President’s message: Advocating at the state and federal level to improve California public education

By CSBA President Albert Gonzalez Serving as a board of education member is a process of constant learning. Even in my 16 years as a trustee, I am still refining my practice and expanding the toolkit I use in this job. One area where I’ve […]

Los Angeles USD’s Black Student Achievement Plan aims to narrow gaps in access, support

Aiming to address a persistent achievement gap experienced by Black students and other student groups, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education adopted the Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP) in February 2021. The initiative provides additional funding to identified schools to provide social-emotional […]

California’s school finance spending is a mixed bag, researchers find

Hundreds of billions of dollars are distributed annually to more than 13,000 school districts across the country. But do states’ school finance systems, which are largely in charge of K-12 funding, provide adequate and equitable monetary resources? Rutgers University, the University of Miami and the […]

U.S. student-to-school counselor ratio improves but still misses recommended rate

The student-to-school counselor ratio improved 5.6 percent nationally between 2021–22 and 2022–23, but there is still work to be done to reach the recommended rate of 250:1, according to data released by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) in February. In 2022–23, the student-to-counselor ratio […]

Lawmakers increasingly target cybersecurity threats in schools, report shows

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) unveiled its 2023 report on K-12 cybersecurity policy developments on Jan. 18, detailing the boom in state and federal education cybersecurity bills and laws that emerged last year. The comprehensive resource highlights notable policy ideas and trends, and offers […]

Experts highlight the role of schools in identifying human trafficking

What should you do when you suspect a child is being trafficked? A Jan. 31 webinar hosted by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments sought to answer that question and provide educators with resources and guidance in navigating this sensitive topic. Throughout the […]

Department of Finance releases proposed 2024–25 Prop 98 budget trailer bill language

The Department of Finance (DOF) released anticipated trailer bill language on Feb. 15 outlining Gov. Gavin Newsom’s January Proposition 98 proposal. The proposal provides greater detail on the nuances of the mechanisms the administration intends to employ relating to the minimum funding guarantee as prescribed […]