New tools available to support community school development and sustainability

Comprehensive community schools are needed now more than ever, according to experts who spoke during a Jan. 12 webinar hosted by the Center for Universal Education to launch the Community Schools Forward Task Force’s essential community school resources. In light of the immediate and lingering […]

More federal coordination needed on cybersecurity; State recommendations for LEAs

With K-12 schools becoming increasingly common targets of cyberattacks including phishing attempts, ransomware, distributed denial-of-service and video conferencing disruptions, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published the report Critical Infrastructure Protection: Additional Federal Coordination Is Needed to Enhance K-12 Cybersecurity in October. The impacts of […]

Schools play an important role in prevention and awareness of the fentanyl crisis

Headlines involving young people overdosing on opioids, sometimes while on school campuses, have become all too frequent. On Nov. 15, the California Department of Education hosted a webinar with guidance for schools regarding the opioid crisis. An example shared by CDE’s Deputy Superintendent of Operations […]

Resources for COVID relief fund spending and beyond

CSBA is following up on its recently released COVID relief funding reports, Beyond the spreadsheets: Insights from California education leaders on utilizing COVID-19 relief funding and Unprecedented times, unprecedented responses: An analysis of federal COVID-19 relief fund spending in California public schools, with resources that […]

CSBA talks emergency preparedness, cybersecurity with Cal OES officials

CSBA discussed school safety protocols and resources with California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) officials during the Oct. 24 webinar, “Saved by the Bell: Emergency response in California public schools.” While no one wants to think about worst case scenarios, planning for potential […]

Supporting homeless students during back-to-school season

“Back to School for Homeless Children and Youth,” a webinar hosted by the California Department of Education on Aug. 24, served as a reminder for local educational agency leaders on requirements and tips for best serving students experiencing homelessness. “This is a really important time […]

California debuts free literacy platform focused on young learners

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond on Aug. 31 announced the California Bilingual Early Literacy Initiative, a $27 million digital literacy partnership that will provide free bilingual early literacy assistance to California children and families through interactive eBooks, songs and games in English and […]

Community schools can improve relationships and reduce achievement gaps, research shows

The U.S. Department of Education and the Learning Policy Institute on May 26 hosted a webinar, “Community Schools: An Evidence-based Whole Child Approach to Education,” with practitioners and researchers taking an in-depth look at how community schools can transform student learning and outcomes. Department of […]

Policy brief lays out resources for rural schools in wake of COVID, wildfire disruptions

The digital divide, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, lack of community health supports, school staffing shortages and increasingly frequent and destructive wildfires are some of the most prevalent challenges facing rural school districts in California. The policy brief “Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind: How New Funds […]