NSBA Western Region Director and Mitchell School Board Member Neil Putnam shares the latest from the National School Board Association.

 

 

The political dust has settled and now it is time to see if the rhetoric and promises of the newly elected or re-elected officials in Pierre and Washington elevates the discussion of education policy and resources and will provide results that help board members, administrators, educators and parents enhance our schools.

 

However, it is the responsibility of board members, who are also elected officials, to be engaged in the legislative, administrative and judicial process that affects public education.

 

There are many avenues for board members to ensure their collective voices are heard.

 

Associated School Boards of South Dakota and the National School Boards Association are partnering to help board members in their individual and collective advocacy efforts.  Both organizations have tools available for board members such as training, research and professional advocates at their disposal.

 

ASBSD and NSBA each have delegate assemblies that provide a venue for members to come together and formulate the resolutions and standing positions of education policies of our state and national associations.

 

I would strongly recommend that your district send a delegate to the ASBSD Delegate Assembly on Friday, November 21, to provide ASBSD leadership direction on the educational positions of state and federal issues.

 

NSBA has reinforced its legislative advocacy staff and its efforts to reach out to Congress. The NSBA administration, in partnership with state school board associations, are working furiously to tell our story about the federal over reach in various regulations and the need to pass legislation that provides local districts the support, flexibility and local governance in implementing federal programs.

 

I am a member of a variety of NSBA committees that are developing the national platform that will be vetted by our members and ultimately adopted by the NSBA delegate assembly.

 

Your support of ASBSD, which partners with NSBA, can be your conduit to insuring the “feds” hear from South Dakota.