National School Boards Association

National School Boards Association
Basic facts
Location:	Alexandria, Virginia
Type:	501(c)(3)
Top official:	Devin Sheehan, President
Year founded:	1940
Website:	Official website

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is a 501(c)(3) organization representing state school boards associations. The NSBA website says the organization "will continue to lead the national conversation about public education, advocate for public policies that ensure each student everywhere has access to an excellent public education where they live, create a better understanding of the importance of school boards and the benefits of local governance, and enhance the effectiveness of school boards."

Background

The NSBA was founded in 1940. The organization describes itself as "the only national organization representing school boards." As of September 2025, the organization's website said its mission was to "equip school board members with resources to advocate for each student in each community, in partnership with our members," with the goal that "each school board ensures that each student can reach their full potential through quality and equitable educational opportunities."

Leadership

As of September 2025, the following individuals held leadership positions at the NSBA:

• Devin Sheehan, president
• Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, executive director and chief executive officer

As of September 2025, the following individuals sat on the NSBA board of directors:

• Devin Sheehan, president
• Leonard Lockhart, president-elect
• Becky Fles, secretary-treasurer
• Donald Hubler, immediate past president
• Sami Al-Abdrabbuh
• Flor Diaz Smith
• Marvyn Jaramillo
• Mildred Lefebvre
• Marnie Maraldo
• William Miller
• Matthew Showalter
• Eric Stroeder
• Kathryn Whitaker

Work and activities

Legislative and policy work

Advocacy agenda

As of September 2025, the NSBA's advocacy agenda listed the following six priorities:

“

1. Fully Funding and Modernizing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): While IDEA mandates that the federal government cover 40% of special education costs, current funding stands at just 14%, leaving local districts to absorb the shortfall. Fully funding IDEA would allow districts to enhance services, hire more special education teachers, and provide needed classroom resources. Call to Action: Support the IDEA Full Funding Act (S. 1277 and H.R. 2598); the Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act (H.R. 5141 in the 118th Congress) to restore funding for early intervention services under IDEA Part C and Section 619; and the Keep Our PACT Act (S. 343 and H.R. 869), which would put Congress on a fiscally responsible path to fully fund Title I and IDEA on a mandatory basis. Stress the importance of shared financial responsibility among federal, state, and local governments. 2. Expanding, Strengthening, and Retaining the Educator Workforce: Addressing teacher shortages and promoting a diverse, high-quality educator workforce are essential to student success. Federal policies can support educator recruitment, preparation, and retention. Teacher shortages disproportionately affect high-poverty, rural, and special education classrooms, worsened by burnout, low pay, and limited resources. Call to Action: Support the PREP Act (S. 2369 in the 118th Congress) to strengthen teacher preparation programs and recruit educators for high-need subjects like STEM and special education. 3. Strengthening Investments in Title I and Career & Technical Education (CTE): Title I and CTE programs are critical for closing opportunity gaps and preparing students for successful futures. Title I supports schools serving low-income communities by funding targeted interventions like tutoring, literacy programs, and teacher training. CTE programs prepare students for high-demand careers by providing skills, certifications, and real-world experience. 4. Promoting Digital Access, Digital Literacy, and Cybersecurity: The E-rate program has been instrumental in expanding broadband to schools and libraries. A potential Supreme Court decision this spring on the Universal Service Fund (USF), which funds E-rate, could jeopardize broadband access for millions of students, especially in rural and low-income areas. Congress must be ready to act swiftly to protect E-rate and ensure all students have access to the digital tools they need to succeed. School districts are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks, jeopardizing student and staff data. Investments are needed to modernize cybersecurity infrastructure. Demand for the FCC’s Cybersecurity Pilot Program far exceeded capacity, with requests from schools and libraries totaling $3.7 billion for the $200 million pilot. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which ran out of funding in 2024, provided essential home broadband support for low-income families, including students. Congress should explore sustainable, long-term funding mechanisms for the ACP to ensure families have critical broadband access in the future. 5. Prioritizing Student Health, Wellness, and Safety: Student health, wellness, and safety are foundational to academic success and long-term well-being. Federal policies and funding are critical to support school-based health care, mental health services, and school nutrition. Call to Action: Expand School-Based Medicaid Services: Increase access to critical health services like mental health counseling, vision care, and therapy. Address Food Insecurity: Support universal school meal programs to ensure all students are fed and ready to learn. Strengthen Mental Health Resources: Increase funding for school counselors, trauma-informed care, and mental health programs. Invest in School Safety: Enhance physical security, staff training, and positive school climate initiatives to prevent violence. 6. Oppose School Vouchers in All Their Forms: School vouchers, education savings accounts (ESAs), and similar programs divert public funds away from public schools, undermining local accountability and equitable education for all students. Congress must reject efforts to expand vouchers and prioritize investments in public schools that serve all students. Call to Action: Oppose the Educational Choice for Children Act (H.R. 833 and S. 292). This legislation would establish a federal voucher program, diverting billions from public schools. The legislation is fiscally irresponsible, enables student discrimination, undermines local control of education, and would severely damage public schools that educate 90% of American children. Advocating for public education ensures that every student has the opportunity to succeed, contributing to the future of our nation. Your voice, backed by clear data and real-life stories, can help policymakers better understand the needs of America’s schools and students. Remember: Education is not a partisan issue—it is a national priority essential to each student’s future and our country’s future.

