1. MS School Boards Association
Report To The Delegates Assembly Goals 2016

2. MSBA Goals
1. Serve as Mississippi’s primary resource for school board leadership and public education advocacy.
2. Serve as the primary resource for board members and school superintendents on issues of proper school board governance, leadership development, technical assistance, and school board and superintendent ethics.

3. MSBA Goals
3. Maintain a sound financial base with a diverse revenue stream.
4. Help board members understand how to utilize technology in their governance role.

4. Goal 1
 Serve as Mississippi’s primary resource for school board leadership and public education advocacy.

5. Leadership/Advocacy This past year, MSBA was able to:
Solidify relationships with new leadership,
Closely monitor all committee and sub- committee meetings,
Grow MSBA’s Grassroots Advocacy Network,

6. Leadership/Advocacy Send out weekly Legislative Reports, and
Work closely with both Education Committee Chairs as well as other key legislators.

7. Board Member Training Bills
There were two H.B.s introduced to remove board training from MSBA. Through help from the Speaker and Appropriation Chair, and meetings with the Education Chair and legislators who introduced the bills, MSBA was successful in killing both bills.

8. Leadership/Advocacy
MSBA was successful in growing its Grassroots Network to more effectively deal with the fast-paced, evolving legislative process.
MSBA conducted a legislative “Day on the Hill” and was successful in touching legislators concerning why certain legislative issues were positive for public education and others negative.

9. Leadership/Advocacy
The Executive Director worked with the House Appropriation Committee to craft language for a bill establishing benchmark standards as the basis for superintendent salary increases.

10. Legislative Priorities
Full Funding of MAEP – Unsuccessful. Legislature funding at same level as last year.
Changing the MAEP Funding Formula from ADA to Total Enrollment – Unsuccessful.

11. Legislative Priorities
Create structured statewide early childhood education—Unsuccessful.
Public funding diverted to private schools— Partly successful.

12. MSBA Positions
● Support charter schools following state of Mississippi student discipline statutes—Successful.
Support continued implementation of Mississippi College and Career Ready Standards—Successful.
Support appointing all Superintendents—Successful.

13. MSBA Positions
Oppose tax deductions for parents whose children are being home schooled or attend private schools—Successful.
Oppose tax credit scholarships for nonpublic schools—Successful.
Oppose funding student vouchers with public funds—Unsuccessful.

14. MSBA Positions
Oppose allowing students of poverty who are attending a C, D, or F school to attend an A or B school—Successful.
Oppose changing the MAEP funding formula by reducing the amount of money each school district receives—Successful.
Oppose selecting all school board members at the same time—Successful.

15. MSBA Positions
Oppose allowing charter schools into A, B, and C school Districts—Partly Successful (students in C school districts can cross district lines to attend charter schools).
Oppose allowing “for profit” charter schools to operate in Mississippi—Successful.

16. MSBA Positions
Oppose restricting local control of school boards—Successful.
Oppose removing school boards from the school personnel hiring process— Successful.

17. MSBA Legislative Priorities and Positions

18. MSBA Positions
MSBA developed/ revised policies affected by legislation; new policies were sent to MSBA O-Policy school districts for board action.

19. Mississippi Economic Council
MSBA actively participated in MEC legislative events such as Hob Nob Mississippi and MEC Legislative Day.
MSBA was recognized as a
supporter and sponsor of
both events.

20. Statewide Efforts
The Executive Director presented at the University of Mississippi’s Law Seminar and
Served on a Leadership Panel to discuss underperforming schools at the MS Black Leadership Summit.

21. The Assistant Executive Director
Presented to business leaders at Leadership Kemper.
Facilitated an NSBA retreat for
the National Black Council in
Alexandria, VA.
Guest lectured at the Educational Leadership Program at Mississippi College.

22. Working with MASBO and MDE, MSBA was successful in obtaining permission to give business officers training credit for attending the MSBA FMLA and FLSA Hot Topic sessions.

