An IASB Resolution is a proposal submitted to the Association which asks the Association to take a position and/or action. A resolution consists of at least one directive to take action at the federal or state level. Resolutions should be in the form of a Position Statement.

School boards that are members of the Association typically write and submit resolution proposals. Per the IASB Constitution, resolutions for proposed Position Statements may be presented by any Active Member (any dues-paying school board), Association Division, the Association’s Board of Directors, or the Resolutions Committee. Every proposal includes a statement of resolution and a statement of rationale. Members may submit a maximum of three submissions each year.

On an annual basis in April, IASB sends a "Call for Resolutions," which includes an online resolutions form. The form must be completed in its entirety and submitted to IASB by the deadline established in the IASB Constitution (150 days prior to the Annual Business Meeting of the Delegate Assembly). Any resolution which is not submitted in the manner described will not be considered. 

Each member district may submit a “New Resolution” or an “Amendment” to an existing Position Statement.

No. Each resolution requires a majority vote of the Active Member school board, the Active Members that make up an Association Division, the Association’s Board of Directors, or the Resolutions Committee in order to submit the resolution.

April: IASB staff sends a “Call for Resolutions” to all school board members 

June: Proposed resolutions are due 150 days prior to the Annual Business Meeting of the Delegate Assembly. 

June and July: IASB staff reviews and researches all proposed resolutions and amendments to Position Statements. IASB staff then prepares the staff analysis for the Resolutions Committee, which includes historical background on current law and other relevant information and context related to the proposed resolution.  

August: The Resolutions Committee meets on the first Friday of August to debate the proposed resolutions and amendments to existing Position Statements and makes recommendations to the Delegate Assembly.

September: Per the IASB Constitution, the Resolutions Committee Report, which includes the proposed resolutions and the recommendations of the Resolutions Committee, is published and sent to all member districts. 

November: The Delegate Assembly convenes on the Saturday of the Joint Annual Conference to vote on proposed resolutions or amendments to existing Position Statements. 

The Resolutions Committee is made up of 21 school board members representing each of the Association’s divisions, plus the IASB Vice President, who serves as the Committee Chair, and the IASB President. Committee members are elected by fellow school board members from their division to represent them on the statewide committee.

Once a resolution proposal is submitted and IASB staff has provided analysis, it is debated at the August Resolutions Committee meeting. A representative from the entity that proposed the amendment must attend, in person or virtually, to present the proposal.

Per the IASB Constitution, the Resolutions Committee has three options upon receiving a proposal.  

• A “do adopt” recommendation proceeds to the Delegate Assembly floor for a vote. 
• In the case of a “do not adopt” recommendation, the resolution will not proceed to the Delegate Assembly floor for a vote, unless the submitting member appeals the Resolutions Committee recommendation in writing in accordance with the Resolutions Committee rules and approved by the Board of Directors (see Constitution IX. Resolutions Section 5). 
• The Committee can also exercise its prerogative to determine that a proposal will not be presented to the Delegate Assembly with a “do not present” recommendation, which is not subject to the appeals process. Reasons a resolution might receive a “do not present” include: 
  • The proposed resolution is substantially similar to a resolution submitted in recent years and not adopted; or 
  • It is substantially similar to a current Position Statement; or 
  • It does not fall within the definition of a resolution under the IASB Constitution.

Any entity that has submitted a resolution and received a “do not adopt” recommendation from the Resolutions Committee shall have the right to appeal the decision(s) of the Resolutions Committee at the Delegate Assembly. Notice of appeal must be submitted in writing to the Resolutions Committee. If an appeal for a “do not adopt” recommendation is submitted on time, it can be taken up at the Delegate Assembly. First, the Delegate Assembly must vote on whether to hear the appeal. If the Delegate Assembly votes to hear the appeal, the Delegate Assembly must then vote on whether to adopt the resolution.

Following the Resolutions Committee meeting in August, a Resolutions Committee Report is posted online and sent to all IASB member boards in September. The report includes all submitted resolutions, the rationale for each submitted resolution, and the Resolutions Committee’s recommendation and rationale for each recommendation.

The IASB Delegate Assembly, held annually during the Joint Annual Conference, is the meeting at which member boards of education vote on proposed resolutions . Each school board that is a member of the Association is entitled to select one individual board member to serve as its voting delegate. A delegate is not required to be registered for the Joint Annual Conference in order to participate in the Delegate Assembly but will need to register for the Delegate Assembly and attend in person. School boards are encouraged to select an alternative delegate in the event that the primary delegate becomes unable to participate. Delegates are encouraged to review proposed resolutions with their full board before the Delegate Assembly in order to receive direction.

At the Delegate Assembly, proposed resolutions that received a "do adopt" recommendation, or “do not adopt” recommendation that is timely appealed, are brought for a vote at the Delegate Assembly. Discussion is held before votes are taken. Voting must be done in person, in accordance with the IASB Constitution (Delegate Assembly and Annual Conference, Section 2). The Delegate Assembly vote determines the final decision on all resolutions. If approved by the Delegate Assembly, resolutions become IASB Position Statements.

Proposed changes to the IASB Constitution are not submitted through the Resolutions Process. If a proposal would result in a change to the IASB Constitution, the Constitution currently requires that any proposed constitutional amendment be submitted at least 105 days prior to the Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly. To timely submit a proposed constitutional amendment to be considered by the Board of Directors, the proposed constitutional amendment, along with a rationale, should be submitted to the IASB Governmental Relations team at [email protected].