What is WASB, and What Does it Do?

The Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) serves as a professional organization that works with its member districts to support the tradition of local school board control of Wisconsin’s public schools. It is a non-profit, member-driven organization that supports, promotes, and advances the interests of public education in Wisconsin to serve all students’ learning needs.

WASB believes that the foundation of successful schools is an effective local school board. They provide training and guidance on the key components of effective school boards:

• Governing for High Levels of Learning for All Children

• Quality Leadership

• Strategic Focus on the Future

• Accountability

• Communication & Engagement

WASB has been working to bridge legislators to local school boards since 1921. It is only in recent years that funding and legislation for Wisconsin public education became politicized. WASB works to bring together legislators to hear the unified concerns of schools across Wisconsin. 

WASB member districts join together to:

Draft ideas of the most important issues facing Wisconsin public education, vote together to determine the legislative priorities for the year based on these ideas, and then WASB advocates to the legislature—on both sides of the aisle—on behalf of the members. 

Also included in the nominal WASB membership fee school districts receive:

1. Trainings for new school board members on how to carry out the elected duties

2. Leadership development for school board effectiveness 

3. Guidance on governance within the context of Wisconsin statute and laws

4. Professional development courses and workshops for district administrators on the laws, regulations, and policies for schools

5. Access to school law, policy development, and governance expert advice

6. Opportunities for district leaders and school board members to collaborate on shared concerns and interests

7. Assistance in superintendent searches

8. Information on endorsed insurance plans for various district needs from property and construction insurance to employment and liability plans

9. Legal services to districts regarding: employment, labor and school law, collective bargaining, and employee compensation. They offer additional member-rate, fee-based services for issues regarding such matters of grievance hearings, investigations, vendor agreements, locally drafted reviews of policies, etc. 
   

WASB membership includes Wisconsin public school boards and the regional Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA). The association is governed by a 15-member board of directors (one member per CESA region) with rules laid out by the WASB Bylaws.

Source: Content for this article cites from the “About” page of WASB: https://wasb.org/about-wasb/.