What is TASB?

1. What is TASB? Revised: 08/12/2014

2. What is TASB? You have been nominated as a candidate for a position on the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Board of Directors. The following information is provided to help answer the question, ”What is TASB?” Created in 1949, the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) is a voluntary, nonprofit, statewide educational association that serves and represents local Texas school districts. 

3. What is TASB? Mission Statement TASB’s mission statement is adopted by the membership through the Delegate Assembly: The Texas Association of School Boards promotes educational excellence for Texas schoolchildren through advocacy, visionary leadership, and high quality services to school districts.

4. What is TASB? What TASB is not . . . • Not a federal, state, or local governmental entity. • Not an association of individual officials. • Not subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act. • Not subject to the Public Information Act, but some programs it administers are.

5. What is TASB? Governance Local school boards govern TASB through the Association's Board of Directors, an annual Delegate Assembly, and a Grassroots Process used to develop the Association's Advocacy Agenda.

6. What is TASB? Membership TASB's membership includes all 1,029 Texas school districts, 20 regional education service centers, 50 community colleges, 19 tax appraisal districts, and 136 shared service arrangements (cooperatives).

7. What is TASB? Delegate Assembly Each year, Active Members name a delegate and alternate to represent their interests at the Delegate Assembly (annual membership meeting), which is held during the TASA/TASB Annual Convention in the fall.

8. What is TASB? Delegate Assembly (continued) In addition, the members of the TASB Board of Directors and the four Legislative Advisory Council (LAC) Members of the TASB Legislative Committee also serve as delegates. The LAC representatives on the Legislative Committee are elected to two-year terms by the LAC through the grassroots process.

9. What is TASB? Delegate Assembly (continued) Policies and decisions made by the Delegate Assembly are translated into action by the TASB Board, a 44-member body made up of school board members representing every region of the state. 

10. What is TASB? Delegate Assembly (continued) • Elects the Officers and Board of Directors. • Adopts the TASB Mission Statement and Statement of Beliefs. • Amends the TASB Bylaws. • Adopts the Advocacy Agenda (Priorities, Resolutions submitted by the membership, and Cornerstone Principles).

11. What is TASB? Board of Directors Directors serve three-year terms, once elected to a three-year term on the Board, a Director can be elected to a maximum of three additional terms. A Director can be elected to an unexpired term of less than three years, when a vacancy is created by resignation or a Director leaving his or her local board.

12. What is TASB? Board of Directors (continued) Some of the Board’s Responsibilities: • The Board supervises, controls, and directs the affairs of TASB in accordance with Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Advocacy Agenda. • The Board oversees TASB activities, financial operations, investments, and assets.

13. What is TASB? Board of Directors (continued) Some of the Board’s Responsibilities (continued): • The Board sets policies. • The Board approves items to be brought before the Delegate Assembly for action. • The Board hires, evaluates, and sets compensation for the Executive Director.

14. What is TASB? Board of Directors (continued) Meetings The Board currently meets four times annually: • December at Austin headquarters • Spring at Austin headquarters • Summer (July) at location chosen by current President • Convention (Thursday before TASA/TASB Convention)

15. What is TASB? Board of Directors (continued) Expenses Directors’ expenses to attend Board and Committee meetings are reimbursed pursuant to Board policy. Directors are provided complimentary registrations to training sessions solely sponsored by TASB, the Convention, and the Post-Legislative Seminar.

16. What is TASB? Board of Directors (continued) • The Officers include the President, President-Elect, First and Second Vice-Presidents, Secretary-Treasurer, Immediate Past President. • The Board currently has 44 voting members, which includes the Officers. • Mentors are assigned to new Board members to assist them while they learn about the organization.

17. What is TASB? Board Standing Committees Annually appointed by the Executive Committee: • Budget and Finance • Bylaws and Resolutions (traditionally function as two separate committees) • Legislative • Member Services • Planning & Development

18. What is TASB? Other Board Committees • Executive Committee (Officers and Executive Director) • Nominations Committee (Elected by the Board at the Convention Meeting) • Special committees when appointed (Board approves committee, Executive Committee appoints members) • First Public Governance Committee (Officers and Executive Director )

19. What is TASB? Executive Director • Employed by Board of Directors. • Manages, supervises, and directs operations of TASB. • Serves as non-voting ex officio member of Delegate. Assembly, Board, and all committees. • Serves as voting member of First Public Governance Committee.

20. What is TASB? Executive Director (continued) Staff The Executive Director employs, supervises, and discharges all personnel. In 2014,TASB was named #7 in the large employer category of the Best Places to Work in Central Texas by the Austin Business Journal. Currently, the Management Team is made up of the Executive Director and ten Associate Executive Directors, each managing specific service areas of the organization.

21. What is TASB? Executive Director (continued) Staff (continued) There are a total of 438 full-time and 11 part-time staff, with an average tenure of ten years. Tenure ranges from newly hired to 38 years. Staff is 66 percent female with an average age of 49.

22. What is TASB? TASB Services When TASB was created, its purpose was to provide training, information, and advocacy for Texas public school districts. A brief explanation of some of these services follows. Governmental Relations The Governmental Relations Division monitors legislative developments, keeps members updated on activities, and promotes TASB's Advocacy Agenda in person with state and federal lawmakers, the State Board of Education, and other agencies.

