BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Tuscaloosa City Board of Education is poised to become the first school board in the world certified under Cognia’s new board governance review process after a team of reviewers recommended it for certification Tuesday.
“This is a historical moment,” said Andre Harrison, Cognia’s deputy chief of accreditation services. “Out of more than 40,000 institutions across the globe, Tuscaloosa City Schools is the first to go through this process and be recommended.”
Superintendent Mike Daria said Tuscaloosa City was invited to be the first board to go through the process after Cognia finished developing the certification.
“For the last six months, we’ve been doing the internal review and reflection process as a board and leadership team,” Daria said. That included rating the board against governance standards, writing narratives and collecting evidence ahead of the external review.
The recommendation followed a multi-day review of the eight-member elected board’s governance practices, leadership and impact on student outcomes. While school boards are not responsible for a district’s daily operations, they set policy, approve budgets and help shape long-term direction.
During Cognia’s visit, reviewers interviewed 65 stakeholders, including board members, administrators, principals, teachers, parents and community partners, while also reviewing documents and assessing a board meeting using a scoring rubric.
Harrison said the consistency of those interviews stood out.
“Everybody was on the same sheet of music,” he said. “That was very powerful.”
Daria said one reason the board performed well is that members regularly dig into district data, not just agenda items.
“We have data meetings the same way our schools have data meetings,” he said.
He said board members also receive a yearly data notebook that compiles academic, staffing, facilities and other measures used to guide decisions on policy, budget and the district’s strategic plan.
The review highlighted several strengths, including the board’s governance culture, collaboration with district leadership and focus on student success and equity. Cognia evaluators also emphasized the board’s cohesive culture and shared commitment to district goals.
It also identified one main area for improvement: expanding professional learning for board members and strengthening communication about the district’s work.
Board Chair Eric Wilson said the process itself was valuable, regardless of the outcome.
“Regardless of the end result, going through the process itself helped us learn more about each other and about the system,” Wilson said. “It makes us stronger than we were before.”
“One of the reasons we wanted to do this was to continue to push our board and our school system to the next level,” Daria said. “The review affirmed the incredible work being done and gave us a blueprint moving forward.”
The recommendation now goes to Cognia’s global commission for a final decision, which Daria said is expected in four to six weeks. Wilson said the recognition reflects a shared commitment to students and the community.
“These are individuals who serve because they care deeply about this city and its children,” Wilson said. “We will wear this as a badge of honor, and we will continue to grow.”
Cognia is a global nonprofit that provides accreditation, certification and school improvement services to education institutions in more than 100 countries.