”

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.

Finances

The following is a breakdown of the National School Boards Association's revenues and expenses from 2001 to 2023. The information comes from ProPublica.

National School Boards Association financial data 2001-2023

Year	Revenue	Expenses
2001	$23.9 million	$24.0 million
2002	$23.1 million	$23.3 million
2003	$22.5 million	$22.9 million
2004	$21.3 million	$20.9 million
2005	$22.3 million	$21.9 million
2006	$23.7 million	$24.1 million
2007	$25.2 million	$25.8 million
2008	$25.1 million	$24.7 million
2009	$24.6 million	$24.7 million
2010	$23.2 million	$24.8 million
2011	$21.7 million	$21.5 million
2012	$20.6 million	$19.0 million
2013	$19.1 million	$19.1 million
2014	$19.4 million	$19.6 million
2015	$18.2 million	$18.4 million
2016	$18.8 million	$18.3 million
2016*	$6.2 million	$7.4 million
2017	$18.4 million	$17.7 million
2018	$18.8 million	$17.2 million
2019	$19.2 million	$17.3 million
2020	$15.1 million	$13.7 million
2021	$13.2 million	$12.7 million
2022	$14.4 million	$14.1 million
2023	$8.7 million	$12.2 million

*The NSBA switched its reporting schedule in 2016. The first entry for 2016 indicates revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year ending in June 2016. The second entry indicates revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year ending December 2016.

Noteworthy events

State associations leave NSBA following letter to President Biden (2021-2022)

In a letter dated September 29, 2021, the NSBA wrote to President Joe Biden (D) regarding what it described as "threats and acts of violence against public schoolchildren, public school board members, and other public school district officials and educators." To read more about the letter and following events, click here.

Between October 2021 and June 2022, 25 state school board associations decided to terminate or not renew membership in the NSBA. The map below shows the status of each state association's membership in the NSBA as of the membership period beginning July 1, 2022.

Many of the state associations that left the NSBA during this time were involved in founding the Consortium of State School Boards Associations, which held its founding meeting with the participation of 22 state associations in April 2022.

Timeline

Expand the sections below for a timeline of state associations withdrawing from the NSBA.

