Maine School Management Association

What it reported doing in 2024

Mssa is a statewide organization representing the interests of Maine superintendents and assistant superintendents by providing consultation and support, communications, educational events and professional development. Mssa continued to provide a very robust professional development series during the 2021 - 2023 fiscal year regardless of covid. During mssa's annual meeting in october, superintendents came together to work with george curous, the author of the "innovator's mindset". George is a worldwide leader and author in innovative teaching, learning and leading, and has a focus on innovation. His message to Maine superintendents was that meaningful change happens when you first connect to people's heart. George challenged superintendents to innovate "inside the box" to ensure that we support our educators, communities, and students to create the learning opportunities they deserve. The writer convocation was postponed due to a significant covid outbreak and took place in april. Jill siler, the author of "thrive through the five" was brought in to work with superintendents. Jill's presentation focused on the challenges that superintendents have faced during the pandemic. Jill shared strategies on how to grow and thrive through challenges in order to walk away equipped, renewed and inspired to continue to do the hard work. Mssa continued to sponsor the Maine's cultural competence institute for the second year. 150 educators representing 31 school districts came together for a yearlong interactive institute to learn to develop a deep understanding of creating a culture of inclusion, to create brave spaces for conversations about race in our schools, and to develop a sustainable practice for diversity, equity and inclusion in our schools. The institute took place over nine months.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 84.7%; rating input score 85
• Program expense ratio: 87.3%; rating input score 87
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Limited
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 3.5%; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.87; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.4%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 21% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 10.3% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings