FAQ

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Frequently Asked Questions about NSAA Membership:

We have been fielding questions about membership in NSAA and thought an FAQ might be useful as you contemplate becoming a part of a new independent, self-governed NSAA.

  • Is NSAA really independent and self-governed? YES!!! NSAA is not affiliated with any other organization and is being set up as an independent, self-governed 501(c)(3) focused entirely on the needs and interests of school attorneys – all the legal practice support, none of the politics.

  • Is NSAA really the “red” to COSA’s “blue”? NO!! Our national organization includes attorneys from around the country, representing school district clients with every conceivable political viewpoint. Even in the so-called “red states,” we have clients with nuanced views, and we believe our work should always be nonpartisan.

  • Are state associations running the new group? NO!! We truly started from scratch – all volunteers. Some of us work at state associations where we have a little more bandwidth to ask our employers for help. For example, we filed as a non-profit corporation in Oklahoma because OSSBA graciously volunteered to act as NSAA’s fiscal agent. We also have a listserv hosted by the Montana School Board Association. There are several other state associations and private attorneys who have expressed an interest in providing either in-kind or monetary support for NSAA. Eventually, once we are regularly receiving dues, this state-level support may no longer be needed. We took a big step in that direction in early June 2024, when we hired Sonja Trainor as Executive Director. Together our operations director, Cheryl Richardson, and Sonja ensure that NSAA operates independently, under the director of its Board of Directors

  • Can I be in both COSA and NSAA? YES!

  • How much will it cost? We are keeping dues for 2024-25 as low as possible ($200 per attorney) given that NSAA is a new national organization. Some state associations have volunteered to collect dues for their states and others will be sending in their dues payments directly to NSAA c/o OSSBA as OSSBA has the financial support in place and has a separate bank account for NSAA.

  • What will NSAA offer? NSAA offers a network of school attorneys across the country working on our shared federal issues and a surprising number of overlapping state issues, sometimes giving all of us a preview of legislation or litigation before we see it in our own states. We have an online platform for keeping connected through the NSAA listserv, regular Zoom meetings to discuss emerging issues, webinars (free to NSAA members), and in-person and virtual conferences offering CLE credits, including Ethics. As noted above, our second in-person conference will be in Indianapolis, IN, October 9-11, 2024. Check out the program and register here.

  • Will NSAA do legal advocacy? Yes! In fact, noted Title IX practioner Jackie Wernz penned our inaugural effort at legal advocacy with an excellent comment to the Department of Education on the proposed Title IX rule on athletic participation.