• June 2022

  • Wisconsin Association of School Boards: On June 10, 2022, the WASB board of directors voted not to renew membership in the NSBA for the period beginning July 1, 2022. The organization's executive director wrote, "The board's rationale for the decision includes ongoing concerns — many of which pre-date last fall’s events — about NSBA leadership, governance structure and transparency; the fiscal management and financial oversight of the national association; and its failure to prioritize and serve state school board associations." On November 5, 2021, the board had voted to suspend the association's participation in NSBA activities and programs. On January 19, 2022, WASB delegates adopted a resolution giving the WASB board of directors the authority to decide whether the association would remain a member of the NSBA.
  • Nebraska Association of School Boards: On June 11, 2022, the NASB board of directors voted to end the organization's membership in the NSBA, following a May vote by the board's seven-member executive committee to recommend canceling membership in the national organization. In May, the NASB executive committee president said, "I don’t know that there was a smoking gun in the report that absolutely made us make a decision one way or the other ... We wanted to see it play out and see how the organization was going to make changes before we decided we wanted to re-up, to continue our membership. ... In the meantime, 22 states have left, and so we just have some real concerns about the viability of the organization, financially and just as a critical mass."
  • North Dakota School Boards Association: On June 17, 2022, the NDSBA board of directors voted not to renew membership in the NSBA. A letter to members said, "[I]t has become clear to us the long-term viability of the NSBA is in question."

• May 2022

  • Texas Association of School Boards: On May 23, 2022, the TASB board of directors voted to withdraw from the NSBA. A news release from the association said it was ending its membership "following the release of an independent investigation that found operational deficiencies and lack of internal controls and processes within NSBA." The association's executive director said, "We have been intently waiting for the release of this independent investigation for nearly two months. ... With this report now available, it’s clear that NSBA’s internal processes and controls do not meet the good governance practices that TASB expects and requires in a member organization.”

• March 2022

  • California School Boards Association: On March 26, 2022, the CSBA board of directors voted not to renew the association's membership in the NSBA for the membership period beginning July 1, 2022. A letter from the association's president said that it was "not the first time CSBA questioned whether California’s interests were being properly represented by NSBA," for reasons that included "CSBA’s inequitable representation in NSBA’s governance structure and the organization’s lack of support for policy issues of importance to California." The letter also said, "[T]he numerous challenges faced by NSBA makes it difficult to effectively represent CSBA’s interests at the federal level. ... As a result [of 21 other state school boards associations terminating their membership], the organization’s future is in doubt and its present situation does not offer sufficient value to justify continued membership."

• February 2022

  • Arizona School Boards Association: On February 16, 2022, ASBA's executive director announced that the group's board of directors had voted to discontinue its membership in the NSBA, saying that membership in the organization had "become a hindrance to the work we are undertaking here in Arizona on behalf of Arizona’s public school students.”
  • West Virginia School Board Association: On February 19, 2022, WVSBA delegates voted at the association's annual business meeting to terminate the association's membership in the NSBA effective June 30, 2022.
  • Idaho School Boards Association: On February 21, 2022, the ISBA passed a motion to terminate its membership in the NSBA. A press release from the association said, "We are unable to advocate for Idaho students if we are continuously held accountable for the actions of NSBA. As such, we feel the NSBA is unable to meet the needs requested by the ISBA Executive Board at this time and has a long way to restore a culture of transparency."

• January 2022

  • Minnesota School Boards Association: MSBA's executive director informed school board chairs and superintendents in a January 4, 2022, letter that the MSBA board of directors had terminated the association's membership with the NSBA the week prior. According to the Pioneer Press, "[MSBA's executive director] said in an interview ... that the September letter was 'a symptom of the problem that we had with the overall operation and value of NSBA to our association.'”

