or individual emails about their candidacy and the election. Spending or accepting money is not allowed. Read CEC’s full Campaigning Policy. Interested in serving on the LDC? (Minimum three years of membership required.) The call for applications for 2023-2025 terms (Sept. 1 – Aug. 31) will open in late 2022 or early 2023. Interested in serving on the Board of Directors? The call for applications for 2023-2026 terms (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) is scheduled to open in the Spring of 2023. Watch Special Education Today and the CEC website for the announcement. Contact Sharon Rodriguez, Director of Governance and Executive Services, for further information.