Leading with Vision and Resilience

In an era of rapid social and technological change, urban boards are the primary defenders of the promise of public education.

Council of Urban Boards of Education Steering Committee Chair Joel Rodriguez looks back at the CUBE 2025 Annual Conference in Los Angeles and forward to the 2026 Annual Conference this fall in Chicago. “Our mission to advocate for equity and excellence in the nation’s urban and urban-like school districts has never been more urgent,” Rodriguez writes.  

March 23, 2026

As I step into my second year as chair of NSBA’s Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE), I am struck by the immense responsibility and the even greater opportunity we hold. Our mission to advocate for equity and excellence in the nation’s urban and urban-like school districts has never been more urgent. In an era of rapid social and technological change, urban boards are the primary defenders of the promise of public education.

Looking back at our fall CUBE 2025 Annual Conference in Los Angeles, I am filled with gratitude. To every board member, superintendent, and advocate who joined us: Thank you for making it a resounding success. The energy in California was a testament to our collective resolve. We were moved by the powerful insights of keynote speakers including Colin Kaepernick and Bryan Stevenson, who reminded us that justice in the classroom is inseparable from justice in society. We also owe a debt of thanks for the tireless work of Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo, whose local leadership provided a blueprint for regional collaboration. We left Los Angeles not just with new administrative strategies, but with a renewed spirit to “lead with courage” in the face of adversity.

Navigating the national landscape

The partnership between local boards and federal policy remains a cornerstone of our work. Currently, we are closely monitoring updates from the U.S. Department of Education, particularly regarding the FY 2026 budget proposals and the evolving focus on career and technical education. We know that urban districts often feel the shift in federal priorities most acutely, and our role is to ensure that those shifts lead to progress, not pitfalls. Special thanks to Phelton Moss, Ph.D., NSBA’s new managing director of government relations, and the NSBA staff for their work.

In our urban centers, the Education Department’s emphasis on modernizing the National Career Clusters Framework is a potential game-changer. By aligning our high school programs with emerging industries like AI infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing, and “go green” technology, we can ensure our students are not just participants in the future economy but also the architects and leaders of it. However, innovation cannot happen without a foundation of equity. We must remain vigilant advocates to ensure that federal funding—particularly Title I and IDEA—remains robust, flexible, and accessible to the districts that serve our most vulnerable populations.

Strengthening the urban core

Within CUBE, our focus for the coming year is clear: Stability through innovation. We are expanding our “CUBE updates” platform to provide more real-time data on critical metrics, including chronic absenteeism and trauma-informed mental health interventions. Our urban districts educate nearly 8 million students. This is a massive responsibility, but also a massive opportunity for shared learning. By sharing our wins in board governance and community engagement, we create a roadmap for equity that benefits not just our cities but the entire country.

Chicago 2026: A legacy of transformation

It is with great excitement that I invite you to join us for our next conference in Chicago, Illinois, from Oct. 1-3. Hosting our convening in Chicago is a symbolic choice. The history of education in the “Second City” is one of grit, diversity, and constant transformation.

From the appointment of its first superintendent in 1854 to the pioneering work of Ella Flagg Young, the first woman to lead a major city school system, Chicago always has been a laboratory for educational progress. It is a city that understands the complexities of urban life and the power of a local school board to act as a catalyst for change. We look forward to walking those historic streets and drawing inspiration from a district that continues to break new ground in student voice and community schools. I personally would like to mention that our largest number of CUBE member districts is in the state of Illinois. Good job!

Our shared promise

As we look toward this year and beyond, let us remember that while our challenges are significant, our capacity for impact is greater. We are the gatekeepers of opportunity for millions of children who rely on us to be their voice in the halls of power.

Thank you for your trust over this past year. I look forward to continuing this journey with you as we fight for the resources, respect, and results that our students deserve. I’ll see you in Chicago!