Welcome back to the LP School Board Download – our quarterly newsletter about all things school board!
With the start of the school year, we know you’re holding the joy of having students back in your schools alongside navigating the onslaught of issues schools are facing right now: looming funding cuts, concerns about big tech in classrooms, and the continued pain from the federal attack on our immigrant students and their families.
LP has your back and is here to help you hold it all.
National Convening
This summer, we had the largest group of school board members we’ve ever had at a Local Progress National Convening in Baltimore! We discussed technology in schools, held a member meet-up to get feedback on LP’s 2027 school board programming, and heard from member leaders about pushing back against privatization, governing in the minority, and more. If you weren’t there this year, look out for our save the date to join us in July 2027!
Collaborative Governance Labs
This month we wrapped up our Collaborative Governance Lab work in both Texas and Washington. These intensive training sessions with members in each of these respective states covered deep dives into member-requested topics, including: how to organize with parents and labor leaders, what to know when navigating threats of state takeover, how to do facility planning that prioritizes stakeholder engagement, and what to consider when creating student-first mental health policy.
School Board Steering Committee
We welcomed three new members to our Local Progress School Board Steering Committee.
Alex Cuellar (El Paso, Texas), Gabriela Biro (New Orleans, Louisiana), and Gabby Rivero (Durham, North Carolina). We’re excited to bring them onto the team!
Grow The Network
Do you know any fellow board members who should be part of our network? With November elections around the corner, we know there will be new leaders stepping into roles on school boards – please invite anyone who supports our school board values to join us as we fight for our public schools and the students who attend them.
Actions to Take
President Trump’s proposed FY2027 budget has huge negative implications for school districts nationwide, cutting $7.3 billion from kids and teachers across the country. You can find out how much your district stands to lose here. At the same time, the FCC is also considering cutting, or reducing, a program that helps schools (especially those in rural areas) afford internet access. Students and teachers deserve better. Take action by telling Congress to oppose any cuts to public schools and tell the FCC Chair to keep essential funding for internet access in place here.
Data Centers are exploding across the country, and we know they harm our communities. In fact, nearly 2,000 data centers are within a mile of schools, and educators are sounding the alarm.
Tonight (September 24), LP member and Wiseburn USD school board member Rebecca Hamburg Cappy will introduce a resolution for her school district to take a stance against data centers. Her resolution, drafted with support from Local Progress, focuses on educating people about the harms data centers pose to kids, how municipalities should consider schools in the evaluation process, and the specific levers schools can use to push back against their expansion.
🗳️ Election Protection Plan
As attacks on democracy continue to accelerate across the country, local leaders must be prepared for November’s election and ready to speak out in defense our vote and our voices. Because schools are often used as voting sites, we urge you to ensure your administration has a process in place if ICE or other federal agents show up on Election Day. Be sure to check out our Policy Bulletin on safeguarding the ballot, and join us on October 7 @ 7 pm EST / 4 pm PST for a conversation about popular mobilizations to defend democracy.
Also—the Civics Center estimates that fewer than 50 percent of eligible 18-year-olds are registered to vote—do your high schools help students get registered? In fact, your schools may be required to do this, but even if it isn’t, it’s a good time to ask your district’s leadership what the plan is to help students register to vote, especially with the deadline to get people registered for the midterms around the corner. (Not sure when that is in your state? Find it here.)
🖥️ No Buildout for Billionaires
This memo covers data centers in communities overall, with some specific details about the impacts on schools and kids. Check it out and stay tuned as we’re building out the schools component even further and will have more on this soon.
🚨 No Secret Police
Our No Secret Police Local Policy Toolkit features guidance, model policies, and messaging resources, including for school boards and local governments to use as they work to end ties with federal immigration enforcement agencies and create robust sanctuary policies to keep our students and teachers safe.
☎️ Help Desk
Don’t forget to reach out to the LP Help Desk for support with policy creation, to get input on navigating dynamics with your board and superintendent, and to connect with other school members in our network. How can we help you? Email our help desk!
In the last several weeks, the conversation around technology and schools has continued to accelerate. LP is working on guidance on how school boards can push back against data centers, what student privacy considerations should be in place for classroom technology, and how to interrogate the use of AI and EdTech vendors in your districts.
Can you get in touch and tell us about any conversations or work happening in your district as it relates to:
- Data Centers near your facilities
- AI use in your schools
- Negotiating with your teachers’ union around AI use
- Concerning EdTech vendors
- The Largest US School Districts Restrict Student AI Use (September 2026, Stateline)
- Federal Civil Rights Data About Students Is Finally Out. It’s Different Under Trump (September 2026, NPR)
- Families and Teachers Are Questioning EdTech. Are Schools and Districts Starting to Listen? (August 2026, KQED)
- The Chicago Teachers Union Is Showing Us How To Fight Trump (Summer 2026, Rethinking Schools)
- Teachers Union Reaches AI Privacy Deal With Microsoft (September 2026, Politico)
- Vouchers Promise Students A Path To Private School. Parents Say That’s Not The Reality. (September 2026, ProPublica)
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly if you’d like to check in (or find time on my calendar here).