Call for Committee Applications

School board members benefit greatly when they volunteer to serve on an OSBA committee. It is a great way to get to know your fellow board members, network and collaborate while supporting your association.  

Committees work best when OSBA's diverse members provide their unique perspectives. Any school board member interested in serving on a committee is encouraged to submit an application for various elected offices and appointed committees within the association.

This is your opportunity to increase your interaction with board members from other school districts and represent your fellow board members and school district at region and state events and meetings.

How to apply

The application period for region executive committees and regional officers opens in May; the deadline is June 30. The application period for statewide advisory committees opens in October and closes Nov. 17. All applications can be emailed to nominations@ohioschoolboards.org or mailed to the attention of Mark E. Bobo at Ohio School Boards Association, 8050 N. High St., Ste. 100, Columbus, Ohio 43235. 

If you serve on a 2024 committee and would like to continue serving in 2025, you must apply. Current executive committee members also should complete this form if they are interested in serving on any committees or if their term on the region executive committee expires in 2024 and they want to run again.  

If there are any questions regarding regional offices, committee appointments or this procedure, please contact your regional manager. 

Committee application timeline

Governance and regional committees

Click the link to view a description of the committee and the time commitment for each. 

Statewide advisory committees

Click the link to view a description of the committee and the time commitment for each. 

Committee descriptions

Governance committees

The Executive Committee and Board of Trustees
The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees serves as the association’s governing body between Board of Trustees meetings. The committee makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees throughout the year, determines the number of trustees each regional association can elect or appoint, serves as a voting member of the OSBA Legislative Platform Committee, elects members to the OSBA Audit and Investment committees, and appoints delegates and alternates to represent OSBA in the Consortium of State School Boards Association Delegate Assembly. The Executive Committee is made up of OSBA’s president, president-elect, immediate past president and a member appointed by and from each of the regional executive committees to serve for one year. 

The OSBA Board of Trustees has general charge of the affairs, funds and property of the association. It has full power to carry out the purposes of the association according to the OSBA Constitution. The board adopts the annual budget and authorizes the disbursement of funds as needed, determines the boundaries of the five regional associations and employs the chief executive officer. The board meets three times a year. 

Trustees include the president, president-elect and immediate past president of the association; the presidents, presidents-elect and immediate past presidents of the five regional associations; and one representative from each of the six Ohio districts with the largest student enrollment, together with no less than six (6) nor more than eight (8) other persons. Each region is entitled to a minimum of four (4) seats on the Board of Trustees, inclusive of the region officers and one at-large appointment and exclusive of the six (6) districts with the largest pupil enrollment. OSBA’s chief executive officer and regional managers serve on the board in an ex officio capacity. 

Regional Executive Committees
The regional executive committees determine each region’s policies and plan activities and programs in keeping with the association’s mission. The regional executive committees hold at least three regular meetings each year. Each region has bylaws dictating how members are elected or appointed to the committee.

Regional president-elect
Each region has bylaws that outline how officers are selected. Regional officer include a president, president-elect and immediate past president. All officers serve on the regional executive committee and participate in the region's meetings and events.

Rules and Credentials Committee - The role of this committee is to review the proposed rules and the delegate credentials and give a quorum report to the Delegate Assembly. The committee meets once before August by conference call and once during the Capital Conference and consists of one board member appointed by each of the five regions.

Legislative Platform Committee - This committee collects, reviews and submits recommended legislative platform amendments for consideration by the OSBA Delegate Assembly. It ensures OSBA’s Legislative Platform reflects the association’s position on a variety of issues facing public education. The committee membership consists of 28 school board members, four appointed from each regional and the members of the OSBA Executive Committee. Members of the OSBA Executive Committee serve in an ex-officio capacity. The committee meets on in August and at the briefing held prior to the Annual Business Meeting at the Capital Conference.

Advisory/service groups

Audit Committee - The committee oversees the annual financial statement audit and is charged with ensuring the integrity and quality of accounting practices, financial reporting, disclosures and internal controls. Candidates must have a basic familiarity with financial statements. View a video explaining the OSBA Audit Committee.

Arrangements and Hospitality Team - The members of this committee assist regional managers at the OSBA Capital Conference and regional events and serve as regional liaisons at the OSBA Capital Conference’s Region Resource Center. The committee consists of a minimum of five board members from each region appointed by their respective executive committees.

Diversity and Equity Committee - The role of the Diversity and Equity Committee is to provide a forum on the unique challenges and opportunities facing diverse school board members; support OSBA’s efforts in promoting and building awareness of issues relating to diversity in schools and equity in education; and support initiatives to enhance the academic achievement of diverse students. The committee provides a vehicle where members of the group can share concerns, ideas and suggestions with each other and OSBA and offer support and resources that advance OSBA’s mission, vision and goals in the area of diversity in schools and equity in education. 