23. What is TASB? TASB Services HR Services Districts that become members of the HR Services program have access to data, publications, training, and expert consulting services in the area of school district human resource (HR) management. Leadership Team Services TASB's Leadership Team Services (LTS) is committed to enhancing the effectiveness of leadership teams through training, publications, planning and consulting services, and an online learning center (OLC).

24. What is TASB? TASB Services Legal Services TASB Legal Services attorneys specialize in public school issues and provide advice to school district decision makers that supplements the legal advice districts receive from their own attorneys. Legal Services attorneys also conduct training, prepare publications, and support TASB’s Policy Service. School trustees, administrators, and attorneys may contact Legal Services on TASB’s toll-free Legal Line (800.580.5345).

25. What is TASB? TASB Services Policy Service Policy Service provides expert assistance with local district policy development and maintenance. Members of this service receive policy advisories and alerts, tool kits for developing policies required by law, regular policy updates that reflect new laws and rules, individual assistance with unique local policies, and in-district consulting through Policy Review Seminars.

26. What is TASB? TASB Services BoardBook BoardBook is a Web-based application created by TASB that opens the door to paperless distribution of meeting materials, to Web posting of finished documents and, ultimately, to paperless meetings. Executive Search Services Executive Search Services (ESS) offers assistance to clients undertaking a superintendent search, facilitates the application process for clients, and allows TASB members to post positions. 

27. What is TASB? TASB Services SMART Medicaid Services TASB’s SMART program has been helping school districts bill Medicaid for services eligible under the School Health and Related Services (SHARS) program since 1993. For many districts, the SHARS program is a significant funding source.

28. What is TASB? TASB Services TASB Facility Services TASB Facility Services provides districts assistance with regulatory compliance, access to professional and informative training, prompt and dependable customer service from experienced personnel, and substantial cost savings on a wide variety of environmental, facilities, and energy consulting services.

29. What is TASB? Affiliated Entities TASB has also facilitated the creation of seven different affiliated entities, each governed by a separate board, bylaws, and board-adopted policies.

30. What is TASB? Affiliated Entities (continued) First Public, LLC, and Lone Star Investment Pool For the past several decades, TASB’s financial services division has delivered consistent returns on investments made by Texas school districts through its products. Now known as First Public, LLC, a full member of FINRA/SIPC, it is bringing that expertise to the entire public sector.

31. What is TASB? Affiliated Entities (continued) TASB Risk Management Fund The TASB Risk Management Fund is the largest and premier provider of risk management coverage in the state of Texas. With over 1,100 members, the Fund provides coverage through its unemployment compensation, workers' compensation ,and property/casualty programs. Services range from Loss Prevention and free member training events to online resources, grant programs, and claim forms.

32. What is TASB? Affiliated Entities (continued) The Local Government Purchasing Cooperative The Local Government Purchasing Cooperative was created to increase the purchasing power of government entities and to simplify their purchasing by using a customized electronic purchasing system, called the BuyBoard.

33. What is TASB? Affiliated Entities (continued) TASB Energy Cooperative The TASB Energy Cooperative gives participants an easy, cost-effective way to meet bidding requirements for electricity and earn a competitive rate for the deregulated portion of their electricity.

34. What is TASB? Affiliated Entities (continued) TASB Legal Assistance Fund The purpose of the Legal Assistance Fund (LAF) is to provide support to school districts and other public entities that are defending legal challenges with the potential to affect public schools statewide. LAF typically prepares “friend of the court” briefs in cases that are on appeal.

35. What is TASB? Affiliated Entities (continued) TASB Benefits Cooperative Since 2002, the TASB Benefits Cooperative has provided school districts and their employees with a variety of employer-paid and employee-paid benefits such as group life, group long-term disability, and Section 125 products and plan administration. The Benefits Cooperative is administered by TASB's wholly owned subsidiary, First Public. First Public is licensed with the Texas Department of Insurance.

36. What is TASB? Affiliated Entities (continued) TASB Service Agreements The following Affiliated Entities have no employees but rather contract with TASB through service agreements for administration and operations of the entities’ programs. • Lone Star Investment Pool • Risk Management Fund • The Local Government Purchasing Coop • Energy Cooperative • Legal Assistance Fund

37. What is TASB? Affiliated Entities (continued) TASB Sponsor/License Agreements • TASB and four of the Affiliated Entities have entered into Sponsorship and License Agreements that enable the Entity to use the trade name, logo, or service marks, and other intangible assets of TASB in marketing its services: • Risk Management Fund • Lone Star Investment Pool • The Local Government Purchasing Cooperative • TASB Energy Cooperative

38. What is TASB? TASB Real Estate TASB owns property in northwest Austin and downtown: • 12007 Research Blvd, Riata Gateway Building Acquired in 2006 • 1101 Trinity Street Building Purchased in 1989 - Part of proceeds of sale of 406 East 11th Street Property

39. What is TASB? In 2009, TASB celebrated 60 years of experience with Texas schools. TASB can provide assistance in virtually every area of public school governance and operation. For more information about TASB and its Affiliated Entities, please visit our web site, www.tasb.org.