Nominate a learning session

The Capital Conference is OSBA’s premier continuing education program — delivering practical solutions to help governance teams from school districts, career centers and ESCs improve student learning and achievement. It also allows you to be both a learner and a teacher. 

Conference attendees agree: They want to hear how other districts have improved student achievement, overcame challenges and instituted best practices. Share your expertise: OSBA is accepting session proposals through March 7. Nominate a session

Keys to an engaging presentation proposal

Know the popular topics

As you craft your proposal, consider the challenges your district successfully navigated this year, how you have improved student achievement and the professional insights you can share with colleagues. Review potential topics in the session guidelines.

Consider the presentation format

Attendees want to learn in an engaging format, so consider a panel discussion, role-play scenario or interactive Q&A. Check out options for Spark Sessions, learning sessions or in-depth learning.

Demonstrate your expertise

Include your experience with the subject matter in the proposal. Invite a co-presenter to assist with your presentation if they can aid in creating a more well-rounded presentation.

Follow the proposal guidelines

Proposals must be submitted by March 7 and must be complete to be considered. Your proposal should clearly and concisely describe the content that will be included in your presentation.

Guidelines for submitting a successful proposal

OSBA is seeking presenters who offer unique insights, effective strategies and tactics, timely information on new and emerging issues, hands-on learning, useful resource materials and relevant content and experiences that meet the high standards and expectations of the conference attendees. Nominations should include an engaging title and a brief session description that accurately indicates the information covered in the presentation. All presenters must be registered for the OSBA Capital Conference. See below for additional guidance for school districts, universities, civic organizations and vendors submissions.
  • Multiple session nominations may be submitted for consideration.  
  • Nominations must be complete to qualify for consideration.
  • Ensure your description clearly and concisely depicts the presentation content so attendees can select sessions with confidence.  
  • Selected presenters and co-presenters must be registered for the conference.
  • Presenters agree to supply handout materials (presentation slide decks or other materials) for electronic distribution to attendees by Friday, Oct. 24. 
Nominate a session
  • Selected vendor presenters and co-presenters must be registered for the conference and confirmed exhibitors in the Trade Show. 
  • Selected vendor presenters and co-presenters must be joined by a co-presenter(s) from a member school district.
  • Multiple session nominations may be submitted for consideration. 
  • Nominations must be complete to qualify for consideration.
  • Ensure your description clearly and concisely depicts the presentation content. 
  • Presenters agree to supply handout materials (presentation slide decks or other materials) for electronic distribution to attendees by Friday, Oct. 24. 
Nominate a session

We're seeking a variety of presentation styles and lengths. Attendees want to learn in an engaging format, so consider:

  • a panel discussion
  • role-play scenarios
  • tabletop exercises
  • an interactive Q&A session. 

Session options:

  • Spark Sessions: 10-minute presentation on a best practice or program
  • Concurrent learning session: 60-minute session that can feature a panel discussion, tabletop exercises or interactive Q&A.
  • Spotlight Session: A two-hour session that delves into a topic, often through a panel discussion, interactive presentation or mini workshop.

Session focus areas act as a guide to help attendees make the most of their conference learning opportunities and locate the programs most appropriate to their interests and roles. Below are the listing of focus areas, as well as possible topics, you may select as appropriate for your session. Please note that you are not limited to the topics below; we welcome fresh ideas and new approaches from your district.

Administration – district and building leadership

  • Board member orientation
  • Effective home district/career centers partnerships
  • Using artificial intelligence in schools: pros, cons and impact
  • Principal and educator pipelines
  • Is your district "right sized" — what it means and how to improve
  • Understanding performance audits
  • Should you have a board handbook?
  • Successful business advisory councils in action
  • Succession planning (for the board or administration) in your district
  • Mentoring administrators
  • Work/life balance for new administrators

Career centers

  • Preparing today’s students for the workforce of tomorrow  
  • Identifying apprenticeship programs for upcoming career pathways  
  • Leveraging career center partnerships for workforce development  
  • Shared resources for efficiencies and cost-savings  
  • Coordinating services and classes between career centers and home districts; building effective partnerships
  • How students can offset college costs through apprenticeships and certifications
  • Workforce readiness pathways
  • In-demand masteries and certifications
  • Decisions about offering coursework at the career center or in the home district
  • Partnerships that lead to careers after high school

Board governance

  • Advocating for your district: tips for effective legislative engagement
  • Balancing the roles of board member and parent in your district
  • Board and community relations
  • From the board table: board member panel sharing best practices  
  • How to effectively use artificial intelligence
  • Role-playing session on advocating for your district: messaging and best practices
  • Managing controversial topics during board meetings
  • New board member training
  • Incorporating student voice into your board meetings
  • Sharing services among school districts: coordination strategies
  • Effective business advisory groups in action
  • Succession planning for administration and boards of education
  • Negotiation: processes and strategies
  • Welcoming new board members to your team
  • Building partnerships with businesses for apprenticeships, work-study and mentorships along with universities for College Credit Plus
  • Grassroots messaging to reach your community to combat negative perceptions and funding changes
  • Preparing for a superintendent transition
  • Board committees: best practices
  • Tips for sharing your district story with legislators
  • Building an effective relationship between your board and district administration
  • The role of the board president
  • Becoming an effective advocate for your district
  • The board member’s role in student achievement
  • Board-superintendent relationships — governance versus micromanagement  
  • Community-driven strategic plans
  • Student representatives on school boards
  • Effectively managing board meetings
  • Student voice at school board sessions

