CSBA shares education expertise at NSBA Annual Conference 

The California School Boards Association was well represented at the National School Boards Association’s Annual Conference in Chicago April 8-11, with association representatives sharing their expertise on a wide range of topics and honing the skills they need as school leaders and advocates for the nation’s children.

Pleasanton school board member Juanita Haugen, a former CSBA President and NSBA Pacific Region Delegate, joined NSBA Executive Director Anne Bryant and other educational leaders for a session on “The Real Mission of Schooling: Creating Citizens for a Democracy.”

Giving conference participants the latest information about the benefits of preschool, CSBA Senior Research and Policy Consultant Samantha Tran joined Natomas Unified school board members Priscilla Cox and Ron Dwyer-Voss and preschool experts from the Elk Grove Unified School District. Their session, “A Deeper Look At … Creating Preschool Centers of Excellence,” focused on resources and strategies to give children an early foundation for future success in school and life.

CSBA General Counsel John Bukey tackled the difficult question of how to respond to critics of the theory of evolution without diluting the science curriculum. In a workshop on “Navigating Intelligent Design,” Bukey and school board association counsel from elsewhere in the country dispensed practical guidance and discussed the most recent legal developments in the continuing debate over Charles Darwin’s theory.

Stephanie Farland, CSBA Senior Research and Policy Consultant, presented an overview of the complex job of evaluating charter school petitions. Also participating in the session on “Charter Authorizing: To Grant or Not to Grant — A Decision for School Boards” was William Haft, Senior Associate, National Association of Charter School Authorizers.

Leading a session on “Addressing Academic Achievement Through Local Wellness Policies” were CSBA Assistant Executive Director for Governance and Policy Services Martin Gonzalez and California Project LEAN Marketing Manager Victoria Berends.

In a pre-conference session, Davis Campbell, President of CSBA Governance Institute, and Dan Walden, Director of Single District Governance Services, discussed how effective governance practices can help raise student achievement and close the achievement gap.