-
Advocacy
Ten Best Practices to Avoid Liability
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of challenging issues board of education members face that could lead to a lawsuit. This session will explore the common legal pitfalls boards of education face, the best ways to deal with them when they occur, and most importantly the best ways to avoid them.
Views From the Field: Diverse Student Enrollment and Desegregation Legal Issues
In light of new regulations, heightened awareness, and a rise in investigations, school districts are faced with challenges resolving alleged incidents of sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and gender equity. This program will discuss the changes in regulations and compliance, as well as discuss scenarios involving complex or 'gray areas' of Title IX. Title IX has garnered intense media attention and scrutiny for school districts. This program will assist school districts in better understanding the nuanced issues involved.
Governing in Good Times and Bad: What You Need to Know About the Canadian Experience
Learn about school board governance throughout Canada, and strategies to protect local democratic voice in public education - what works and lessons learned that are useful to all school board trustees.
Reasonable Accommodations in the Time of COVID-19
Learn from school board association attorneys how school districts across Oregon are complying with their duty under the ADA to provide reasonable accommodations to staff returning (or not) to the schoolhouse as districts begin to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out what creative, out-of-the-box thinking and tried-and-true strategies have served districts in supporting employees with anxiety or conditions placing them in high-risk categories, while maintaining high-quality educational services to students, in these extraordinary times.
Addressing Implicit Biases
How Plano Independent School District (enrollment 53,952) recognizes and trains employees on implicit bias and its impacts. This presentation will help school districts create an inclusive environment where all employees and students will have the opportunity to succeed. The training will highlight implicit bias and racial disparities in the education system and will teach school districts on how to recognize and address them in order to provide equitable access to education.
FERPA and Virtual Learning
What board members should be aware of with an increase of virtual learning environments. How can the state and local education agencies work together to provide continuous services that protect student data privacy? The presenters will discuss a number of resources developed to answer questions related to online education, including complying with FERPA and IDEA. How can the state and local agencies reach students with disabilities and who do not speak English as their primary language.
Copyrights (and Wrongs!) in the Digital Age - How to Avoid Copyright and Trademark Infringement Claims
Schools are increasingly moving to virtual instruction, which means both greater opportunities and greater risks under copyright law. The history teacher uploads a study guide to a virtual classroom website; an elementary school teacher reads a book on YouTube; the high school plays 'We Are the Champions' at virtual graduation. Do these activities violate copyright law? 'Fair use' doesn't go as far as you think! Join us for practical and easy tips to avoid unpleasant legal surprises of copyright law in the digital world.
Protecting Students From Exploitation: A Legal Guide for Public School Leaders
Join members of the NSBA legal staff and national experts on the prevention of child exploitation to discuss how schools can support students in danger and work with law enforcement and social services groups to protect students.
Legal Landmines in Remote Learning: Data Privacy, Security and District Liability
According to a Rand study released in December 2020, twenty percent of the 300 district and charter management organizations surveyed said they had started or were planning a virtual school or fully remote option this academic year and expected those options would remain after the pandemic. In this session, school attorneys and NSBA legal staff will identify key legal issues your board should be asking about as you employ remote learning tools moving forward.
The NSBA Legal Advocacy Agenda
NSBA Chief Legal Officer Francisco M. Negrón Jr. presents this popular look at the national legal issues affecting public schools, and how NSBA is bringing the school board voice to courts and federal agencies.
Protections for LGTBQ Employees and Students after Bostock v. Clayton County
The Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, decided that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbids an employer from firing an employee because that person is gay or transgender. Beyond the world of employment, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock is likely to affect the rights of students in public schools. This session features NSBA’s recent legal guide designed to help school leaders identify questions that may arise in both the student and employment scenarios, and provide a place to start as your district assess policy and staff training needs.
-
Equity & Diversity
The Voice of the Child
Hear from Topeka Public Schools (enrollment 12,400) College Prep Academy students about how local and national racial issues and disparities impact their educational experience. As present scholars in the historical home of Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education, these students possess a powerful perspective and an empowered voice in 2021. Moderated by a current school board member, the director of certified personnel and equity, and the students' instructor, you will experience a progressive education model through the voice of the child.
Becoming More Engaged & Inclusive Educational Leaders: Strategies for Supporting Our LGBTQ Students
Given the importance and impact that diversity and equity issues play in the lives of students, it is imperative that school boards are prepared to meet the needs of diverse learners, such as LGBTQ students. There are key considerations for effectively supporting LGBTQ students that educators must be aware of. Come participate in this pre-conference workshop that features a highly customizable and interactive diversity and equity training that helps educators and school board members develop the competency necessary to support LGBTQ students.
