CSBA seeks fixes to address persistent problems encountered by local charter school authorizers

By CSBA Legislative Advocate Carlos Machado Recent developments at the state and local levels have highlighted a few troubling deficiencies in current law related to the charter school authorization process. These issues exacerbate the difficulties that both school districts and county boards of education experience […]

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 […]

Legislative Analyst’s Office responds to Governor’s January Budget Proposal

Jan. 17: Legislative Analyst’s Office responds to Governor’s January Budget Proposal In December 2023, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released its 2024–25 Fiscal Outlook, projecting the state’s budget deficit over the three-year fiscal period of 2022–23, 2023–24 and 2024–25 at $68 billion with a […]

Drafting a governance handbook and self-evaluation: Steps for LEAs

The four steps that Lake Tahoe Unified School District has utilized to create a governance handbook were covered during the session “Governance Handbook and Board Self-Evaluation” at CSBA’s 2023 Annual Education Conference and Trade Show in December. The majority of local educational agency boards have […]

California’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office releases sobering 2024–25 budget projection

By Chris Reefe, CSBA Legislative Director On Dec. 7, the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) issued its long-awaited Fiscal Outlook for the 2024–25 fiscal year. The report offered a revised — and extremely sobering — projection of the state budget and significantly more detail […]

CDE launches paid internships initiative for youth, plans to improve student performance

An initiative to offer paid internships to California teens and young adults in an attempt to prepare the next generation for the workforce and curb a spike in crime was announced by the California Department of Education on Oct. 10. Days later on Oct. 16, […]

AB 370 could offer more pathways to State Seal of Biliteracy, simplify requirements for English learners

A piece of legislation that would offer more opportunities for California students to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy while leveling the playing field for English learners to attain the educational accomplishment is awaiting the Governor’s signature after passing in the Assembly and Senate earlier […]