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Superintendent and trustees report takeaways from NSBA visit; board highlights instruction, opposing vouchers and balanced calendar
Summary
District leaders who attended the National School Boards Association conference described priorities including advocacy against school vouchers, expanding math access, earlier algebra, investments in teachers and exploring a balanced calendar; trustees said they will pursue follow-up locally and at the statehouse.
Superintendent Dr. Stevens Bonet and Dr. Leslie Yanders summarized takeaways from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) conference in Washington, D.C., and trustees described legislative advocacy and district priorities drawn from that trip.
Dr. Leslie Yanders told trustees the merged advocacy and equity institute covered federal policy developments, school choice and vouchers, students’ social-emotional learning (SEL), and strategies to close achievement gaps in math. Yanders said the NSBA urged boards to oppose vouchers, to prioritize investments in teachers, to strengthen Title I and CTE funding and to promote digital access and cybersecurity. “Opposing school vouchers” was repeatedly noted as an NSBA position in the presentation.
Yanders said one session focused on expanding algebra instruction earlier, recommending algebra exposure beginning in sixth grade to improve later high-school outcomes. Trustees discussed a balanced-calendar approach as one option to reduce learning loss and improve outcomes; Trustee Gomez said the board should continue conversation on a balanced calendar.
Trustee Rodriguez and others described meetings with Indiana legislators and U.S. congressional staff while at the Capitol. Trustee Rodriguez thanked the NSBA and the Indiana School Boards Association for advocacy work and noted that state and federal legislative proposals discussed at the meetings could affect district funding.
Why it matters: The NSBA presentation framed federal- and state-level threats and opportunities for public education — particularly proposals on vouchers and changes at the U.S. Department of Education — and offered district-level practices (earlier algebra, CTE expansion, SEL supports) the board may consider.
Next steps: Trustees said more discussion would follow at future meetings and during the district’s strategic-planning process. Superintendent’s office materials and action items from the NSBA presentation are available at the administration building, per the superintendent’s report.
Ending: Trustees and administrators described the trip as informative and urged continued advocacy; no formal policy change was adopted at the meeting.
