Two CSBA-sponsored bills that would enact important electoral reforms are on the verge of becoming law. Together, the bills increase transparency for voters, cut costs for local school board elections and prevent school funding from being diverted for election administration. Senate Bill 1061 (Laird, D-Santa […]
Author: Guest author
The importance of mental health and wellness
By Ed Manansala The character of students in El Dorado County reflects achievement, persistence and hope. Yet even in the midst of such promise, students in El Dorado County and throughout the United States are encountering greater pressures surrounding mental health and overall wellness. The […]
Profile in persistence: CSBA claims a golden victory for home-to-school transportation
By CSBA President Dr. Susan Heredia In politics and in life, it’s especially gratifying when you achieve an ambitious goal, overcoming challenges and skepticism along the way. That was the path CSBA took en route to key victories for public schools during this year’s budget […]
Applications open for federal Clean School Bus Program
By U.S. Senator Alex Padilla The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has made it possible for schools across the United States to offer clean energy school buses as a transportation option through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. EPA will provide $5 billion over […]
Where might teacher housing work? Activating public school owned land in California for education workforce housing
By Sydney Maves While California’s deepening housing crisis continues to affect residents across the state, an overlooked sector of California’s workforce — teachers and other employees working in the public school system — are struggling to find affordable housing in the communities where they work […]
Struggling to live in the communities they serve: How housing affordability impacts school employees in California
By Shazia Manji The combination of stagnant incomes and California’s continually rising housing costs weighs heavily on public school employees across the state. Numerous recent headlines (see Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, and NPR, among others) highlight stories of teachers who are struggling to afford […]
CSBA Board Member Profile: Adam Escoto, trustee, Morgan Hill USD
Adam Escoto is featured as the member profile in the fall issue of California Schools magazine, which featured an excerpt from his interview. The full interview is presented below. How long have you been a board member and what inspired you to run? On January […]
CSBA President’s Message: Eyes on the prize: Keeping students first in a time of turmoil
By CSBA President Dr. Susan Heredia Back-to-school season is always a major undertaking, but this year’s version is especially momentous. For the first time in 18 months, every California school district is open for full-time, in-person instruction. While that’s cause for relief in many respects, […]
School Boards in Action: LEAs need support for contact tracing and testing to keep kids in school
By Ty Alper I am president of the Berkeley Unified School District school board — a California district that is doing everything it can to keep students in school, even as positive cases increase. It’s possible and we are doing it. But it requires one […]
The importance of community …. and community schools
By CSBA President Dr. Susan Heredia The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed many hidden or underreported truths about American society. One of the most significant revelations is the extent to which schools are not just institutions of learning, but also hubs of community in neighborhoods across […]