The release of the 2019 California School Dashboard came with the encouraging news that fewer local educational agencies will require differentiated assistance than in 2018. The number of districts and county offices of education eligible for support dropped from 374 to 333, and the state […]
Federal budget proposal sees modest increases in Title I, IDEA and other key funding areas
Facing a Friday, Dec. 20 deadline to pass a budget for the 2020 fiscal year, Congress this week is considering a $1.4 trillion spending package that would provide a total of $72.8 billion in discretionary funding for the U.S. Department of Education — a figure […]
A conversation with CSBA President Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez
Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez is a trustee of the Azusa Unified School District in east Los Angeles County. Now in her 18th year as a school board member, Cruz-Gonzalez has been an active member of CSBA, and has served as President-elect, Vice President and on the CSBA […]
CSBA school facilities forum highlights key issues, board member roles
From master plans to bond financing to community campaigns, CSBA’s forum on school facilities on Dec. 4 in San Diego dove into the complex picture of school board members’ roles in facilities. A trio of panels included experts from bond campaign, finance and legal firms; […]
Deadline fast approaches for mandated policy on bullying prevention
Recognizing that bullying and fear disrupt student learning, California state law requires districts, county offices of education and charter schools to adopt procedures for preventing acts of bullying, including cyberbullying, by Dec. 31, 2019. Additionally, state law mandates that boards adopt a policy prohibiting discrimination, […]
CEO’s note: The brain and implicit bias
Recognition is the first step in helping students By CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy Our brains are fascinatingly powerful tools that have the capacity to go beyond our own imagination. The brain has an unsurpassed ability to create, interpret, suppress and disassociate […]
Ransomware Is crippling schools. What can they do about it?
By Sam Bocetta A few decades ago, when computers were still novelty gadgets and the internet was not available to everyone, schools and other educational institutions had a minimal reliance on technology. Fast forward to today and the situation has dramatically changed. When before a […]
From the field: Helping make sure Paradise wasn’t lost
Amid all the chaos, loss and grief impacting their family, friends and community during and after the Camp Fire, a top priority has persisted for Paradise Unified School District board members — providing students with a place to attend school in the town they call […]
President’s Message: The push for Full and Fair Funding continues
By CSBA President Dr. Emma Turner As I reflect on my year as CSBA President, I want to express what an honor it has been to represent California’s largest body of democratically elected public officials and the more than 6.2 million children that we fight […]
College forum shines spotlight on equitable admissions, college/career preparation
The convergence of new research on standardized testing, a controversial proposed entrance requirement at California State University and the recent “Varsity Blues” admission scandal served as the backdrop for a wide-ranging Nov. 22 forum at UC Berkeley Law School. The Policy Analysis for California Education […]