Connect to Excellence! Kentucky school boards will have access to enhanced national resources this year, through a partnership of KSBA and the National School Boards Association.

Exciting changes have been made by the NSBA to the long-standing National Affiliate program, which has engaged more than 1600 school districts nationally, including dozens in Kentucky.

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

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.

• 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.

• School Board Leadership Resource Center and Center for Public Education 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 KSBA, assures that Kentucky 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.

Learn more here:  www.nsba.org/GetConnected

If you would like to enroll or have any questions, please contact Laurie Hart, Senior Development Manager, at 847-831-5380, or [email protected].

If you are a current National Affiliate district, you automatically have access to National Connection resources and will be invoiced at a lower fee.