• December 2021

  • Alabama Association of School Boards: The AASB announced in October 2021 that delegates to the association's annual business meeting in December would vote on a bylaws change that would allow the AASB board of directors to decide the association's membership status in the NSBA. The announcement said, "AASB believes NSBA's letter requesting federal intervention is inconsistent with NSBA’s support for local control." At the meeting, which was held December 2-4, 2021, delegates voted to change the bylaws to make membership in the NSBA no longer mandatory, and the AASB board of directors voted to withdraw from the NSBA.
  • Arkansas School Boards Association: On December 8, 2021, the ASBA board of directors voted to terminate the organization's membership in the NSBA, effective immediately. The same day, the ASBA delegate assembly voted in favor of a change to the group's bylaws that would remove references to the NSBA.

• November 2021

  • Montana School Boards Association: On November 1, 2021, the MTSBA approved a motion to leave the NSBA in June 2022. According to the Associated Press, the motion included an intent to "work with other state associations to create a new national organization 'to meet the federal advocacy and related needs of its member school boards.'"

  • South Carolina School Boards Association: On November 5, 2021, the SCSBA voted to withdraw from the NSBA. In a November 8 letter to members, the association's president and executive director said, "Over the past few weeks, SCSBA leadership has carefully monitored NSBA’s actions, advocating and watching for a clear path forward and affirmative steps to address the damage done in relation to NSBA’s September 29 letter to President Joe Biden. ... On the whole, the Board felt it was in the best interest of SCSBA’s membership to sever ties with NSBA at once."

  • Kentucky School Boards Association: On November 7, 2021, the KSBA board of directors voted to withdraw from the NSBA. A spokesman said the decision was "made in response to a pattern of dysfunction within the NSBA organization."

  • North Carolina School Boards Association: On November 11, 2021, the NCSBA voted to terminate its membership in the NSBA effective June 30, 2022. A letter from the association's president and executive director said, "The September 29 letter from NSBA to President Biden, in both its inflammatory language and the request for federal agencies to intervene in our communities, was just one in a series of lapses in governance."

  • Mississippi School Boards Association: On November 15, 2021, the MSBA board of directors voted to terminate the association's membership in the NSBA effective June 30, 2022. A letter from the association's president and executive director said, "The decision to leave NSBA was not made lightly. The September 29 letter from NSBA to President Biden ... was just one in a series of lapses in governance. MSBA can no longer allow NSBA to speak for our association or our membership and can no longer see the value of continued membership."

  • Illinois Association of School Boards: On November 18, 2021, the IASB board of directors voted to terminate the association's membership in the NSBA. A press release said, "The decision follows previous attempts by IASB to initiate changes to the governance structure, transparency, and financial oversight of the national association."

  • Virginia School Boards Association: On November 18, 2021, the VSBA board of directors voted to terminate the association's membership in the NSBA effective June 30, 2022. A letter from the association's president and executive director said, "The VSBA board of directors no longer has faith in NSBA’s ability to effectively represent the interests of our state association and its members."

  • Florida School Boards Association: On November 30, 2021, the FSBA board of directors voted to allow the association's NSBA membership to lapse effective December 1, 2021. A statement from the association said, "FSBA’s decision to let membership in NSBA lapse was necessary, but not made lightly. The decision to allow our membership to lapse was made in response to a persistent pattern of dysfunction within the NSBA organization and among those charged with its governance."

  • Georgia School Boards Association: On November 30, 2021, the GSBA board of directors voted to withdraw from the NSBA effective immediately. A letter from the association's executive director said, "The GSBA board of directors no longer has faith in NSBA’s ability to effectively represent the interests of our state association and its members. For several years GSBA and many other state associations have repeatedly asked for corrective actions with governance and finances and received little to no action from NSBA in response."

• October 2021

  • Louisiana School Boards Association: On October 15, 2021, the LSBA board of directors voted to withdraw from the NSBA. The LSBA said it had "ongoing concerns over management, leadership and the general direction of their organization."

  • Pennsylvania School Boards Association: News outlets reported on October 15, 2021, that the PSBA governing board had voted to withdraw from the NSBA. A letter to members said, "The most recent national controversy surrounding a letter to President Biden suggesting that some parents should be considered domestic terrorists was the final straw."

