LEAs play an important role in preventing child trafficking and exploitation

As policymakers work to prevent child exploitation, how can schools play a role in identifying and helping vulnerable students in need of support? There are no perfect answers, according to experts, but there are myriad strategies, tips and tools educators can use — many of […]

Most teachers report limitations on race- or gender-related topics negatively affect students

In April 2021, Idaho became the first state to pass a law restricting how teachers can talk about race- or gender-related issues in public schools. One year later, a total of 18 states enacted similar policies through state legislatures, state boards of education, state attorneys […]

California LEAs ramp up support for multilingual learners

April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month — a time to recognize efforts local educational agencies are making to uplift the cultural and linguistic assets of K-12 students.  The ability to speak more than one language is increasingly being celebrated and encouraged in education. California’s English Learner (EL) Roadmap Policy, State Seal of Biliteracy program and the launch of the federal Being Bilingual is a Superpower initiative are some recent examples of steps being taken to support high-quality language programs.  

Former California superintendents discuss attracting and retaining LEA leaders

An EdSource roundtable conversation on Jan. 30, “Superintendents are quitting: What can be done to keep them?,” featured four former California superintendents discussing the challenges of the job and how best to support and retain these key district and county leaders. Among the top recommendations […]

CSBA releases budget template to help governance teams communicate school finances

By Jeremy Anderson California’s local educational agencies face an uncertain and complex financial landscape as they plan their 2024–25 budgets. Significant state, federal and local budgetary factors are converging at the same time to potentially cause major budgetary problems for many LEAs. To help address […]

Return on Investment: Making the financial case for educational technology

By CSBA Business Affiliate PowerSchool In today’s rapidly changing K-12 landscape, careful decisions about technology investments are increasingly important. While the primary goals of school districts and county offices of education will always be student growth and well-being, these outcomes are seeded by responsible spending. […]

New instructional materials resources are available to aid trustees  

Instructional materials are central to students’ educational success, and local governing boards play a critical role in ensuring the smooth adoption of materials the reflect the diversity in their communities.  A new CSBA brief, “Instructional Materials Adoptions: State and Local Governing Board Processes, Roles, and […]

CDE covers the basics of Prop 28 as funding begins to reach schools

Ahead of Arts Education Month in March, the California Department of Education hosted a webinar on how local educational agencies can put Proposition 28 funds into practice. Referred to as the Arts and Music in Schools (AMS) Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act, the legislation was […]

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 […]