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Tennessee School Boards Association
| Tennessee School Boards Association | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Type: | 501(c)(3) |
| Top official: | Jayson McDonald, President |
| Year founded: | 1939 |
| Website: | Official website |
The Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) is a statewide organization of all school boards in Tennessee.[1] The association was founded in 1939. Since 1953, it has been authorized by the Tennessee State Legislature as the “organization and representative agency of the members of school boards of Tennessee."[2]
TSBA withdrew from the National School Boards Association in June 2021. In a statement, TSBA Assistant Executive Director Ben Torres said: "Our board decided to leave NSBA because NSBA’s advocacy efforts are focused more on contentious issues that divide the membership instead of educational issues that should further the mission of our state associations."[3]
Background
TSBA was founded in 1939 and officially recognized by the state legislature in 1953. As of July 2025, the group's mission statement was:[4]
| “ | The mission of the Tennessee School Boards Association is to assist school boards in effectively governing school districts. Through the years, TSBA has helped school boards and their members reach their highest potential through association programs, meetings and services. TSBA also provides school board members a collective voice in matters of legislation and public education concerns.[5] | ” |
Leadership
As of July 2025, the TSBA board of directors included:[6]
- Jayson McDonald, President
- David Baker, President-Elect
- Dr. Lee Carter, Vice President
- Michelle McKissack, Treasurer
- Dr. Dale Viox, Immediate Past President
Work and activities
The TBSA website listed the following areas of activity as of July 2025:[4]
| “ |
Legislative Legislative advocacy is an essential part of advancing public education in Tennessee. TSBA’s Government Relations Department advocates for the collective interests of our membership at the General Assembly, as determined by our Delegate Assembly, position statements, and constitution and bylaws. The department monitors legislation that impacts school districts and maintains direct communication with legislators, state agencies, and stakeholder groups in the education arena to achieve the Association’s goals. Legal Tennessee school districts are often confronted with complicated and time-sensitive legal concerns. TSBA’s Legal Department provides legal assistance and renders legal opinions upon request from local boards of education and superintendents. We have three attorneys on staff that are well-versed in education law and have a unique understanding of the legal issues affecting school boards. If you’ve got questions, we can help you find the answer. Find out more about how TSBA can assist your district in maneuvering through the technical details of our state’s laws and policies. Policy TSBA’s Policy Department delivers educational, administrative, organizational, and legal assistance to school boards by providing consistent, effective, and current policies that comply with applicable statutory and/or regulatory requirements. Our staff is available to help answer questions and provide resources on policy development. Currently 133 out of 141 Tennessee school districts subscribe to TSBA’s Policy Service.[5] |
” |
Notable 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 Tennessee School Boards Association's revenues and expenses from 2011 to 2023. The information comes from ProPublica
| Year | Revenue | Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | $1.7 million | $1.8 million |
| 2012 | $1.9 million | $1.8 million |
| 2013 | $2.3 million | $2.2 million |
| 2014 | $2.2 million | $2.0 million |
| 2015 | $2.0 million | $1.9 million |
| 2016 | $2.3 million | $2.0 million |
| 2017 | $2.5 million | $2.0 million |
| 2018 | $2.6 million | $2.2 million |
| 2019 | $2.6 million | $2.4 million |
| 2020 | $2.0 million | $1.8 million |
| 2021 | $2.8 million | $2.5 million |
| 2022 | $2.8 million | $2.8 million |
| 2023 | $3.0 million | $2.5 million |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Tennessee School Boards Association, "TSBA is Not a Member of NSBA," July 22, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee School Boards Association, "History of TSBA," accessed July 22, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee Star, "Tennessee School Boards Association No Longer Affiliated with National School Boards Association," archived October 27, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tennessee School Boards Association, "Homepage," accessed July 22, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Tennessee School Boards Association, "TSBA Board of Directors," accessed July 22, 2025
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