October President’s Message: The importance of equity-driven leadership

By CSBA President Dr. Emma Turner One of the greatest responsibilities of school district and county office of education board members is to support the achievement of all students by providing them with the educational opportunities that will promote student success. This work begins by […]

Food insecurity remains critical issue for many households with children

California was among 22 states that saw food insecurity decline significantly from 2013–15 to 2016–18, but a highly concerning 10.6 percent of the state’s households were still categorized as food insecure in 2018, according to a new report from the USDA’s Economic Research Service. Food […]

Hispanic Heritage Month: An interview with Joaquin Rivera, CSBA Director-at-Large, Hispanic

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. More than half of California’s students are Hispanic […]

Five years of CAASPP results show slow improvements in student achievement

On Oct. 9, the California Department of Education released the results of the 2018–19 Smarter Balanced English language arts/literacy and mathematics assessments. Given that these scores represent the fifth year of implementation, it is a good opportunity to reflect on the trends in California and […]

New resources to help districts smooth transition from pre-K to kindergarten

Research has long linked student participation in high-quality pre-K programs to increased college attendance rates, higher levels of academic achievement, improved cognitive and social-emotional development and the ability to better adjust to different social environments. Participation in average or low-quality programs, meanwhile, has been shown […]

Continuous improvement: What it takes and where it’s working

As local educational agencies throughout California strive to boost student outcomes by way of continuous improvement strategies, a new research analysis of the state’s eight CORE districts explores which conditions best support that continuous improvement in districts and schools. The findings also indicate that many […]

Survey finds district leaders value community trust but often lack confidence in ability

There is a vast chasm between the percentage of district and school leaders who think building community trust is very important and the percentage of those leaders who are very confident in their ability to do so, according to new national survey results. Roughly 65 […]

Poll shows a majority of California voters support stricter vaccination law

While protests at the State Capitol throughout this year’s legislative session surrounding Senate Bill 276 (Pan, D-Sacramento) — a bill that tightens up California’s restrictions on vaccine exemptions for public and private school attendance — grabbed headlines around the state and garnered national media attention, […]