COSSBA welcomed school board association contingents from across the country to its 2026 Federal Advocacy Conference, September 21-23 in Washington, D.C. The Illinois contingent met with the offices of every Illinois Representative and Senator, sharing stories from their schools to advocate for key priorities. IASB and the school boards associations from Minnesota, Ohio, Iowa, and New York presented the upcoming 40 by 40: Fulfill the IDEA Promise campaign.

Webinars Cover a Variety of Topics
A prerecorded Unified Boards Alliance (UBA) webinar, Listening First: From Student and Community Voice to Meaningful Action, is now available. featuring Chris McNutt from The Human Restoration Project.

The next LeadHERship “Spill the Tea” webinar will be on November 5 at 11 a.m. Central Time. LeadHERShip: Women Leading the Future of Education presents webinars on topics of importance to women in leadership, and recordings of past events are available.

Safer Schools Together and COSSBA are presenting a series of webinars on student online behavior and how school districts can keep students safe. Recorded webinars from June and September are now available.

COSSBA presented a federal government relations webinar on August 19. The Federal Court Wrap-Up webinar offers a clear overview of significant federal court cases affecting schools and school governance and was presented by Jonathan Mayes of Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, chair of the Education Law Group, and a partner in the Labor and Employment Law Group.

National Conference Coming Up in March
Illinois education leaders are encouraged to join peers from across the country at the 2027 COSSBA National Conference in Dallas, “where ideas become action and connections strengthen public education.” The event begins with the Unified Boards Alliance Preconference Day on March 11, followed by the COSSBA National Conference, March 12-14, 2027. Discover innovative strategies, engage in meaningful conversations, and gain practical insights to help you lead with purpose and create greater impact in your schools and communities. Early registration is open through January 12, 2027.

COSSBA is inviting schools to showcase outstanding student talent at the 2027 National Conference in Dallas, Texas. This is a unique opportunity for students to represent their districts and share their creativity and excellence with education leaders from across the country. Selected groups will perform during both the Unified Boards Alliance (UBA) Preconference Day on March 11, 2027, and the National Conference, taking place March 12–14, 2027. Submission details are available on the COSSBA website. 

About COSSBA
Founded by state school boards associations in 2022, the Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA) is a non-partisan, 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. Visit the COSSBA website to learn more about the organization. IASB shares information on behalf of COSSBA with its members through Association communication channels, including news items and email.