Up and down California, local educational agency boards are working tirelessly to make sure students can safely return to campus as quickly as possible in areas that are still in distance learning, and have everything they need to be academically, social-emotionally and physically supported — […]
Year: 2021
President Biden signs historic relief package dedicating $128 billion to K-12 schools
President Joe Biden on March 11 signed a historic $1.9 trillion relief package H.R.1319, known as the American Rescue Plan, that includes $128 billion for K-12 education, $7 billion for an Emergency Connectivity Fund and $350 billion for state governments to fill their budget gaps. […]
Experts discuss status, future of expanded learning
Before billions of dollars in expanded learning funding was approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom via Assembly Bill 86, researchers, practitioners and policy influencers met to discuss the status of expanded learning in California and how it is meeting student needs during the pandemic. The Feb. […]
Influx of state money will help, but not drive, school reopenings
There is no question that Assembly Bill 86, also known as the school reopening bill, will be helpful for districts striving to reopen campuses safely, but there are many misconceptions surrounding the bill and school reopening in general. For instance, it’s the external health factors […]
Conducting the public’s business during the pandemic
By Gregory J. Dannis Nearly 70 years ago, the Ralph M. Brown Act was enacted to guarantee the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies. It remained relatively unchanged for about the first half of its existence, but has been […]
School boards in action: Social-emotional and mental health support during the pandemic
In a national survey this summer, more than three in four school social workers reported that a majority of students at their schools needed serious mental health supports in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures, economic hardship and a convergence of other factors. […]
CSBA President participates in panel discussion on reopening schools
As the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 86, which includes $2 billion for local educational agencies that are able to offer in-person instruction for students by April 1, California School Boards Association President Suzanne Kitchens participated in a panel discussion on reopening schools. Part of […]
School boards in action: District wellness centers continue playing an important role
Up and down California, local educational agency boards are working tirelessly to make sure students can safely return to campus as quickly as possible in areas that are still in distance learning, and have everything they need to be academically, social-emotionally and physically supported — […]
Assessments should be next in line for a long-needed overhaul
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced school districts and policymakers to innovate at warp speed when it comes to the use of technology and personalized learning in education, community outreach, development of wraparound services and more. That same flexibility and openness to change should be applied […]
New brief finds trends in education funding shifts due to COVID-19
2020 was in many ways a year like no other for K-12 education — except perhaps when it came to policymakers continued grappling with questions pertaining to the amount of funding allocated to schools, as well as whether the money was dispersed equitably and adequately. […]