Views From the Field: Diverse Student Enrollment and Desegregation Legal Issues
This program will discuss the legal and practical implications of school districts with respect to the racial and ethnic diversity, or integration, of school enrollments based on our three decades of active school desegregation litigation in federal courts across the United States. This program will provide an overview of legal requirements, compliance with existing guidance, and promoting best practices as it relates to racial and ethnic diversity, either voluntary or as required by Court Order.
The Ins and Outs of Title IX: Legal Compliance and Beyond
In light of new regulations, heightened awareness, and a rise in investigations, school districts are faced with challenges resolving alleged incidents of sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and gender equity. This program will discuss the changes in regulations and compliance, as well as discuss scenarios involving complex or 'gray areas' of Title IX. Title IX has garnered intense media attention and scrutiny for school districts. This program will assist school districts in better understanding the nuanced issues involved.
Addressing Implicit Biases
How Plano Independent School District (enrollment 53,952) recognizes and trains employees on implicit bias and its impacts. This presentation will help school districts create an inclusive environment where all employees and students will have the opportunity to succeed. The training will highlight implicit bias and racial disparities in the education system and will teach school districts on how to recognize and address them in order to provide equitable access to education.
The Work of Equity: A Divisionwide Approach
Participants will hear how the work of equity has developed in the 10th largest school division in the nation, and will examine the 'equity dashboard' which publicly shares data related to division strategic plan metrics. Senior leaders in the division will discuss the role of the Equity and Cultural Responsiveness Specialists, system-wide professional development for all employees, and the Equity Teams at each school-all of which are key aspects of moving the school district forward.
Resilience Can Be Taught: 10 Strategies Proven to Motivate Any Student
This session will demonstrate 10 strategies proven to strengthen relationships, grab attention, inspire, and build resilience in all ages and learning types. Participants will receive insights into teaching social and emotional life skills in ways all can understand, relate to, and remember. These strategies have helped over 2 million youth in 20,000 K-12 schools, mental health, and correctional organizations in the areas of academic success, dropout prevention, class management, and bullying prevention.
Equity and Inclusion: From Staff to Students
Attaining educational equity for all of our students does not happen in a vacuum. The Cleveland (OH) Municipal School District (enrollment 39,000) Board of Education believes that it starts with the teachers, principals and district staff who serve our students every day. Learn how our Board created a districtwide Equity and Inclusion Strategy Team comprised of a cross section of employees. The team explores issues of equity and inclusion and began to drive positive change across our district among our workforce, and ultimately our students.
Inclusive Leaders — Who Are They? How Do You Become One?
Inclusive leaders have developed an internal capacity (superpower of sorts) to engage people from all walks of life to innovatively address organizational, community, and even global issues. We will look at the intersection between developmental readiness, emotional intelligence, and psychological capital and what we are learning from neuroscience about inclusive minds and leadership.
Protections for LGTBQ Employees and Students after Bostock v. Clayton County
The Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, decided that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbids an employer from firing an employee because that person is gay or transgender. Beyond the world of employment, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock is likely to affect the rights of students in public schools. This session features NSBA’s recent legal guide designed to help school leaders identify questions that may arise in both the student and employment scenarios, and provide a place to start as your district assess policy and staff training needs.
-
Governance & Executive LeadershipÂ
Has Your Board made a Difference? Are You Getting Better? Prove it! Developing a Continuous Improvement Index
A few years back, Grande Prairie Public School District in Alberta Canada (enrollment 9,000), set our to resolve a question that is rarely answered in a definitive and objective manner, 'Are we a better District today then we were 1,2,5 even 10 years ago', 'Is what we are doing as a Board actually making a difference? To answer this question the Board went on a four year journey to develop a Continuous Improvement Index that is unique to their Board values. This session will take you through the process and give you the tools to do your own.
Ten Best Practices to Avoid Liability
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of challenging issues board of education members face that could lead to a lawsuit. This session will explore the common legal pitfalls boards of education face, the best ways to deal with them when they occur, and most importantly the best ways to avoid them.
Governing in Good Times and Bad: What You Need to Know About the Canadian Experience
Learn about school board governance throughout Canada, and strategies to protect local democratic voice in public education - what works and lessons learned that are useful to all school board trustees.
Secrets of the Effective District Administration Team and the Role of the Rock Star Business Administrator
Educators are exceptional people being drawn to their 'callings' to help others. Education requires funding and financial controls. Business Officials ensure fiscal accountability. School business departments can be viewed as a necessary evil as they seemingly restrict desires and goals of educators. Potential conflict between 'Education' and 'Business' staff need not exist. Attendees will acquire tangible skills and strategies to unify departments. It is possible for the Teacher and the Accountant to be friends.
