The Arkansas School Boards Association is excited to be planning the program for our 71st Annual Conference. We are inviting presentation proposals from school district staff, board members, and organizations that focus on key issues relevant to board members and administrators across Arkansas. Our goal for the 2024 ASBA Annual Conference is to inspire and empower participants, providing them with innovative ideas, essential information, and practical skills to improve student outcomes in their districts.
If you have a great story to tell or vital information that would help board members succeed, we invite you to submit a presentation proposal. Presentations will be scheduled for Wednesday, December 11, and Thursday, December 12. Sessions will be 60-90 minutes in length.
PRESENTATION CRITERIA
The 2024 conference theme is "Resilient and Ready – Leading Tomorrow’s Schools Today." Session proposals must be submitted under one of the following categories:
• Student Achievement - Presentations will center around the implementation of unique practices that have a positive impact on student achievement. This category offers an opportunity for districts to celebrate their successes with a “we did it and so can you” approach.
• Governance and Leadership - This category includes facets of board leadership and governance principles, including topics such as effective governance models, ethical leadership, and the role of school boards in providing direction and oversight while fostering a positive educational culture.
• Policy and Advocacy - This category focuses on how advocacy makes a difference both in your community and in the legislative process. School Boards play a vital role in advocating for education policies that support schools with ways to collaborate with policymakers and enact positive change in education regulations.
• Technology and Learning Transformation- This category will explore how technology is reshaping education. Discuss topics such as blended learning, personalized education, online resources, cybersecurity in schools, privacy, ensuring responsible technology integration, and AI.
• Finance - Sessions in this category will show how districts allocate resources to support their mission and goals. Presentations can include solutions for better budgeting, financial issues affecting school districts, and practical advice on surviving difficult economic times.
• Legal Issues - Presentations falling into this category will focus on legal issues related to public schools, including laws and regulations, best practices, ethical issues, court decisions, and legal hot topics.
• Stakeholder Involvement - Presentations will focus on strong partnerships between schools, parents, and the local community, including effective communication strategies, parental involvement initiatives, and collaborative projects that enrich the educational experience.
VENDOR-SPONSORED PRESENTATION CRITERIA
Presentations from companies or organizations associated with a commercial enterprise must meet the following selection criteria, in addition to those listed above:
• Presentations are not to be commercial sales solicitations. We are not interested in sales pitches or presentations by individuals or companies designed to feature and promote specific products and services.
• Presenters for these sessions are “outside experts” who will be referenced on the agenda as education consultants. Your opportunity for solicitation should be in the exhibit hall.
• Presenters in this category must agree to have their company or organization participate as a paying Commercial Affiliate/Vendor upon selection of their proposal.
DEADLINES & KEY DATES
The deadline to submit a presentation proposal is Friday, November 8, 2024.
• November 15, 2024: Final selection of presentations will be made, and applicants notified
• December 2, 2024: Handouts, PPTs, and other materials due to ASBA for online posting
• December 11-13, 2024: ASBA Annual Conference
PRESENTATION SELECTION CRITERIA
We are seeking presentations that meet the following criteria:
• Targets board members as the primary audience
• Enhances the knowledge, skills, and abilities of board members with an emphasis on improving student outcomes
• Includes a school board member as a participant in the presentation (not required but preferred)
• Demonstrates innovative ideas and solutions
NOTES:
• ASBA reserves the right to revise session titles and descriptions.
• Some presenters may be asked to repeat their session up to two times.
• All participating presenters are responsible for their own travel and expenses.
Note: Your proposal will NOT be considered if you do not submit a fully completed form.
To submit a presentation proposal electronically, use the following link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ASBA-RFP2024
Full proposal details and link to submit may also be accessed here.
Questions? Contact Tammie Reitenger, treitenger@arsba.org (501) 492-4822