23. MSBA hosted a meeting with all Executive Director’s of the Mississippi Service Centers to discuss their training efforts and to make MSBA resources available to them in such efforts.
The MSBA Executive Director met with all superintendents in the R-RESA Service Center to encourage them to organize a board/supt network.

24. MSBA Insurance Program Manager,
Anissa Young, served as:
MSBA WCT representative on MASI Board
Secretary of the MWCC Advisory Council

25. MSBA enhanced its relationship with the State Board of Education and other key leaders within the MDE.

26. The MSBA Executive Director served on the MDE Achievement School District Task Force.

27. The MSBA Executive Director facilitated a retreat for the MDE State Board. The retreat focused on strategic planning.

28. The MSBA Executive Director conducted a “New Member Orientation Session” with the newly appointed members of the State Board. The session focused on how the state board members successfully fulfill their roles and responsibilities as members of a state board.

29. The MSBA Executive Director and selected staff conducted a training session for the MDE Accreditation auditors on board governance practices. This session focused on writing accurate audit reports pertaining to Accreditation Standard 1: Board Governance.

30. The State Director for School Accreditation and all state accreditation auditors received three hours of training from MSBA on “Effective Policies, Minutes, and Agendas.”

31. The Assistant Executive Director served on the MDE Policy and Standards Committee.

32. The MS State Board of Education joined MSBA, becoming the first state board in history to be a member of MSBA.

33. MSBA increased interest in and knowledge about board service around the state through collaboration with complementary organizations and dissemination of board service information.

34. A section under the “Board Members” dropdown menu from the MSBA homepage features qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of school board members. MSBA continues to direct complementary group representatives and state legislators to the page for information.

35. MSBA provided information on its website germane to board work: qualifications to serve on the board, board election / appointment dates, roles and responsibilities of board members, etc.

36. The MSBA Policy Support Specialist attended 11 school board meetings to help board members and superintendents gain a better understanding of how to use their policies at board meetings and to “Govern by Policy.”

37. Insurance Services
MSBA administers three self insured trusts to ensure cost effective insurance availability to its members and to sustain the long term viability of the pools, including the addition of new members to achieve appropriate risk sharing.

38. MSBA Insurance Programs
Workers’ Compensation
Property
Casualty

39. Insurance Services
MSBA visited 90 school sites to increase district awareness/participation in Loss Control and Safety training for member districts.

40. Insurance Services
Conducted safety training for 15 member districts for approximately 1,800 employees.
Completed safety surveys for 8 member districts.
Conducted four informational webinars for member districts. (WC claims reporting)
Conducted eight regional trainings for enhanced services to WCT members

43. Business Partners/Sponsors
MSBA maintains a strong partnership program with vendors and sponsors.

44. Business Partners
MSBA took marketing in-house and promoted Alexis Cole as MSBA marketing specialist.

45. Business Partners
MSBA increased the number of vendors at the Fall Leadership Conference from 16 to 25.
MSBA increased the number of vendors at the Annual Conference from 29 to 43.
MSBA sold out all exhibit space at its Annual Conference for the first time since 2012.

46. Goal 2
I’m Calling MSBA!
Serve as the primary resource for board members and school superintendents on issues of proper school board governance, leadership development, technical assistance, and school board and superintendent ethics.

47. MSBA developed a process to assist boards in the effective evaluation of the board and superintendent.

48. MSBA’s superintendent evaluation instrument is posted online.
MSBA conducted multiple whole board trainings on how to evaluate the superintendent.

49. MSBA Office Use
MSBA has conducted training for multiple board secretaries on Policies, Minutes, and Agendas onsite at Clinton.
The MSBA office is now being used by board members and boards as a venue for whole board training and offsite meetings.

50. MSBA identifies and makes available opportunities for school districts to share “best practices.”

51. MSBA annually identifies the school districts that are obtaining the highest achievement levels and invites them to present their “best practices” in concurrent sessions at the MSBA Annual Conference.
MSBA annually identifies school districts with innovative programs and has them present these best practices at the MSBA Annual Conference.

