History

The Arkansas School Boards Association emerged in 1955 as an outgrowth of the activities of the Southwest Cooperative Program in Educational Administration. This program was designed to improve local public school administration in the Southwest Region of the United States.

Through this program a number of clinics for school board members were conducted in Arkansas during 1952, 1953 and 1954. The interest stimulated by the clinics resulted in the organization of the Arkansas School Boards Association by a small group of board members who met in DeWitt to discuss the formation of an association.

Key moments in ASBA's history:

• 1955 - Handbook for state's school board members drafted in a workshop at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; organizational meeting held in November where attendees elected officers and adopted a constitution and by-laws
• 1969 - ASBA office moved from Education Administration Building at the Univ. of Arkansas to the 1515 Building near the State Capitol in Little Rock; Executive Director hired on part-time basis
• 1972 - ASBA became autonomous organization; full-time Executive Director hired; publication of ASBA Newsletter moved from Fayetteville to ASBA office; Certificate of Incorporation for Domestic Non-profit Corporation granted
• 1973 - Section 501(c)(4) tax-exempt ruling granted by Internal Revenue Service
• 1979 - Building at 815 Bishop purchased and offices moved
• 1983 - Lot purchased at 808 High Street (now Dr. M. L. King, Jr. Drive); construction on new building began in 1986
• 1987 - Moved into new, 5,668 square-foot, two-story building; Arkansas First Lady Hillary Clinton dedicated building
• 2008 - ASBA Board of Directors approved purchase of Baldwin & Shell Construction Company building at 523 South Ringo; Arkansas Children's Hospital signed contract to purchase existing ASBA building on Dr. M. L. King, Jr. Drive
• 2009 - Moved into new office space at corner of 6th and Ringo Streets (523 S. Ringo) with almost double the amount of office space and available parking of previous site; office staff of 22 serve ASBA members