Governor issues executive order ensuring state funding for coronavirus-related school closures

Early on the evening on March 13, 2020, Gov. Newsom issued an executive order addressing some of the unresolved questions prompted by coronavirus-related school closures. The order ensures that districts will receive state funding as normal and will not lose Average Daily Attendance (ADA) revenue […]

Dashboard updates stir strong State Board debate; coronavirus impacts discussed

A regular annual update to the State Board of Education at its March 11–12 meeting about the California School Dashboard raised serious questions and concerns from board members about several proposals. While only an information item, the board informed California Department of Education staff that […]

Information for Schools on Responding to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak

Each day, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has a greater impact on our lives. Epidemiologists have indicated that the outbreak is accelerating and will likely be with us for some time. As stewards of a community’s most valuable resource — its children — school trustees have […]

State, local bond measures see newfound struggles in primary election

The March 3 primary election results have thus far delivered disappointing results as California districts work to provide students with healthy, safe and modern schools and classrooms. The campaign for Proposition 13 — the largest school facilities bond measure in state history at $15 billion […]

Board members share what they’ve learned in final meeting of CSBA Equity Network

Closing persistent opportunity gaps requires a commitment to educational equity. In summer 2018, CSBA launched an Equity Network with a grant from the Stuart Foundation, providing extensive support and professional development to board members across California on concepts related to educational equity. Topics addressed included […]

New guidance offers approaches to improve alternative schools and programs

Alternative schools typically have lower graduation rates than traditional campuses, are often expensive and challenging to operate, and rank lower on accountability measures than more conventional schools. However, researchers find that shifts in district and county office of education practices and policies can contribute to […]

Declining enrollment in California schools a new reality, report finds

Demographic projections from the California Department of Finance show the state’s K-12 school districts entering a long period of declining enrollment and predict a decrease of almost 7 percent in the next decade (compared to a 1.5-percent decrease over the past decade). Furthermore, this decline […]