Michigan Association of School Boards

What Michigan Association of School Boards does

Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) is a non-profit membership association founded in 1949 and headquartered in Lansing, Michigan. It serves local school boards, superintendents, and administrative staff across the state of Michigan through four primary functions: professional development and certification, advocacy and legislation, governance tools and templates, and fee-based professional services. Its Certified Boardmember Awards (CBA) Program and newer Specialty Certifications in advocacy, community relations, data, finance, and leadership are delivered both in person (Annual Leadership Conference in Lansing, Summer Institute in Kalamazoo) and online via the COMPASS learning management system.

MASB's core technology assets are COMPASS (an online learning management system for self-paced board member training) and ERiN (the Employment Relations Information Network), a proprietary data resource aggregating collective bargaining agreements, contract/negotiation data, and labor relations reporting for Michigan school districts. Its services portfolio includes executive search for superintendents, strategic planning, in-district workshops, legal counsel, labor relations, financial services, insurance services, and policy services delivered through a strategic partnership with Thrun Law Firm (160+ subscribers). The organization's network architecture integrates County Area School Board Associations (CASBAs) directly into its governance, and it co-advocates with the Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA) on legislative priorities.

MASB generates revenue primarily through membership dues from Michigan school districts, supplemented by training and certification fees, event registrations, and fee-based professional services such as executive search and strategic planning. Distribution is principally direct to member districts through the member portal, events, in-district workshops, and digital channels including the Voter Voice advocacy platform and a publications portfolio. The membership model, statewide CASBA network, and 75-year institutional history anchor MASB's role as the de facto unified voice for Michigan school board governance.

Name

Michigan Association of School Boards

Legal name

Michigan Association of School Boards

Website

https://masb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Michigan Association of School Boards is a Lansing-based non-profit membership association founded in 1949 that provides professional development, advocacy, governance tools, and professional services to local school boards, superintendents, and administrative staff across Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Governance Services

akta.pro primary industry

Policy, Governance & Board Administration (EDAJAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Elected School Boards & Governance Councils (EDADABAE), Governance Bodies & Board/Trustee Administration (EDADAKAL), School Leader / Administrator Certification & Licensure Boards (EDADAJAM)

Keywords

• School board governance
• Education leadership training
• Board member certification
• Superintendent executive search
• School policy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: MASB operates as a membership association serving local school boards in Michigan. Revenue is generated through membership fees that provide access to services including training, legal counsel, labor relations, and advocacy.
2. Training and Certification Programs: CBA Program (Certified Boardmember Awards Program) offers specialty certifications in advocacy, community relations, data, finance, and leadership. Local districts may receive training reimbursement up to $100 per course.
3. Professional Services: Fee-based services including Executive Search Services for superintendent placements, Strategic Planning, In-District Workshops, Legal Counsel, Labor Relations, and Policy Services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) is a nonprofit membership association that provides educational governance services to local school boards across Michigan. It delivers professional development and certification (CBA Program with specialty certifications), advocacy and legislative representation, executive search and strategic planning services, legal counsel and labor relations support, policy services, financial and insurance programs, and data tools such as ERiN and the COMPASS learning management system.