  • Missouri School Boards Association: On October 22, 2021, the MSBA board of directors voted to withdraw from the NSBA. A letter to members stated, "The National School Boards Association, through its recent actions, such as its letter to the White House, has demonstrated it does not currently align with MSBA's guiding principles of local governance."

  • Ohio School Boards Association: On October 25, 2021, the OSBA terminated its membership with the NSBA. The association's president and chief executive officer wrote, "The NSBA letter demonstrated just how out of touch the national association is with the concerns of local school boards and the principle of local control. OSBA can no longer allow NSBA to speak for our association or our membership and no longer see the value of continued membership."

  • New Hampshire School Boards Association: On October 28, 2021, the NHSBA announced that it had withdrawn from the NSBA, saying, "NSBA’s recent actions have made our continued membership untenable."

Background

The September 2021 letter from the NSBA to President Biden began, "America’s public schools and its education leaders are under an immediate threat. The National School Boards Association (NSBA) respectfully asks for federal law enforcement and other assistance to deal with the growing number of threats of violence and acts of intimidation occurring across the nation." To read the full letter, click here. An archived press release about the letter can be viewed here.

On October 4, 2021, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memorandum in which he directed the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. attorneys to meet within 30 days with leaders in every federal judicial district to discuss "strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff." To read the full memorandum, click here.

As summarized by Politico, the NSBA "faced outrage on all sides — from its members, state attorneys general, lawmakers and parent advocacy groups." A group of 17 state attorneys general sent a letter to Biden and Garland on October 18 asking for them to "immediately withdraw the October 4, 2021 Memorandum" and to "immediately cease any further actions designed to intimidate parents from expressing their opinions on the education of their children."

On October 22, 2021, the NSBA sent a message to members that said, "As you all know, there has been extensive media and other attention recently around our letter to President Biden regarding threats and acts of violence against school board members. ... On behalf of NSBA, we regret and apologize for the letter. To be clear, the safety of school board members, other public school officials and educators, and students is our top priority, and there remains important work to be done on this issue. However, there was no justification for some of the language included in the letter."

On February 7, 2022, the NSBA announced it was "launching an independent comprehensive review to fully understand the circumstances around the letter sent to the Biden administration." To read the related memo, click here.

On March 4, 2022, a group of 14 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana against Biden, the Executive Office of the President, Garland, the United States Department of Justice, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, and the United States Department of Education, asking the court to "compel the Defendants to produce records responsive to an outstanding [Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)] request submitted to each of them ... on October 26, 2021." The FOIA request asked Biden and Garland to "[p]roduce all communications of any federal officials or agencies to or from the NSBA ... relating to 'the proceedings leading to the [September 29] letter,'" alleging that "potential collusion between the White House, the DOJ, and the NSBA in the actual creation of the September 29 letter—as a pretext for threats against parents—raises serious concerns." A spokesperson from the Department of Education said, "As we’ve made clear repeatedly, the Secretary did not solicit a letter from NSBA. ... Some politicians continue to peddle falsehoods and are more focused on manufacturing crises than addressing the real challenges students, families, and schools are facing."

On May 20, 2022, the NSBA announced that the independent review had been completed. According to The Washington Post's Laura Meckler, the investigation "concluded that the group was in close touch with the Biden administration," "found the group was not acting at the White House’s behest," and "put the blame for the letter almost entirely on former executive director Chip Slaven." To view the NSBA news release on the findings of the review and the association's next steps, click here. To view the report, click here. Slaven responded to the report in an interview with Fox News reported here.

See also

• What is an influencer?
• Consortium of State School Boards Associations
• Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2023
• Endorsements in school board elections, 2023
• Public education in the United States
• Education policy in the United States

External links

• National School Boards Association official website
• National School Boards Association on Facebook
• National School Boards Association on X
• National School Boards Association on LinkedIn
• National School Boards Association on Instagram
• National School Boards Association on Vimeo