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Board members report on national conferences, advocacy visits and family‑support center site visit
Summary
Several board members summarized recent conferences and site visits — School Board Partners fellowship selections, the NSBA Advocacy & Equity symposium in Washington, D.C., and a site visit to a family support center — highlighting federal advocacy topics including E‑Rate, IDEA and Title I priorities and local family‑support models.
Board members used the March work session to summarize recent professional development, national conferences and advocacy activities they attended on behalf of the district.
School Board Partners fellowship
A pair of board members reported being selected for the School Board Partners cohort and said the program provides monthly virtual meetings and national networking opportunities intended to strengthen governance and board leadership. Board members said they will return with ideas learned from the fellowship to the full board.
NSBA Advocacy & Equity Symposium and federal priorities
Board members who attended the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Advocacy & Equity Symposium in Washington, D.C., described sessions on federal advocacy and legal updates, equity, family engagement and school choice policy. Stacy said the tone of this year’s event felt different from prior years: “Last year… it felt more upbeat. This year it felt scary,” she said, citing rapid legal and executive‑level changes that presenters said could affect districts nationwide.
Attendees reported discussing a range of federal priorities with staffers, including the E‑Rate (Universal Service Fund) program that supports district connectivity, Title I funding for high‑poverty districts, and special‑education funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Board members said they met with congressional staffers in Washington, provided talking points on those priorities and plan to follow up. One board member noted the district relies on E‑Rate funding for technology and expected a Supreme Court decision could influence funding timing.
Site visit: family support center model
During a site visit described at the meeting, board members toured a district family support center that provides enrollment assistance, language supports, a small grocery‑style resource area, medical and dental screenings and newcomer services. Attendees said the Clark County example they saw enrolls multiple families a day, offers newcomer supports including trauma‑informed services, and coordinates city partnerships for shelter, phones and job assistance. Board members described the model as title‑funded and multi‑partnered and said the visit yielded ideas for family engagement strategies the Ogden district might consider.
Other takeaways
Attendees described presentations on equity in policy design and the role of student voice. Several board members noted the value of student school board members and training opportunities to support them. One attendee said the district’s delegation presented at a national conference and was well received. Board members said they will share notes and resources and consider next steps for local advocacy and family engagement.
Provenance: multiple committee and board reports during the meeting outline the conferences, the family support center site visit and federal advocacy priorities.
