Sunday, Jan. 28 | 1–2:15 p.m.

A Catalyst for Change: Advocating for the Improvement of Reading Outcomes for All Students
How do we ensure equitable access to evidence-based reading instruction for all students? We must begin with a comprehensive approach to support educators in helping students to become skilled readers. This session will focus on how school, district, and state leaders can play key roles in leading the charge for change to put all students on a path to reading proficiency.

Presenter:
Kymyona Burk, Ed.D., Senior Policy Fellow, Early Literacy, Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd)

Sunday, Jan. 28 | 3:30–4:15 p.m.

Mapping Polarization in K-12 Education: Deep Division and Common Ground
Once relatively insulated from political conflict, K-12 education has become enmeshed in the partisan, political divisions that have touched many other sectors of society. This session will review the history of polarization in public education in its broader context; the four strategies districts can take in response, and offer tips to help depolarize conflictual situations.

The signs of polarization in education are familiar: School board races that are less about budgets and more about gender identity and critical race theory, controversies over books, and superintendents forced out because of their stance on equity.

While it would be tempting to see these as flare-ups caused by a few opportunistic office-seekers, most political scientists see them as part of a longer-term increase in polarization that began in the 1970s and has worsened in the past several years. The “sorting” of the two parties, which made them ideologically distinct, the fragmentation of the media environment, and the nationalization of state and local politics all suggest that partisan political polarization in education, as in other sectors, is not likely to dissipate rapidly.

Accompanying polarization is diminished trust in institutions, including schools. For example, a 2022 Gallup poll found a 39-point gap in trust in public education between Democrats and Republicans, though fortunately, parental satisfaction at the local level remains generally high.

Complicating real, underlying disagreements in what students should be t
aught is a rise in dislike of the other party, a phenomenon often termed “affective polarization.” Majorities on both sides of the aisle say members of the other party are more closed-minded, dishonest, and immoral than other Americans. This dislike makes it more difficult to fashion compromises. The question is what to do about it.

In the face of partisan conflict, organizations can choose their stance along a continuum between, on the one hand, accommodation (i.e., revising their policies) and, on the other, advocacy (i.e., defending their policies.) In between is a middle path that can involve avoiding triggering language, speaking to both universal goals and targeted supports, and carefully defining terms like equity, which are susceptible to widely varying interpretations. This session will review the pros and cons of each position, drawing on lessons from the contingency theory of conflict management.

New research has also pointed to effective strategies leaders can take to reduce — though not eliminate — conflicts like those caused by partisan political polarization. Those strategies include emphasizing shared goals, correcting exaggerations of party positions, approaching conflict with a listening mindset, buying time and space for deliberation, and asking questions to complicate the narrative. Understanding what is driving polarization, and taking the conflicts seriously, can form a foundation for navigating a political landscape that is often fraught.

Presenter:
Lucas Bernays Held, Independent Strategic Communications Consultant and former Vice President, Communications, The Wallace Foundation

Sunday, Jan. 28 | 4:15–5 p.m.

Public Education Leadership: Easing Divisions & Solving Problems Through Dignity
In late 2022, the nonprofit organization UNITE launched the Dignity Index — a tool to ease divisions, prevent violence, and solve problems by highlighting the use of dignity vs. contempt in public and political speech. Since that launch, education groups from across the country have reached out to UNITE for additional training and resources on the Dignity Index, and educators from public education have started developing lesson plans and learning activities based on the Index. A leader of the Dignity Index initiative will present background and basic training on the Dignity Index and discuss ways the Index is being utilized by educators, school districts, school boards, and other elected officials.

Presenter:
Tami Pyfer, UNITE Chief of Staff and Co-creator of the Dignity Index

Monday, Jan. 29 | 8:30–9:30 a.m.

Inspiring Hope Through the Power of Commitment and Positivity
To be prepared for whatever the future — personally or professionally — may bring, each of us must start living today with an “ALL IN” mindset. Gian Paul shares stories from his own life and the lives of others to remind audiences of the Keys to Resiliency, Healthy Habits, and Consistent Daily Pursuit of Long-Term Dreams, Goals, and Strategic Initiatives. Many of his stories and strategic techniques are designed to engage listeners to think about what they want to be “ALL IN” for and to challenge them to think through the obstacles that they face daily that have resulted in limiting their beliefs and behaviors. Gian Paul encourages audiences to start with their personal lives and commit to waking up each day and making the most of the opportunities in front of them. These personal changes can translate to professional habits and achieving goals that you may have previously been scared to pursue or did not believe could be attained.

Presenter:
Gian Paul Gonzalez, Founder & Director of Hope + Future Inc.

Monday, Jan. 29 | 9:30–10:15 a.m.

Understanding How Different Kinds of Minds Think Differently
Outlined in her book Visual Thinking, Dr. Temple Grandin is an object visualizer who thinks in photo-realistic pictures and who struggled academically with topics like algebra, which require spatial pattern thinking. Through her personal journey, Grandin has firsthand experience of how academic requirements, such as algebra as a prerequisite for many programs, keep highly qualified students from access to certain training and career paths. Grandin’s experiences are not unique to her, and this is something that many of our students are experiencing across the country. Current models and requirements are not only keeping some students from careers in which they may excel, but they also are creating a void in qualified professionals in many fields.

This session will delve into the richness of cognitive diversity to help policymakers better understand how our students think and learn, and how we can rethink traditional models to help create better points of training and career access for all students.

Presenter:
Dr. Temple Grandin, Distinguished Professor of Animal Science, Colorado State University

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 Friday, December 22, 2023. 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.

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.

Headquarter Hotel: Marriott Marquis Washington, DC
901 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001

You must be registered for the conference before you can reserve housing in the NSBA hotel block. NSBA has negotiated a special rate for conference attendees. Booking information will be provided in the registration confirmation email. All reservations should be made before Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. Room availability and conference rates cannot be guaranteed after this date.

Taxicabs & Ride Sharing
Taxicabs and Ride Sharing, such as Uber and Lyft offer transportation services to passengers arriving to and departing from the airport. Download the ride sharing app of your choice and book in advance to ensure availability. Approximate rates for taxicabs and ridesharing from the nearest airports can be found below.

• From Reagan National Airport to downtown, fares are approximately $25.00.
• From Dulles National Airport, fares are approximately $65.00.
• From Baltimore Washington International Airport, fares are approximately $79.00

DC Metro System
DC Metro System serves the District of Columbia and surrounding areas.

Hotel Parking
Valet parking is available at the Marriott Marquis DC hotel at $65 per day.