State of U.S. public school facilities is an emergency, report says

The state of American preK-12 public school facilities is a national emergency, according to new report. “2021 State of Our Schools: America’s PK-12 Public School Facilities” was published in September by 21st Century School Fund, the International WELL Building Institute and the National Council on […]

New CDE enrollment data shows noteworthy new trends

Significant enrollment declines in K-12 schools nationwide have generated conversations around the repercussions they have for public education. According to federal data, K-12 public school enrollment declined 3 percent across the United States over the past year. In May, the California Department of Education released […]

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 […]

How to use American Rescue Plan funds to improve school ventilation

On July 23, the U.S. Department of Education released a resource guide, “Improving Ventilation in Schools, Colleges, and Universities to Prevent COVID-19.” With local educational agencies across the country preparing for a full return to in-person instruction for the 2021–22 school year, the document details […]

Budget trailer bill creates new programs and requirements

2021–22 Education Budget Trailer Bill Summary On Monday, July 5, the Legislature introduced this year’s education omnibus budget trailer bill (Assembly Bill/Senate Bill 130), containing greater detail on what California’s schools can expect from the 2021–22 Budget Act. Budget trailer bills address remaining points of […]

CSBA files objection to Proposition 98 certification due to miscalculation of ERAF

CSBA filed a letter with the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on May 27, 2021, formally objecting to DOF’s certification of Proposition 98 for the 2019–20 budget year. CSBA’s objection is based on the ground that the certification underestimates the constitutionally […]

After CSBA lawsuits, State includes a rebenching of the Proposition 98 guarantee in May Revision

As CSBA detailed recently in its summary of the May Revision of the Governor’s budget, the plan proposes to expand transitional kindergarten to provide a minimum of three hours of instructional time for all 4-year-olds in the state, beginning with an investment of $900 million […]

May Budget Revision webinar highlights CSBA advocacy for budget season

Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s presentation of the May Budget Revision, CEO & Executive Director Vernon M Billy and CSBA’s Governmental Relations team joined Michael Fine, CEO of the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team; Dr. Daryl Camp, superintendent, San Lorenzo Unified School District; and Brett […]