Alameda County school board members, teachers, administrators, other staff members, students and parents rallied at the Capitol steps in Sacramento on April 3 behind a unified call for increased state education funding. More than 300 people attended the event organized by the East Bay Coalition […]
Author: Kimberly Sellery
Experts share insights on future of Prop 64 funds for youth health programs
Experts from Washington and Colorado, two states which legalized recreational marijuana before California, weighed in at a Capitol briefing on the best ways to design youth drug prevention and health programs using cannabis tax revenue. The March 26 event was hosted by Assemblymember Reginald Byron […]
Digital divide largely closed at California schools, but large gaps remain in homes
California has closed the digital divide at its K-12 schools, but internet access at home remains a persistent problem, a new report finds. Analysis by the Public Policy Institute of California shows that 90 percent of the state’s schools met the Federal Communication Commission’s minimum […]
What districts should know about first run of optional California Spanish Assessment
A new, optional test will be administered for the first time when the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress testing window opens April 1, 2019. The California Spanish Assessment will be offered to third- through eighth-grade and high school students seeking a measure of […]
Blending the systems: ESSA and California’s System of Support
By Tom Armelino, executive director, California Collaborative for Educational Excellence Over the past month, as I met with educators across the state, school district administrators and board members have shared questions and concerns about what is required of them if schools in their districts are […]
State Board explores System of Support’s impact at the local level
Despite the California State Board of Education’s recent focus on System of Support implementation, some State Board members have voiced concerns about whether the new approach is reaching all districts and schools with demonstrated need. The system aims to assist local educational agencies and schools […]
Lessons shared as spotlight shines on school disaster preparedness and recovery
A thorough chain of command, well-prepared emergency plans, and strong relations with both local and state emergency officials are critical for school districts to have in place before a disaster strikes. And when a disaster does strike, it is paramount to document and keep as […]
Former CSBA Delegate Smith celebrates swearing-in with community, outlines education goals
Assemblymember Christy Smith’s community swearing-in on Feb. 16 was an opportunity for the former CSBA Delegate and two-term Newhall School District trustee to connect with locals and share her education agenda. Smith (D-Santa Clarita) was elected to the Assembly with 51.5 percent of the vote […]
Data illustrate need for greater focus on California’s homeless students
In the 2016-17 school year, 4.2 percent of California’s public school students were identified as homeless, according to a new report from Education Leads Home. The state’s homeless student population that year of 262,935 marks a 4.16 percent increase from the 2012-13 school year. Researchers […]
Charter school transparency bill signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom
In a decision that validated years of CSBA advocacy on the issue of charter school transparency, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 126 (Leyva and O’Donnell) into law on March 5. The CSBA-supported legislation echoes many of the recommendations found in CSBA’s Charter School Task […]