Federal Advocacy Conference is September 21-23
Registration is open for the 2026 COSSBA Federal Advocacy Conference. Join IASB and other Illinois school board members in Washington, D.C., September 21-23, to advocate for students in your school district. Advocate for increased federal funding for Illinois school districts and support for student achievement data and research. Federal Advocacy Conference attendees will have the opportunity to build relationships with federal legislators, attend comprehensive training related to federal education issues, learn how to tell their district’s story, and develop a network of board members across the nation. Visit the COSSBA website to learn more about the Federal Advocacy Conference and register.

Online Events
The Consortium of State School Boards Associations will present the next installment in its webinar series on May 20. Recruiting and Retaining Highly Effective Teachers will be presented by Sarah Calveric, Superintendent of Caroline County Public Schools in Virginia. Participants will gain practical insights into building strong talent pipelines, leveraging partnerships with universities and local communities, and implementing effective hiring practices that prioritize both quality and organizational fit. The session will also explore proven retention strategies designed to support and sustain highly effective teachers. Registration for Recruiting and Retaining Highly Effective Teachers is available at the COSSBA website.

COSSBA also offers a quarterly webinar on school safety presented by Safe Schools Together. On June 10, there will be a webinar on Current Online Behavioral Trends and Updates, which will discuss early identification of concerning online behavior on social media as a critical component in mitigating and preventing school and community violence. These webinars are designed to equip district teams with actionable insights and offer board members greater visibility into emerging risks and prevention efforts. Learn more about the school safety webinar series on the COSSBA website and register for Current Online Behavioral Trends and Updates online.

About COSSBA
Founded by state school boards associations in 2022, the Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA) is a nonpartisan, national alliance dedicated to sharing resources and information to support, promote, and strengthen state school boards associations as they serve their local school districts and board members. Illinois is a founding member of COSSBA.