USC Rossier Academy for Excellence in Board Governance

NSBA Launches Board Member Academy in Partnership with University of Southern California

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is holding a new leadership academy for school board members in partnership with University of Southern California.

The Academy for Excellence in Board Governance will bolster support for effective governance in PreK-12 schools by addressing policy development, budgeting, and superintendent evaluation best practices as a core part of the strategic planning process.  Participants will engage with superintendents, school board leaders, state association leaders, and University of Southern California faculty to explore problems of practice and learn in a highly interactive exchange.

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Course Details

Class Dates:

  • April 23 – 26, 2026 

This session is in person at University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA.

Cost:

$4,950.00 

Curriculum:

This academy is designed to help school board members continue to become a better board member. National experts and leaders with proven results and strategies will be guest lecturers throughout the program.

CEU credits available

Academy Sponsor

Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, Esq.

Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs brings extensive leadership experience in the education sector, having served as Chair of the Board of Education for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland — one of the nation’s largest school districts — for more than a decade.

During her time as a school board member, she served as president of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education and Chair of NSBA’s Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE), demonstrating an unwavering commitment to promoting excellence and equity in education and working tirelessly to enhance educational outcomes for all students. During her time on the school board, McCotter-Jacobs worked for more than 20 years for the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, retiring as the Division Chief of the Office of Professional Responsibility and Legal Affairs at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She maintains license to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

McCotter-Jacobs began her tenure at NSBA in 2017, leading the organization’s change around member engagement, as well as building upon the organization’s progress in member services, equity, and social justice to identify discriminatory practices, prejudices, and beliefs in education policy. Under her leadership, NSBA’s CUBE experienced triple-digit growth. She was named NSBA’s Chief Transformational Officer in 2020 and Deputy Executive Director in August 2022.