Programming

In addition to the traditional legislative and legal advocacy updates, Advocacy Institute 2023 will feature panel discussions, general sessions, and breakout sessions on the following topics:

• Teacher Shortage
• Lobbying and Relationships
• Learning Recovery
• COVID Relief
• Student Mental Health
• IDEA
• Homework Gap/Broadband
• Parent Engagement
• Parental Rights Bills (State & National)
• Vouchers (State & National)
• Child Nutrition
• Rural Education
  
  

• General Sessions

  NSBA Federal & Legal Advocacy Update
  A view of school law issues through the lens of the NSBA Legal Advocacy Agenda. What can we expect from the Supreme Court? What issues are rising through the federal courts from issues of gender identity in athletics and facilities use to First Amendment concerns for students and staff.

  Speaker:
  Francisco Negrón, Chief Legal Officer, National School Boards Association

  The Big IDEA: Federal Special Education Laws in 2023 and Beyond
  2023 will be significant for special education in the United States. It’s been 50 years since Congress passed the Rehabilitation Act, enshrining in federal law protections for individuals with disabilities in public education. Since then, Congress and the Department of Education have added protections through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as regulations and guidance. As the Department of Education envisions possible amendments to the long-standing Section 504 regulations, and a new Congress begins, what challenges are public schools asking federal policy makers to address? Join us for an overview of the key special education concerns facing public schools in 2023 and beyond, and how federal might help.

  Speakers:
  Sonja Trainor, Managing Director, Legal Advocacy, National School Boards Association
  Audrey Levorse, Senior Director of Government Relations & External Affairs, National Association of State Directors of Special Education

  Influencing Your State Digital Equity Act Plan
  Panelists will discuss: (1) what the Digital Equity Act is and why the initiative is important to school districts and families; (2) the ideas school district technology leaders believe should be included in digital equity plans; (3) using digital equity planning to support accessibility for disabled students, and (4) the role the school board members can play in the process.
  
  Panelists:
  Kristina Ishmael, Deputy Director, U.S. Ed, Office of EdTech
  Keith Krueger, CEO, Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)
  Tara Courchaine, Chief Research and Development Officer, CAST

  Stay tuned for more general session announcements.

• Breakout Sessions

  Educator Engagement and Retention: The Critical Role of the Board of Education
  In 2021, 50% of Kansas educators (20,000 teachers) participated in the Inaugural Kansas Teacher Retention Survey. The survey focused on educator engagement, satisfaction, and future intentions. The success of this initiative was due in large part to the collaboration of state stakeholders. Data from the survey were analyzed to identify statistical drivers of educator engagement and retention. The survey data showed that the role of the board of education is a statistically significant driver of teacher engagement and retention. During this session, we will discuss the findings of the research and consider how it informs the next steps in addressing the national educator shortage.

  Speakers will be announced soon.

  Tutoring as a Learning Recovery Strategy
  Session overview coming soon.

  Engaging Your Community for Student Success
  In the pursuit of education equity, it is important to develop policy and practices that allow for community members to have opportunities to share their diverse experiences and perspectives as it relates to the education of children – from the classroom to the Board of Education. Through the lens of the National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships, participants will receive recommendations on their role in fostering stronger family-school relationships and how they productively receive and respond to public input.

  Speakers will be announced soon.

  Stay tuned for more breakout session announcements.

Event Information

• Who Can Attend

  NSBA’s new governance model allows ALL school districts—from non-member state associations—to attend NSBA Signature Events.

  Districts in member state associations that are in good standing with their state association are eligible to attend at a discounted rate. Districts who do not currently maintain membership in a member state association are NOT eligible to attend NSBA events or participate in NSBA programs.

  To confirm the membership status of your state school board association, or for more information, please email info@nsba.org.

• Cancellation Policy

  Request for refunds of the conference registration fee (minus a $75 service fee) can be honored only if made in writing to NSBA at info@nsba.org by December 21, 2022. No refunds will be honored after that time.
  
  Please feel free to email us at info@nsba.org with any questions you may have regarding your Advocacy Institute registration.

• Safety Protocols & Requirements

  Proof of vaccination status or a negative test result is not required to attend NSBA events. Attendees who are not vaccinated are asked to take an at-home COVID-19 rapid antigen test before traveling to the event and should not attend if they test positive or have COVID-19 symptoms. NSBA does not require proof of these measures but encourages attendees to act responsibly and with consideration for the health and safety of others. Mask wearing is not required but strongly encouraged.
  
  Please note that these requirements are subject to change and may be modified at any time. We will continue to monitor and communicate COVID-19 developments as needed.