Communications/public relations

  • Connecting your community with your schools: effective communication strategies
  • Explaining legal mandates to your community 
  • Effectively sharing your district story
  • Combating negative expectations around public education
  • Effective advocacy — tips for communicating with legislators
  • Marketing your district to keep students in your schools
  • Connecting with local businesses and civic leaders
  • Crisis communications
  • Promoting the value of public education in your community  
  • District initiatives that successfully engage parents
  • Students leading district PR efforts: student newspapers, social media takeovers, video productions

District operations

  • How to effectively use artificial intelligence
  • Cybersecurity/cyber safety for schools
  • Coordinating shared services among districts  
  • Solving transportation struggles: effective strategies for recruitment, securing funding and meeting state regulations
  • Safety and security resources and how to obtain them
  • Best practices in school transportation
  • Securing district data from a cyberattack
  • Incorporating wrap-around services into your schools
  • Grants for school buses
  • Routing 101 — best routing practices
  • Best practices in food services
  • Effectively using software or artificial intelligence to help with routing or student enrollment checks

ESCs

  • Understanding your ESC: the structure of and process to create the district partnership and how to leverage ESC services in your district
  • An ESC perspective on business advisory councils
  • Getting the most out of your ESC partnership
  • Innovative mentoring or workforce-readiness programs
  • Growing your own teacher workforce
  • Coordinating local services with the ESC, busing students to the ESC
  • How districts can leverage ESC partnerships to save money and resources

Facilities

  • Navigating a natural disaster that affects your school district
  • Maintaining operations when a school building is out of commission
  • School safety options: a case study
  • How to obtain safety and security resources  
  • Successful community learning centers
  • Creating spaces for effective collaboration and networking
  • In-house wrap-around services
  • Incorporating outdoor laboratories into your facility and curriculum
  • Onsite medical facility/nurse practitioner
  • Facility designs to improve student engagement and achievement

Finance

  • A board member’s guide to understanding bond and levy issues
  • How districts can leverage ESC or career center partnerships to save money and resources
  • Negotiations: tactics and an outlook on the current landscape
  • Levy success stories: best practices and how to effectively message financial challenges to your community
  • How to structure local funding options and determine which levy or bond issue is best for your district
  • Using inside millage to reduce the frequency of levies
  • Who can and can’t work on or vocally support the levy
  • Returning to the voters: case study of a successful levy campaign after a levy failure
  • Building local business/booster support for your district
  • The state’s plan to change property taxes: what it means for school districts
  • Strategies to help smaller districts effectively increase their funding
  • How the auditor of state’s Longitudinal School Finance Study will impact school funding  
  • A board member’s guide to school finance
  • Understanding the five-year forecast
  • Creating efficiencies through shared services: case studies

Human resources

  • Transitions: Planning for leadership changes in your district
  • Recruiting great teachers to your district
  • Succession planning for administration and boards of education
  • Preparing for a superintendent transition
  • Recruiting teachers that reflect your students
  • Grow your own teacher/district workforce
  • How to step into a new district role: superintendent, treasurer, principal
  • Best practices for supporting staff at all levels
  • Multigenerational workforce issues
  • Mentoring administrators
  • Resident educator programs
  • The value of student and employee handbooks

Leadership

  • Crucial conversations
  • Building and leading effective teams
  • How great leaders lead
  • How to drive positive change
  • Developing leadership in those you lead
  • Ethical leadership

Legal

  • Case law 2025: how new laws are impacting school districts
  • Open Meeting Act requirements
  • Artificial intelligence (AI): legal ramifications; creating policy around AI
  • Legal issues board members should be aware of
  • Negotiations: tactics and an outlook on the current landscape

Safety and wellness

  • Ohio Comprehensive School Safety framework  
  • Implementing health-related policies, including food allergies, epi-pens
  • Safety at athletic events
  • School-based health services
  • Student and staff wellness
  • Mentoring and supporting school leaders
  • In-house wrap-around services for students and staff
  • Safety and security resources and how to obtain them
  • Onsite medical facility/nurse practitioner

Student achievement

  • Artificial intelligence in the classroom
  • Academic opportunities impacting student retention
  • College Credit Plus: saving on postsecondary costs and accelerating learning
  • From graduation to a job — certification and mentorship programs  
  • Achievement recovery/learning loss and recovery
  • Engaging parents in their student’s curriculum
  • Gifted and talented programs
  • Kindergarten readiness/expansion of preschool
  • Understanding performance audits for student achievement
  • Understaffed, overstaffed?
  • Effective ratio of staff to students
  • Helping students transitioning among grades, school grade buildings and programs
  • Understanding the state report card
  • Creating outdoor laboratories in your district
  • Elevating student achievement and progression at higher levels  
  • Student support teams

Student issues

  • Best practices when working with children’s services and social workers  
  • From high poverty to high achieving schools: best practices and funding options  
  • Overcoming barriers to student learning
  • District programs that support students: Hope Squad, Character Lab
  • Engaging families to support student learning
  • Student attendance: successful programs to engage students
  • Extended learning and remediation plans
  • Getting student and families back to public schools
  • Implementing whole child policies
  • Serving vulnerable youth (those in foster care, homeless and others)
  • Student and staff wellness
  • Family engagement  
  • Navigating open enrollment and enrollment challenges