The National School Boards Association Awards recognize and celebrate exemplary efforts by state associations, individual school board members, and school districts, acknowledging their service to public education through innovative methods.
The NSBA Awards Committee reviews and selects recipients.
Leading Edge Award
The Leading Edge Award acknowledges and recognizes the innovative design and implementation of projects from state association members that exemplify:
Application Deadline: Nov. 22, 2024
CUBE Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence
The Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence focuses on school board governance, highlighting school boards that are showing growth, innovation through policy, and an eagerness to be exemplars to other urban boards. School boards will be judged on a variety of measures across four core areas of urban school board governance:
Presented at the CUBE Annual Conference, this award is open to the leadership team of any current CUBE district in good standing. Learn more.
Innovative Technology Integration Award
Presented by NSBA and the Center for Digital Education, the Innovative Technology Integration Award for School Districts recognizes and celebrates exemplary efforts in harnessing the power of technology to transform education. It honors school districts that demonstrate outstanding commitment, creativity, and effectiveness in integrating technology into the fabric of their educational systems. Application deadline: Nov. 8, 2024
Magna Awards
Presented by NSBA's American School Board Journal, the Magna Awards program has a long history of recognizing exemplary school district programs. For 2025, the awards focus on innovation in education, spotlighting district initiatives that solve a challenge with creativity and out-of-the-box strategies. Application Deadline: Nov. 12, 2024
AIAN Luminous Eagle Award
Awarded by NSBA's National American Indian and Alaska Native Council of School Board Members (AIAN), the Luminous Eagle Award honors an individual for their excellence in establishing and executing policies, practices, and strategies that promote and enhance equitable conditions, increased access to quality instruction and improving academic outcomes and career readiness for American Indian/Alaska Native students. Application Deadline: Nov. 22, 2024
Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented by NSBA's Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE), the Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual who has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to representing the educational needs of urban school children through service as a local school board member. It is presented at the CUBE Annual Conference. Learn more.
COSA Lifetime Achievement Award
The Council of School Attorneys (COSA) Lifetime Achievement Award honors members for their lifelong devotion and achievements on behalf of public education and school law. It is presented at the COSA Spring School Law Seminar. Learn more.
NBC RISE Award
Awarded by NSBA's National Black Council of School Board Members (NBC), the Recognizing Innovative Strategies in Equity (RISE) Award honors an individual for their excellence in establishing and executing policies, practices and strategies that promote and enhance equitable conditions, increased access to quality instruction and improving academic outcomes and career readiness for Black students. Application Deadline: Nov. 22, 2024
NHC Abrazo Award
Awarded by NSBA's National Hispanic Council of School Board Members (NHC), the Octaviano “Tony” Gonzales Abrazo Award honors an individual for their excellence in establishing and executing policies, practices, and strategies that promote and enhance equitable conditions, increased access to quality instruction, and improving academic outcomes and career readiness for Hispanic students. Application Deadline: Nov. 22, 2024