From the Boardroom to the Classroom: Governance That Works
Find out how the Sun Prairie Area School District (Wisconsin) (enrollment 8,500) went from a focus on operations of a school district to a primary focus on student achievement.
How to Deal with Negative People and Keep from Becoming Negative Yourself
Negative people are tremendous energy drainers for children, other adults, and themselves. Learn 10 action steps that you can use to deal effectively with negativism, how the Port Washington-Saukville Public Schools, Wisconsin, (enrollment 2,700) used these steps to transform their buildings into special places for learning, and how it all started with the school board. The suggestions and ideas shared can be used immediately.
Building a High-Impact Board-Superintendent Partnership
Drawing on his newest K-12 leadership book, Building a High-Impact Board-Superintendent Partnership, presenter Doug Eadie will provide workshop participants with detailed, practical, thoroughly tested guidance for building the kind of rock-solid board-superintendent working relationship that is key to effective district governance. Doug’s presentation will describe significant developments in the rapidly evolving field of K-12 governance, the nuts-and-bolts work of governing a school district, the school board’s management of its governing performance, and the keys to maintaining a close, productive, and enduring board-superintendent working relationship.
At The Table Together: The Collaborative Superintendent Evaluation Process
The board of the Kansas City Missouri Public Schools (enrollment 15,000) implemented a unique superintendent evaluation process that brings the superintendent to the table during the deliberation and determination of his summative evaluation. Learn how the board has transformed the responsibility of completing the superintendent's evaluation from an 'event' into a transparent and collaborative process based upon clearly defined standards, goals, and measures
Ineffective, Somewhat Effective, Effective, Highly Effective: Which Board Are You?
This session will address board self-assessment and the key variables for boards to consider and master that will lead to their effectiveness as a governance team, including strategic planning and thinking, alignment of superintendent performance objectives, etc.
-
Innovation in District Management
Becoming More Engaged & Inclusive Educational Leaders: Strategies for Supporting Our LGBTQ Students
Given the importance and impact that diversity and equity issues play in the lives of students, it is imperative that school boards are prepared to meet the needs of diverse learners, such as LGBTQ students. There are key considerations for effectively supporting LGBTQ students that educators must be aware of. Come participate in this pre-conference workshop that features a highly customizable and interactive diversity and equity training that helps educators and school board members develop the competency necessary to support LGBTQ students.
Legal Landmines in Remote Learning: Data Privacy, Security and District Liability
According to a Rand study released in December 2020, twenty percent of the 300 district and charter management organizations surveyed said they had started or were planning a virtual school or fully remote option this academic year and expected those options would remain after the pandemic. In this session, school attorneys and NSBA legal staff will identify key legal issues your board should be asking about as you employ remote learning tools moving forward.
-
Personal Development
How to Deal with Negative People and Keep from Becoming Negative Yourself
Negative people are tremendous energy drainers for children, other adults, and themselves. Learn 10 action steps that you can use to deal effectively with negativism, how the Port Washington-Saukville Public Schools, Wisconsin, (enrollment 2,700) used these steps to transform their buildings into special places for learning, and how it all started with the school board. The suggestions and ideas shared can be used immediately.
Inclusive Leaders — Who Are They? How Do You Become One?
Inclusive leaders have developed an internal capacity (superpower of sorts) to engage people from all walks of life to innovatively address organizational, community, and even global issues. We will look at the intersection between developmental readiness, emotional intelligence, and psychological capital and what we are learning from neuroscience about inclusive minds and leadership.
-
School Board/Superintendent Relationships
Hope, Engagement, and Belonging: More Important Than Ever!
Educators, families, and community members understand the critical need to foster Hope - especially during these ever-changing times. Join this interactive session to explore the science across decades of research on Hope - and its connection to emotional engagement and a sense of belonging in the learning environment. Session participants will learn why hope, engagement, and belonging are essential to overall student well-being, as well as practical strategies to use in school and in remote learning environments.
At The Table Together: The Collaborative Superintendent Evaluation Process
The board of the Kansas City Missouri Public Schools (enrollment 15,000) implemented a unique superintendent evaluation process that brings the superintendent to the table during the deliberation and determination of his summative evaluation. Learn how the board has transformed the responsibility of completing the superintendent's evaluation from an 'event' into a transparent and collaborative process based upon clearly defined standards, goals, and measures.
Ineffective, Somewhat Effective, Effective, Highly Effective: Which Board Are You?
This session will address board self-assessment and the key variables for boards to consider and master that will lead to their effectiveness as a governance team, including strategic planning and thinking, alignment of superintendent performance objectives, etc.