52. The MSBA UPDATE regularly
features photos/cutlines and
brief articles of school district
successes.
The MSBA website features News Around the State that shares innovative practices in school districts.

53. MSBA prioritizes making personal contacts with key individuals in each school district.

54. a planning service for members.
MSBA offers
a planning service for members.

55. Professional Governance Standards
MSBA works to increase board member awareness of proper board ethics and encourages school boards to adopt MSBA Professional Governance Standards and Code of Conduct.

56. Nineteen school districts have adopted MSBA’s Professional Governance
Standards and Code
of Conduct.
 The photos of boards that adopt the Professional Governance Standards and Code of Conduct are published in the association newsletter.

57. School Board Attorney
MSBA has become a resource for school boards in filling the school board attorney position.
~ MSBA developed and posted an online guide that school boards can use when employing an attorney.

58. Center For Board Development
MSBA produced and
delivered increased
hours of board
training opportunities.

59. Center For Board Development
MSBA has delivered data training throughout the state via 3-hour continuing education, Basic Board Training, whole board training, conferences, and concurrent and Early Bird sessions.

60. Center For Board Development
MSBA offered three-hour continuing education courses as correspondence courses. Seven board members completed A School Board’s Role in Implementing School Health, and eight board members successfully completed Policies, Agendas, and Minutes: What Effective School Boards Know.

61. Center For Board Development
MSBA offered 5 three-hour online courses:
Taking Proper Action at Board Meetings,
The School Board’s Role in Student Achievement Part 1,
The School Board’s Role in Student Achievement Part 2,
Using School Board Policy to Improve Student Achievement, and
Team Building.
 61 board members completed 83 online sessions.

62. Center For Board Development
A total of 95 school superintendents attended at least one MSBA board development/leadership training event.

63. Superintendent Search
MSBA has established itself as the premiere superintendent search organization within the state, and to varying degrees is involved with almost every school board within the state which has conducted or is conducting a superintendent search.

64. Prospective Superintendent Leadership Academy

65. MSBA has 100% membership.
MSBA touched 100%
of all school districts
at least once and most
multiple times.

66. a sound financial base with a diverse revenue stream.
Goal 3
Maintain
a sound financial base with
a diverse revenue stream.

67. Revenue Sources

68. Expenditures

69. in their governance role.
Goal 4
Help board members
understand how to
utilize technology
in their governance role.

70. MSBA now has a technology department and has employed an in-house technology manager.
MSBA has a full-time person to assist
districts with the use of O-Policy.
MSBA has an employee that co-
ordinates MSBA social media efforts.
MSBA’s social media efforts support all departments.

71. Technology Manager
The Technology Manager has made cost saving improvements, including:
Internet contract re-negotiated increasing speed and reducing cost by approximately 55%.
WOW!

72. Technology Manager
Custom built internet phone system that reduced cost by approximately 85%.
Consolidation of the MSBA AT&T Plan into one centrally managed business account eliminating overages and reducing cost.
WOW!
WOW!

73. APP (Named iMSBA)
This year there were 146 new downloads of the iMSBA App.
MSBA posts are related to MSBA events, deadlines, new services, etc., and other “high interest” matters to MSBA members. 

74. On-Line Training Online Training Site 61 board members
received credit through
online training.

75. The Future
MSBA is moving forward with online training and enhanced website information. Infrastructure to make this possible has been installed/secured.
MSBA is in the process of putting safety training presentations online for insurance services member districts.

76. The Future MSBA has plans to upgrade its Wifi.
MSBA will implement Microsoft Exchange.

77. MSBA
Searching for key ways to better serve school boards Core Values  Honest  Promise Keepers  Seekers of Perfection  Membership Service Focused

78. Mississippi School Boards Association
The mission of MSBA is to ensure
quality school board performance through:
 Advocacy
 Leadership Training
 Technical Assistance
 Information Dissemination
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