Vision, Mission & Beliefs

MSBA Mission and Beliefs

MSBA Mission
The Missouri School Boards' Association represents the leadership teams of school districts who are charged with shaping the educational programs of the public school students of Missouri. School board members provide policy and political leadership at the local, state, and national levels. Therefore, on their behalf, MSBA's mission is:

Helping School Boards Succeed

In addition, MSBA's strategic plan calls for the association to exercise significant influence in setting the agenda for public education. That means MSBA must be proactive in defining the issues and then developing comprehensive, cohesive strategies to address these issues. MSBA's platform identifies key critical issues that are part or need to be part of the current debate surrounding public education, and lists the association's position statements in each of these critical issue areas.

Purposes of the Platform
MSBA's platform (see Related Links) provides the positional framework which enables the association to significantly influence the agenda for public education in Missouri. As such, it guides the association's policy and political leadership activities.

At MSBA, political leadership on critical issues is provided through a variety of programs and special projects, including:

• Analysis of local, state, and national issues
• Advisories and publications on critical issues
• Governmental relations
• Legal analysis and amicus briefs
• Coalitions with other education, local government, and children's organizations
• Representation on state and national commissions and advisory committees

All these efforts are guided by the framework set forth in this platform. For example, it provides a basis for developing testimony to the legislature as well as to state and federal agencies on critical issues.

The platform also provides direction to MSBA's Legislative Policy as it develops specific legislative initiatives. In fact, whenever MSBA's leadership and staff are responding to issues or being proactive on behalf of the school boards in the state, the policy platform serves as the foundation for those efforts.

MSBA Beliefs
The Missouri School Boards Association (MSBA) position statements are based on a set of core beliefs about the quality and purpose of public education. MSBA believes that:

• Public education is the foundation of democracy.
 
• Local, representative, democratic governance is essential if schools are to meet the needs of all children and prepare them to appreciate diversity and perpetuate democratic ideals.
 
• Missouri's schools must work for every child in the state - regardless of social, ethnic, language or economic background, gender, or special needs.
 
• As trustees elected to represent the community's interests, local school boards must ensure accountability for both the educational effectiveness and fiscal solvency of their programs.
 
• Local school boards must be provided maximum flexibility in carrying out their governance responsibility.
 
• For children to learn and succeed, they must have access to a high-quality education program that challenges them to succeed. Every effort should be made to prepare students for work immediately after graduation or for higher education. Students must be provided with the skills to be a lifelong learner and an effective, contributing member of society.
 
• Schools must work as partners with parents and the community to support student achievement.
 
• School staff, because they have a direct and powerful influence on children's lives, must be prepared to provide the best possible instruction and services, must serve as models of integrity, and must be held accountable for their performance.