Product overview

The Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) is a professional association serving school board members across Michigan. Rather than a unified software product, MASB offers a portfolio of programs, services, and resources organized into five main areas: Learning (CBA Program with specialty certifications in advocacy, community relations, data, finance, and leadership; online learning via COMPASS LMS; workshops and training reimbursement); Advocacy and Legislation (Voter Voice platform, legislative priorities, state and national activities); Tools and Templates (Governance Standards, Students on Boards toolkit, superintendent evaluation tools, sample agendas, school foundation guidance); Services (Executive Search, Strategic Planning, In-District Workshops, Legal Counsel, Labor Relations, ERiN employment data tool, Financial Services, Insurance Services, Policy Services via Thrun Law partnership); and Events (Annual Leadership Conference and Summer Institute). The flagship ERiN tool provides comprehensive employee relations and collective bargaining data for member districts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CBA Program (Certified Boardmember Awards Program) A professional development and certification program for school board members offering courses, workshops, and award levels to develop skills, stay current on educational issues, and earn recognition for development as school board members.
• ERiN (Employment Relations Information Network) A comprehensive online resource for employee relations and contract/negotiation data for school districts in Michigan, featuring collective bargaining agreements, reporting, and analysis tools.
• Specialty Certifications Advanced certifications in advocacy, community relations, data analysis, finance, and leadership that board members can earn to enhance their ability to serve their district and community effectively.
• Executive Search Services Professional services helping boards of education find and select the right superintendent for their district, leveraging the full breadth of the Association's resources.
• Strategic Planning Services Customized strategic planning solutions designed specifically for K-12 districts, helping them prepare for what's next.
• Legal Counsel Services Experienced legal counsel providing board members and superintendents with information regarding current school law, recent court decisions, and Attorney General opinions.
• Labor Relations Services High-quality labor relations services provided to Michigan's public schools without the high charges of profit-oriented firms.
• Financial Services Financial incentive services for school districts available as part of MASB membership.
• Insurance Services Access to cost-effective insurance programs as part of MASB membership.
• Policy Services Comprehensive policy services for Michigan school districts, provided through a strategic partnership with Thrun Law Firm, offering easy-to-personalize and implement policies.
• Annual Leadership Conference An annual conference bringing education leaders from across Michigan together in Lansing for inspiring keynotes, interactive learning experiences, and meaningful networking opportunities.
• Summer Institute An annual summer event held in downtown Kalamazoo featuring specialized CBA classes, interactive Board Presidents Workshops, and valuable networking opportunities.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Thrun Law FirmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership providing comprehensive policy services to Michigan school districts. Thrun Policy Service has over 160 current subscribers and offers easy-to-personalize and implement policies.
• SETSEG (School Employers Trust)minorOthersSchool employers organization shown as a partner/sponsor of MASB.
• MESSA (Michigan Educational Staff Strategic Insurance)minorOthersInsurance program partner shown as a sponsor of MASB.
• CASBAs (County Area School Board Associations)coreOthersCounty Area School Board Associations are an integral part of MASB, forming a statewide network structure.
• Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint advocacy efforts including statements on budget deadlines and legislative priorities. MASB & MASA have released joint letters to Governor and Legislative Leaders on budget timing.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA): Pennsylvania's statewide association serving school boards with policy services, training, and advocacy. Comparable to MASB in scale, scope, and service mix, including executive search and labor relations support.
• Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB): Illinois state association for school boards offering training, policy services, and advocacy. Directly comparable to MASB in scope, service portfolio (executive search, policy services, governance training), and member-based operating model.
• Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA): State-level association serving Ohio school boards with training, advocacy, and board governance services. Closest geographic and functional analog to MASB, with similar membership dues model and CBA-style professional development programs.
• Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB): Wisconsin's statewide school board association providing training, advocacy, and governance support. Functionally analogous to MASB with similar services targeted at local school board members in a neighboring Midwest state.

Others

• Education Commission of the States: Interstate education policy organization providing research and policy analysis on K-12 governance, funding, and accountability. Comparable to MASB in education policy/governance focus, but operates as a research/policy nonprofit rather than a membership association for boards.

Broad incumbents

• National School Boards Association (NSBA): National umbrella association for school boards across the U.S. Comparable to MASB in mission (training, advocacy, governance support for school boards), but operates at the federal level and across all 50 states rather than serving a single state.
• AASA (The School Superintendents Association): National association serving school superintendents, complementary to MASB's board-focused mandate. Comparable as a membership association providing executive search, professional development, and advocacy — with MASB's Executive Search Service directly competing in adjacent space.
• Texas Association of School Boards (TASB): Large statewide Texas school board association offering a comprehensive portfolio of training, policy, HR, and advocacy services. Comparable service set to MASB but at significantly greater scale due to Texas's much larger district count.

Regional players

• Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA): Michigan's statewide association for school administrators (superintendents), a strategic advocacy partner of MASB. Comparable as a Michigan-only education association serving school district leaders, with overlapping training and advocacy mandates but a different primary member (administrators vs. board members).

Emerging players

• Council of Great City Schools: Coalition of large urban school districts that provides policy, advocacy, and research support to member districts. Adjacent to MASB's mission in serving school governance needs, but focused on large urban districts rather than statewide local boards.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MASB
• YouTubeyoutube.com/michiganassociationofschoolboards
• Facebookfacebook.com/MISchoolBoards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/227057

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Michigan Association of School Boards