The NSBA Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) supports excellence in urban school board leadership, both by an individual school board member and a CUBE member school district. As part of its mission, CUBE creates educational opportunities for urban school board leaders to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to serve as effective local education policymakers and as advocates for educational equity in public education.
When submitting your application, a 90 second video about the nominee is required for submission. This video will be shown during the awards luncheon. The application submission deadline for both awards is midnight May 5, 2025.
Awards will be presented during the CUBE Annual Conference in Los Angeles, CA September 11-13, 2025.
Please contact memberservices@nsba.org with any questions.
Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award
The Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award honors a school board member, from a current CUBE member district in good standing, who exemplifies the unwavering integrity, educational leadership, and commitment to social justice that defined Dr. Mays’ life. This prestigious award recognizes a visionary leader who has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to improving educational outcomes for urban and underserved communities.
In addition, the recipient must embody the highest moral character, serving as a role model for integrity, ethical decision-making, and community engagement. They should have a proven history of advocacy, mentorship, and policy influence, working tirelessly to dismantle systemic barriers and create opportunities for all students.
The nominee should possess the following key characteristics:
- Integrity and Moral Courage - Demonstrates unwavering ethical leadership and incorruptibility in service to education by acts with honesty, fairness, and transparency, making decisions that prioritize students’ well-being.
- Commitment to Educational Excellence and Equity - Champions high-quality education as a fundamental right for all students, especially those in urban and underserved communities, while working to dismantle barriers to educational success for marginalized students.
- Visionary and Transformational Leadership - Inspires systemic change through bold and principled leadership, while demonstrating the ability to influence educational policies for long-term, meaningful impact.
- Advocacy for Social Justice and Nonviolent Change - Upholds the principles of nonviolence and civil resistance in leadership, advocacy and decision-making equity, justice, and the rights of historically underserved populations.
- Dedication to Mentorship, Leadership Development and Lifelong Learning - Serves as a mentor and role model to students, educators, and policymakers by fostering a culture of lifelong learning, leadership, and personal growth.
- Community Engagement and Public Service - Builds strong relationships with communities to better understand and address educational challenges and serves as an advocate for families, students, and educators, ensuring that policies reflect community needs.
Click Here
CUBE Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence
Since its creation in 2004, the CUBE Award for Urban School Board Excellence has recognized school boards that exhibit excellence through school board governance, academic improvement, educational equity, and community engagement.
Candidates will be evaluated across four core areas of governance:
- School Board Performance - School board performance reflects a board’s effectiveness in governance, policy-setting, and accountability to improve student outcomes. High-performing boards demonstrate ethical leadership, data-driven decision-making, and collaboration with stakeholders to advance academic excellence, equity, and sustainable district success.
- Academic Improvement - Academic performance improvement refers to the strategies and methods applied to enhance students’ learning outcomes and overall educational success. In educational settings, improving academic performance is crucial because it impacts not only individual students but also the broader community.
- Educational Equity - Educational equity means that each child receives what they need to develop to their full academic and social potential. (National Equity Project)
- Community Engagement - Community engagement refers to the process by which organizations, institutions, or individuals actively involve members of a community in discussions, decision-making, and activities that impact their collective well-being. The aim is to build trust, foster collaboration, and create solutions that benefit both the community and the engaging entity. This interaction can take various forms, including town hall meetings, online forums, or collaborative projects.
We ask that all supporting documentation collectively not exceed 15 pages in length. In addition to your supporting documents, please submit a color, high-resolution photo of your board with your application.
Click Here