Newly and reelected board members can strengthen their core with NCSBA’s Core Training course. Core training is a self-paced, virtual training event that includes all the components of our in-person sessions. Hear our talented staff cover leadership, advocacy, the required ethics training for school board members, and more during eight hours of recorded presentations. Access will begin November 30 and participants will have until January 31 to complete the training.

Core training topics include:

• Leadership Training – basic boardsmanship dos and don’ts, board/superintendent roles and responsibilities, school finance, and school board liability.
• Advocacy Training – board members’ advocacy work, a legislative update on current issues, NCSBA’s member-approved legislative agenda, and a how-to talk on effectively engaging legislators.
• Required Ethics Training – School board members are required to earn two hours of ethics training within 12 months of election or reelection.

Those completing all modules of the course will earn 12 hours of training.

Registration will open Monday, November 16.

Course Lessons

• • Welcome, Now You’re a Board Member
    Ed Dunlap, NCSBA Executive Director
    1 hour
  • The Board or the Superintendent? Quiz
    Ed Dunlap, NCSBA Executive Director
    1 hour
  • Common Liability Issues for School Districts
    Donna Lynch, NCSBA Litigation Counsel
    1 hour
  • Ethics for School Board Members
    Attorneys, NCSBA Legal/Policy department
    2 hours
  • Governing the School System Through Board Policy
    Janine Murphy, NCSBA Assistant Legal Counsel
    1 hour
  • Understanding Basic School Budget Issues
    Richard Bostic, NCSBA Assistant Director of Governmental Relations
    1 hour
  • Your Role as a Legislative Advocate for Public Education
    Leanne Winner, NCSBA Director of Governmental Relations
    1 hour
  • Board/Superintendent Roles and Responsibilities
    Ramona Powers, NCSBA Director of Board Development & Technology
    1 hour 

After the Department of Education issued new regulations on Title IX sexual harassment in May 2020, school systems across the country were left scrambling to put policies and procedures in place to implement the new requirements. This webinar explains why NCSBA issued six new policies on discrimination, harassment, and bullying in July 2020 and what’s included in those new policies. Most importantly, the webinar will give you a working knowledge of the two new Title IX sexual harassment policies and what happens next after your school system receives a report or complaint of sexual harassment.

Presented by: Justice Warren, Staff Attorney

This webinar will discuss how LEAs in North Carolina can address the mental health needs of students through compliance with the State Board of Education’s recently adopted School-Based Mental Health Initiative policy.

Presented by: Sam Thorp, Staff Attorney

Compliance with the Open Meetings Law provides for transparency and accountability and is vital to good school board governance. This webinar will provide an overview of the North Carolina Open Meetings Law as it applies to local school board members and official school board meetings. Topics will include types of meetings, notice requirements, open versus closed sessions, meeting minutes, public access and attendance, electronic and remote meetings, and other current and emerging issues related to legally compliant school board meetings.

Presented by: Jim O’Rourke, Assistant Legal Counsel for Superintendent Searches

The chair of a local board of education is responsible for presiding over meetings of the board, but what other duties does the chair have? Join this webinar for an overview of how board meetings are to be organized, scheduling and calling meetings, setting agendas, permissible reasons for closed session, and other essential topics.

Presented by: Janine Murphy, Assistant Legal Counsel