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Transforming public education, board by board.

Learn more about NSBA 

Learn more about our mission, vision, and strategic direction 

About the Organization

Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) purpose is to ensure each student everywhere has access to excellent and equitable public education governed by high-performing school board leaders and supported by the community.

Events

CUBE has convened school board members from across the nation for the past 59 years to network and share the continually evolving strategies they are using to address the unique educational challenges that exist in our nation's urban centers.

Content is curated specifically to provide you with the tools and support you need to effect change as an empowered, impactful urban school board member. 

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Share Your Insights 
Elevate your voice and lead a session at the NSBA 2027 Annual Conference. The submission deadline is July 10. 

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NSBA Statement on Plan to Move Special Education, OCR, Out of Education Department

Regarding the announcement to move the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) from the U.S. Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to the Department of Justice, NSBA Executive Director and CEO Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs said:

“Education is not a collection of interchangeable parts to be scattered across Washington; you cannot separate a student’s learning from their well-being or their civil rights."

Read the complete NSBA statement.

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NSBA 2026 Federal Advocacy Agenda

Discover the National School Boards Association’s core legislative and policy priorities for 2026. This comprehensive agenda outlines our advocacy roadmap to support local school governance and ensure equity and excellence for all K-12 public school students.

Key priorities include securing full federal funding for IDEA, strengthening and diversifying the educator workforce, expanding investments in Title I and Career and Technical Education (CTE), promoting universal digital access and robust cybersecurity, prioritizing student mental health and safety, and protecting public education funds. Download the full document to see how NSBA is advocating for local control and student success on Capitol Hill.

Read the 2026 NSBA Advocacy Agenda

An infographic with stats on the impact of SNAP cuts

NSBA Calls on Senate to Reverse SNAP Cuts, Protect Children's Access to Nutrition

On May 11, NSBA urged Senate leadership to use consideration of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) — the Farm Bill — to repeal harmful cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill. The SNAP reductions, which total nearly $186 billion over 10 years, will affect more than 22 million families and have direct consequences for public schools.

Read the Letter to Senate Leadership

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See Your School District Recognized Nationally

The 2027 Magna Awards program focuses on improving indoor air quality (IAQ) and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To be eligible for the awards, school districts must enact a NEW IAQ Management Plan and document reductions in GHG emissions.

A grand prize winner and silver award winners will be recognized in each district category: Urban, Rural, and Suburban. The three grand prize winners will showcase their winning programs at a special Master Class session during NSBA’s 2027 Annual Conference, be acknowledged during an awards luncheon, and be recognized on the General Session stage. All winning districts will also be featured in the April 2027 issue of American School Board Journal. The nomination deadline is October 31, 2026. 

Learn More and Apply

Cover of Becoming a Better Board Member

Becoming a Better Board Member is a must-have guide for anyone serving on a school board—whether you're just starting out or looking to sharpen your skills. Published by NSBA, this essential resource offers clear, practical insights into the responsibilities, policies, and challenges of school board governance. It’s a trusted tool for navigating the complexities of public education and leading with confidence.

Order Your Copy Today!

Cover of Key Work of School Boards Guidebook

The Key Work of School Boards Guidebook is NSBA’s foundational resource for effective school board governance. Grounded in decades of research and practice, this guidebook identifies the core skills that effective boards need to ensure that all students achieve at high levels through excellence in governance. Whether you're building a shared vision, setting strategic goals, or holding your system accountable, this framework supports excellence in every aspect of board service.

Order Your Copy Today!

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Closing the Gap: New NSBA Report Identifies 5 Key Drivers of Student Success

The latest report from NSBA's Center for Public Education highlights a critical disconnect between the booming demand for STEM professionals and current student proficiency levels. The report reveals that while high-quality materials are essential for student success, many school board members feel sidelined or underprepared to evaluate curricula. To address this, the report provides a roadmap for "systemic coherence," urging boards to move beyond simple oversight and take an active role in aligning district vision, budgets, and community engagement to support rigorous math instruction.

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NSBA 2026-27 President Leonard Lockhart

Connecticut School Board Member Leonard Lockhart Elected 2026-27 NSBA President

On April 27, NSBA announced that Leonard Lockhart of the Windsor Board of Education in Connecticut has been elected NSBA president for 2026-27. Becky Fles of MSAD #11 School District in Maine was elected President-elect and Dr. Sami Al-Abdrabbuh of the Corvallis Board of Education in Oregon was elected Secretary-Treasurer. NSBA’s former president, Devin Sheehan of Holyoke Public Schools Committee in Massachusetts, will serve as Immediate Past President.

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Empower Students to Create and Innovate with AI

This semester-long, CSTA-approved course fits into any high school’s tech stack and teaches students how to use AI responsibly and purposefully.  

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April 2026 Issue of American School Board Journal Now Online

This issue celebrates innovation in public education, highlighted by the winners of the 2026 Magna Awards. For more than 30 years, NSBA’s premier recognition program has honored school systems for their creative solutions to district challenges. This year, in partnership with the Go Green Initiative, we are showcasing district commitments to improving indoor air quality (IAQ), which is vital to student learning and the health and well-being of students and teachers. Other innovation-focused articles in this issue include the importance of reimagining school meal programs, a rethinking of educational screen time to foster deeper learning, and local approaches to strengthen civics education.

Read the April Issue

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Advertise with NSBA

Beyond our award-winning flagship publication American School Board Journal (ASBJ), NSBA also offers an array of other print and online marketing strategies allowing you to create a comprehensive, highly targeted year-round campaign. NSBA's audience reaches the entire district-level decision-making team made up of superintendents, school administrators, elected school members, school business officials, technology directors, and more.

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NSBA Executive Director & CEO Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs in the News

McCotter-Jacobs was recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal regarding a new federal school-choice tax credit poised to funnel billions of dollars to scholarships for students attending private and parochial schools. The big question now: Who gets to set the rules and control where the money goes? McCotter-Jacobs explained that states—responsible for most education policy and funding—should get to vet scholarship-providing groups and set priorities and conditions for the new money. NSBA is also seeking federal rules to make sure public school students can get scholarship assistance for tutoring and summer programs that aren’t directly run by schools. “Governors, we want them to have the most flexibility,” said Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, executive director of the National School Boards Association. “The states should have the ability to make a lot of these decisions.”

Invite Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs to Speak on Your Issue