Investment Committee - The committee's responsibilities include monitoring the association's investment portfolio, reviewing performance reports and making recommendations to OSBA's Executive Committee and Board of Trustees on investment policy issues. The committee consists of the OSBA officers and four board members from each region who are recommended by the five regions and OSBA's CEO and appointed by the OSBA president. Committee members will serve two-year terms. View a video on the OSBA’s Investment Committee and Investment Policy Overview.

OSBA Ambassadors for Public Education Committee - The role of the OSBA Ambassadors for Public Education is to build greater public confidence in Ohio’s public schools and better educate our communities about public education. The program is established as a community outreach program assisting local school board members in increasing public awareness and having an understanding of issues facing our communities, state and country. Ambassadors will receive training to present the OSBA Support for Public Education presentation at five public meetings and submit documentation of such to the OSBA membership engagement consultant prior to Oct. 1 of each year. The OSBA Ambassadors of Public Education Committee consists of up to 12 school board members per region, recommended by each of OSBA’s five regions and the OSBA CEO and appointed by the OSBA president. This committee meets once prior to August via conference call/webinar and once during the Capital Conference.

OSBA Black Caucus - The OSBA Black Caucus provides statewide forum on the practical issues facing black, ethnically and culturally diverse school board members; supports OSBA's efforts in promoting and building public awareness of issues relating to racial diversity in schools, enhancing the academic achievement of black, ethnically and culturally diverse students, and equity in education; and provides professional development, engagement and advocacy relating to the mission. The Black Caucus consists of 15 board members, who are recommended by the OSBA chief executive officer and appointed by the OSBA president, in consultation with the Black Caucus chair. The membership of the Black Caucus may be increased from 15 to 16 when the immediate past chair’s term of office as a member of the Black Caucus expires prior to the expiration of his term as immediate past chair. The Black Caucus shall have four officers – chair, chair-elect, immediate past chair, and secretary – each of whom shall hold office for one calendar year. The chair-elect and secretary shall be elected from the membership of the committee at the annual Black Caucus business meeting. The Black Caucus shall meet quarterly, and members serve two-year staggered terms.

Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) School Board Liaison Committee - This committee shares the perspective of local school board members and makes recommendations on athletic issues and concerns on athletic issues to the OHSAA commissioner. The committee consists of the OSBA officers and four board members from each region who are recommended by the five regions and OSBA's CEO and appointed by the OSBA president. The committee may meet up to four times a year. Committee members will serve two-year terms.

OSBA Board Member Cabinet - The OSBA Board Member Cabinet shares the perspective of local school boards and the association with Ohio’s superintendent of public instruction, governor’s office and other policymaking bodies. During the course of a year, the Board Member Cabinet members will meet with state leaders to discuss policy issues and how they affect boards of education and public schools. The cabinet consists of the OSBA officers and 20 other members, four appointed from each region. The cabinet may meet up to four times a year.

Student Achievement Leadership Team (SALT) - The focus of this team is to assist school boards in improving student achievement. SALT works to have OSBA and its member school boards place emphasis on actions and programs that will enhance student achievement. The team consists of the OSBA president, president-elect and immediate past president, along with four school board members from each region who are recommended by each of OSBA's five regions and the OSBA CEO and appointed by the OSBA president. The team is chaired by the OSBA president. Meetings are held three times a year. Vacancies occur on a calendar year.

Other committees

Federal Legislative Advocacy Group - This committee provides board members, selected from congressional districts throughout the state, with an opportunity to make a difference in the education of the nation’s public schoolchildren. The committee's goal is to make public education a top priority of the federal government. OSBA shall aim to have two representatives per congressional district on the committee. OSBA officers are automatically considered to be committee members. OSBA’s president-elect shall serve as the committee chair. Committee members are appointed by OSBA’s chief executive officer in consultation with the president and with the recommendation of OSBA’s Division of Legislative Services staff. Committee members serve two-year terms and may be reappointed.

OSBA Urban Network - The Urban Network is a network of large and small urban districts as designated by ODE. By virtue of their positions, all board members, superintendents and treasurers of these districts shall automatically be included in the network.

Small School District Advisory Network (SSDAN) - SSDAN's purpose is to exchange information concerning the education problems of small districts; develop programs and policies to meet the educational needs of small districts; and make recommendations to the OSBA executive director concerning the educational needs of small districts. SSDAN shall consist of an assembly of small school districts, based on average daily membership, that are members of OSBA, representative of all small district interests and indicate an interest in participation. By virtue of their positions, all board members, superintendents and treasurers of these districts shall automatically be included in the network.