When new legislation passes, PSBA is seen as the leader in analyzing it and helping members make sense of it.

Pennsylvania’s school districts have much in common, but they face many challenges that are unique to rural, suburban, urban and growing school districts. Local economy, family structure, transportation, community values and history influence each district differently. Demographics, cultural influences and public expectation drive these differences.

In recognition of this diversity, the PSBA Board of Directors in 1993 established a Forums Program to help school board members address issues unique to their district. Recognizing the needs of growing school districts, the PSBA Board of Directors created the Growing School District Forum in January 2005. The program provides educators from rural, suburban, urban and growing districts the opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss key issues and advise PSBA concerning the needs of districts with similar demographic characteristics.

This program provides special opportunities for PSBA member districts to address their common needs in a collaborative and effective manner. When districts share feedback with PSBA, the association is better able to plan educational/in-service programs and information sharing at all levels of the organization in order to play our part in helping school districts learn from one another.

Forums advisory committees

PSBA regional directors appoint two school directors each from rural, suburban, urban and growing school districts within their respective regions. Those representatives comprise the Forum advisory committees that meet at the Legislative Advocacy Conference and the annual School Leadership Conference.

Advisory committees’ responsibilities include determining the focus issues for each forum group; and evaluating the Forums Program and providing PSBA with recommendations for enhancing the program.

Chairpersons for the advisory committees are regional directors selected annually by the PSBA president. For further information about the program, contact Karen. L. Devine, network operations director, at (800) 506-2450, ext. 3322, or karen.devine@psba.org.