By Laurie Hart, NSBA Senior Development Manager

 

Connect to Excellence!  South Dakota school boards will have access to enhanced national services this year, through a partnership of Associated School Boards of South Dakota and the National School Boards Association.

 

The ASBSD Board of Directors endorsed changes being made by the National School Boards Association to the long-standing National Affiliate program, which has engaged more than 1600 school districts nationally, including many in South Dakota.

 

The program is getting a new name: National Connection, to reflect the important partnership between school districts, their state school boards associations, and NSBA, working together to share best practices across the country.

 

Download the National Connection application here.

 

Participating school districts will receive a package of new resources designed to help school boards and district leaders stay on the leading edge of American public education.

 

The new resources include:

• Federal Insider:  Lead with confidence on federal policy issues.  This resource includes federal policy analysis and reports on major actions of Congress and federal agencies, as well as implementation guidance that can save your district time and money in complying with mandates.  In addition, you’ll receive details of federal legal cases that will impact the way your district operates, as well as regular updates on school law issues across the country.
• The Public Engagement Toolkit:  Create public commitment and strengthen confidence in public education.  Practical tools you can use to build public understanding and engagement around major educational issues, to help you create the public and community support your district needs for success.
• The School Board Leadership Resource Center and CPE Briefing Room:  These two resources bring you school improvement research, best practices and examples from high-performing school systems, and expert guidance that can help your school board set a course for improving student achievement and district excellence.
• Money-Saving Resources: Maximize resources available to help your district succeed and save money.  These resources include a guide to the latest education grants, a grant writing online course and funding opportunities, as well as discounts on other NSBA publications and Annual Conference registration fees.
• Publications: Stay in the know with timely reports that can help you understand national trends and issues related to public education leadership through NSBA’s award-winning magazine, American School Board Journal.

It’s important for school boards to take a national view and have the latest information on public education issues. The National Connection program, which is a partnership between NSBA and ASBSD, assures that South Dakota school boards are receiving this information.

 

Your participation helps to create a strong network of school boards, state school boards associations, and a national organization that, together, must stand up and speak out for public education. You are helping to advance a national advocacy agenda to turn back escalating pressures on public education and the accompanying reduction of school board authority.

 

As state and federal levels of government assert an ever-greater role in education policymaking, NSBA is seeking to promote local school governance in new and more visible ways. You can learn more about our advocacy agenda online www.nsba.org/newnsba.

 

Quite simply, we cannot do it without your support and involvement.

 

Thank you for your district’s ongoing participation in the enhanced services of National Connection.

 

If you have questions about the program or your renewal, please contact Laurie Hart, Senior Development Manager, at 847-831-5380, or lhart@nsba.org.