Budget analysis: State should continue prioritizing pension payments amid escalating costs

A new report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office suggests it is vital that California lawmakers provide school districts with more financial relief in next year’s state budget to mitigate declining enrollments and escalating costs as an economic downturn likely looms. Though Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed […]

School facilities bond measure gains steam; boards can show support with resolution

With less than two months until the March 3 primary election, new polling shows that 53 percent of likely voters support a critical state bond measure that would provide $15 billion for facilities at California’s preschools, K-12 schools, community colleges and four-year colleges and universities. […]

$75 million in grants available for student mental health services

The Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission is now accepting applications for California’s new competitive grant program to help local educational agencies and county behavioral health departments establish or strengthen partnerships that will increase students’ access to mental health services. According to the request […]

New video provides context about educational equity for important local conversations

CSBA is a proud member of the Alliance for Continuous Improvement, which is dedicated to advancing California’s historic shift to a continuously improving system of education. Making decisions with educational equity in mind is paramount to this shift. As part of the Alliance project, the […]

Bilingual teacher development grant takes root in 10 districts

By Amy Boles, director of educational services at Oak Grove School District In November 2016, California voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 58, a state ballot initiative that creates more opportunities for students to become bilingual and biliterate. The measure passed with 73.5 percent of the vote […]

Students of color remain underrepresented in college prep classes

Despite legislative efforts in recent years to increase access to and participation in advanced placement courses in high schools throughout California, black and Latino students continue to be underrepresented in college credit-bearing classes — even when they attend schools that offer an array of AP […]

Report highlights difficulties in aligning early ed with elementary school

Research shows that preK–3 alignment — coordinating preK–3 standards, curricula, instructional practices, assessments and professional development — can narrow achievement gaps by helping children sustain the gains they made in preschool, but many California districts say they are struggling to support alignment efforts. Findings from […]

Gov. Newsom’s 2020-21 budget proposal provides additional money for special education, teacher preparation, early childhood

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s second budget proposal — a $222.2 billion spending package released on Jan. 10 that also solidifies $21 billion in total statewide reserves — makes bold investments in addressing key statewide issues such as climate change, health care costs and the homelessness crisis. […]

CSBA celebrates California’s district and county board members this January

CSBA salutes the more than 5,000 school district and county office of education trustees that serve California’s 6.2 million students during January’s School Board Recognition Month. Citizen oversight of local government is the cornerstone of democracy in the United States. School board members are the […]