Superintendent Selection: The Right Process and the Right Fit
Discover what it takes to conduct a high-quality, professional superintendent search. The presentation, led by the officers of NSBA's National Affiliation of Superintendent Searches (NASS), will cover the critical points of planning and conducting a search, including establishing a timeline, how to best engage stakeholder groups without ceding the board's decision-making authority, best practices for interviews, and ways to ensure a healthy transition once an appointment has been made.
-
Safe & Supportive Schools
Meaningful Youth Engagement: Students as Partners
Research shows that school districts that engage youth in meaningful ways see higher academic achievement, decreased risk behaviors, and positive youth development- factors that contribute to student success. Learn key concepts of youth engagement and how it can impact youth and adults and ways that school boards in Alaska are engaging students by having a student school board representative, youth leadership programming and collaborating together on data.
Reasonable Accommodations in the Time of COVID-19
Learn from school board association attorneys how school districts across Oregon are complying with their duty under the ADA to provide reasonable accommodations to staff returning (or not) to the schoolhouse as districts begin to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out what creative, out-of-the-box thinking and tried-and-true strategies have served districts in supporting employees with anxiety or conditions placing them in high-risk categories, while maintaining high-quality educational services to students, in these extraordinary times.
The Federal School Safety Clearinghouse: Leverage the Tools of SchoolSafety.gov to Enhance School Safety and Resiliency to Threat
Learn how to navigate SchoolSafety.gov to access free resources, best practices, and tools that make school safety initiatives more actionable and create a safe and supportive learning environment where students can thrive and grow. Attendees will also learn how the State Information Sharing Tool can provide school board members with a one-stop shop for accessing state-specific school safety information including programs, resources, contacts, grant and funding opportunities, and engagement opportunities/trainings.
Schools on the Frontline: Mental Health Providers and School Systems Working Together
This presentation will include the participation of district leaders, student services staff, partner mental health provider, and school board members as we outline the path the Pewaukee School District (PSD) has followed to provide therapeutic services for students on campus and during the school day. The session will include a description of the request for proposal (RFP) process, logistical planning, and results following the first year of implementation.
Protecting Students From Exploitation: A Legal Guide for Public School Leaders
Join members of the NSBA legal staff and national experts on the prevention of child exploitation to discuss how schools can support students in danger and work with law enforcement and social services groups to protect students.
-
Student Achievement, Assessment & Accountability
Meaningful Youth Engagement: Students as Partners
Research shows that school districts that engage youth in meaningful ways see higher academic achievement, decreased risk behaviors, and positive youth development- factors that contribute to student success. Learn key concepts of youth engagement and how it can impact youth and adults and ways that school boards in Alaska are engaging students by having a student school board representative, youth leadership programming and collaborating together on data.
How School Boards and Local District Governance Affect Student Success
Research demonstrates a strong connection between what happens in the board room and learning in the classroom. Consider recent governance studies exploring this connection. Learn from promising practices in districts of varying sizes. Grapple with the complexity and simplicity of practical steps your board can take to improve governance and student outcomes in your district. Develop governance strategies to maximize success for each of your students.
Schools on the Frontline: Mental Health Providers and School Systems Working Together
This presentation will include the participation of district leaders, student services staff, partner mental health provider, and school board members as we outline the path the Pewaukee School District (PSD) has followed to provide therapeutic services for students on campus and during the school day. The session will include a description of the request for proposal (RFP) process, logistical planning, and results following the first year of implementation.
From the Boardroom to the Classroom: Governance That Work
Find out how the Sun Prairie Area School District (Wisconsin) (enrollment 8,500) went from a focus on operations of a school district to a primary focus on student achievement.
-
Technology & Digital Learning Solutions
FERPA and Virtual Learning
What board members should be aware of with an increase of virtual learning environments. How can the state and local education agencies work together to provide continuous services that protect student data privacy? The presenters will discuss a number of resources developed to answer questions related to online education, including complying with FERPA and IDEA. How can the state and local agencies reach students with disabilities and who do not speak English as their primary language.
Copyrights (and Wrongs!) in the Digital Age - How to Avoid Copyright and Trademark Infringement Claims
Schools are increasingly moving to virtual instruction, which means both greater opportunities and greater risks under copyright law. The history teacher uploads a study guide to a virtual classroom website; an elementary school teacher reads a book on YouTube; the high school plays 'We Are the Champions' at virtual graduation. Do these activities violate copyright law? 'Fair use' doesn't go as far as you think! Join us for practical and easy tips to avoid unpleasant legal surprises of copyright law in the digital world.
