NSBA President: NSBA’s subgroups have much to offer
04/08 -- As I come to the end of my year as president of NSBA, it has been a time to reflect on the organization and its relevance to local school board leaders.
During the past year, I have come to an even deeper understanding of the many ways NSBA reaches out to individual school board members, as well as to the state school boards associations in the NSBA Federation.
Of course, it’s through the National Affiliate program that local school board members can best take advantage of the many services and benefits NSBA provides. But there are also five other organizations within NSBA that target the specific needs of school districts and board members.
The Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE), a component of the National Affiliate program, was created to specifically address the unique challenges of urban districts.
CUBE sponsors two stand-along meetings each year -- an annual meeting and an issues seminar -- for school leaders. These meetings are held in cities so participants can visit schools that have been successful and learn about programs and ideas they might want to bring to their own districts.
For the past three years, CUBE has sponsored research on the climate of urban schools from the perspective of students, staff, and, most recently, parents. This research will be of value to all urban school leaders as they plan for facilities, district budgets, staff development, community outreach, safety, and many other issues for years to come.
In addition, CUBE offers special programming targeted to urban board leaders at the NSBA Annual Conference, Leadership Conference, and Federal Relations Network Conference. These sessions are well attended and stimulate lively conversations.
To make sure the urban voice is heard during discussions of the NSBA leadership, the chair of CUBE has a designated seat on the NSBA Board of Directors and also serves on the board’s Policies and Resolutions Committee.
If you serve on a school board in an urban area, I urge you to consider joining CUBE. CUBE can help your board develop strategies aimed at raising student achievement, enable you to interact with and learn from your peers from other large districts, and help you become an effective advocate for public education in the nation’s largest cities.
Another NSBA subgroup, the National Black Caucus of School Board Members, is dedicated to helping district leaders meet the needs of our African-American students.
The caucus -- with members from rural, urban, and suburban districts across the nation -- pays particular attention to diversity and cultural issues in an effort to remove barriers to learning and eliminate the achievement gap.
The work of this caucus is particularly relevant as the nation celebrated the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, followed by the Supreme Court’s ruling last year clarifying the extent to which race can be used as a factor in assigning students to schools. The caucus has spent time examining these issues to ensure we continue to make progress in ensuring all public school students have access to an equitable education.
It is important to note that you do not have to be African-American to join the black causes. Any school leaders whose districts serve African-American students or have an interest in ensuring a high-quality education and equal access is encouraged to join the caucus.
The chairs of the black caucus and the National Hispanic Caucus of School Board Members serve on the NSBA board and the Policies and Resolutions Committee.
Members of the Hispanic caucus address the special needs of the growing population of students of Hispanic/ Latino descent, including programs for English language learners, efforts to reduce the achievement gap, and immigration issues. This caucus awards annual scholarships to Hispanic/Latino public school graduates.
Again, it is important to note that this caucus is open to all school board leaders, regardless of their cultural background, who serve Hispanic students or have an interest in these issues.
The third caucus serves as an advocate for what is likely the most-often overlooked students in the nation’s history -- Native Americans and Alaskan natives, many of whom live in remote, rural areas.
The National Caucus of American Indian/Alaska Native School Board Members is concerned with raising academic achievement for these students and ensuring that their educational needs are met. If you have American Indian or Alaska Native students in your schools, I encourage you to support them by joining this caucus.
Another important group within NSBA is the Council of School Attorneys (COSA).
This group, which serves attorneys who are employed by school districts or state school boards associations and attorneys who represent school districts in their practice, plays a vital role in interpreting laws and court rulings that affect public education.
COSA is very active in assisting NSBA by submitting amicus briefs to the Supreme Court and federal appeals courts in support of the school district perspective on various cases. COSA sponsors seminars to educate school attorneys on the latest issues and trends in school law and has recently begun to work with law schools to encourage students to consider practicing school law.
Please consider joining one or more of the NSBA groups mentioned here. You will benefit from the collective thinking of your peers, you will learn more about meeting the needs of your students, and you will become a better advocate for your students.
For more information about CUBE, contact Kevin Scott, (703) 838-6232, kscott@ nsba.org. To learn more about the caucuses, contact Lisa Swan, (703) 838-1607, lswan@ nsba.org. And for information about COSA, contact Lyndsay Andrews, (703) 838-6738, landrews@nsba.org.
Reproduced with permission from
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