In July 2020, YouthTruth released a national report that surveyed more than 20,000 students about their learning and well-being during that first wave of school closures, Students Weigh In: Learning & Well-Being During COVID-19. Although intended to be a standalone report, the organization has now […]
School boards in action: 5 questions with Lamiya Hoque, Centralia Elementary SD in Anaheim
In the midst of a global pandemic, local educational agency boards have continued working to support programs and initiatives that offer students the academic and social-emotional opportunities they need — no matter which mode of instruction they are in. CSBA’s 5 questions series gives board […]
Rapid COVID-19 tests a potential tool in safely returning to campuses
The California Department of Education explored how rapid COVID-19 tests are a tool that can aid in the safe reopening schools during a March 10 webinar. The event focused on the use of Abbott Laboratories’ BinaxNOW tests which deliver results in 15 minutes and cost […]
School boards in action: Summer learning on the horizon
Up and down California, local educational agency boards are working tirelessly to make sure students can safely return to campus as quickly as possible in areas that are still in distance learning, and have everything they need to be academically, social-emotionally and physically supported — […]
President Biden signs historic relief package dedicating $128 billion to K-12 schools
President Joe Biden on March 11 signed a historic $1.9 trillion relief package H.R.1319, known as the American Rescue Plan, that includes $128 billion for K-12 education, $7 billion for an Emergency Connectivity Fund and $350 billion for state governments to fill their budget gaps. […]
Experts discuss status, future of expanded learning
Before billions of dollars in expanded learning funding was approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom via Assembly Bill 86, researchers, practitioners and policy influencers met to discuss the status of expanded learning in California and how it is meeting student needs during the pandemic. The Feb. […]
Influx of state money will help, but not drive, school reopenings
There is no question that Assembly Bill 86, also known as the school reopening bill, will be helpful for districts striving to reopen campuses safely, but there are many misconceptions surrounding the bill and school reopening in general. For instance, it’s the external health factors […]
Conducting the public’s business during the pandemic
By Gregory J. Dannis Nearly 70 years ago, the Ralph M. Brown Act was enacted to guarantee the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies. It remained relatively unchanged for about the first half of its existence, but has been […]
School boards in action: Social-emotional and mental health support during the pandemic
In a national survey this summer, more than three in four school social workers reported that a majority of students at their schools needed serious mental health supports in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures, economic hardship and a convergence of other factors. […]
CSBA President participates in panel discussion on reopening schools
As the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 86, which includes $2 billion for local educational agencies that are able to offer in-person instruction for students by April 1, California School Boards Association President Suzanne Kitchens participated in a panel discussion on reopening schools. Part of […]