After learning from our members about their needs as school boards, your MSBA staff are excited about putting our strategic plan into action. MSBA’s vision — Strong School Boards, Stronger Minnesota — will guide our work in the growth and skill development of our school boards. To build strong, high-performing boards, our efforts will focus on board development, advocacy, unifying voices for our public schools, and policy services.

Click here to view MSBA’s Belief Statements | Scroll below to learn about our big goals.

Focus Area: Public Education Advocacy

➦ Take action to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Government Relations team.

➦ Using best practices, improve the external communication process, reach, and effectiveness.

➦ Review and enhance the Delegate Assembly process and outcomes.

➦ Deploy a dashboard tool as a communication tool for legislative sessions.

➦ Develop a method for effective advocacy activities and engaging membership.

➦ Monitor and communicate federal legislative issues and activities. Preparing issue briefs for congressional meetings.

➦ Create a training module for school board members to promote an expectation of statewide public school advocacy.

➦ Implement an MSBA advocacy network, led by members of the Board of Directors.

➦ Increase partnership engagement with other education entities as well as local units of government.

Focus Area: Policy Guidance

➦ Analyze changes to federal and state laws, and court decisions – revise model policies as appropriate.

➦ Analyze new issues to determine if new policies or existing policy revisions are needed.

➦ Develop new language for model policies.

➦ Provide timely explanations regarding policy updates to school board members and administrative staff

➦ Promote guidance for school district governance and operational issues.

➦ Promote professional development of staff that provide services.

➦ Develop platforms for members to access guidance services.

➦ Engage with education associations via webinars and presentations.

Focus Area: Board Development

➦ Review scope and sequence of all MSBA workshops and services.

➦ Research professional development learning and delivery models.

➦ Develop evaluation model for member feedback for MSBA workshops and services.

➦ Create a methodology to annually review survey data and research for MSBA services.

➦ Review previous evaluations of all MSBA activities.

Focus Area: Operational Efficiency

➦ Create system to track benchmarks to measure MSBA Board of Directors’ participation in MSBA Board activities.

➦ Develop an onboarding process and updated board self-evaluation process to help MSBA Board of Directors understand their role and the operations of the MSBA Board.

➦ Analyze staff needs and schedule staff development opportunities – and enhance employee engagement by creating a learning and development strategy.

➦ Develop a definition of member engagement and develop a member engagement plan.

Focus Area: Unifying Voice for Public Education

➦ Create a unifying message using market research about current board member advocacy for public education and general public support for public education.

➦ Create a comprehensive strategic communications strategy for a unifying message.

➦ Train school board members to advocate on the local, state, and federal levels for public education.