Mississippi School Boards Association (MSBA) is a professional, nonprofit organization with a mission to ensure quality school board performance through advocacy, leadership training, technical assistance, and information dissemination. Originally incorporated in 1952, the Mississippi School Boards Association (MSBA) has actively served the state’s public school boards of education since 1971. MSBA represents all publically elected and appointed school boards of education. There are approximately 700 school board members in Mississippi.

MSBA is the advocacy wing of Mississippi school boards at the state and federal levels and assists school districts with their grassroots lobbying efforts at the local level. MSBA is also the primary technical resource for school boards and superintendents on school board governance and other related issues. MSBA serves as a principle resource for statewide educational and parental organizations in helping them to understand the governance role of the board and the administrative role of the superintendent.

MSBA is Mississippi’s primary leadership training entity for public school boards of education. Legislatively, MSBA is charged with providing all of the following: (1) basic training for new school board members; (2) continuing education for veteran board members; (3) financial training for school boards in districts that are financially distressed; (4) state mandated training for school boards and superintendents with failing schools within their districts.

MSBA writes, publishes, and distributes information on all issues associated with school boards and school governance from the role of boards in improving student achievement to how school boards an attorney. MSBA also produces two, three-hour school board training modules each year on subjects ranging from conducting effective school board meetings to team building.

MSBA’s services have evolved from a professional development program for school board members into a full-service association. Today, MSBA offers its members numerous programs including advocacy, training, opportunities, insurance services, financial services, policy services, technology services, a superintendent search service, and publications to assist boards in their governance role.

MSBA also offers training and resources to those who support the work of school boards, such as administrative assistants and board clerks (AABC), the Council of School Board Attorneys (CSBA), and the Prospective Superintendent Leadership Academy (PSLA).

MSBA is governed by a 20-member board comprised of school board members from each congressional district.