by Keith Bray All children can succeed, but not all children have equal opportunity to do so. A child’s background and social station continue to play an inordinate role in his or her scholastic outcomes, both in California and across the nation. Schools, given the […]
The echo of Mendez v. Westminster 70 years later
by Vernon M. Billy In May, Sylvia Mendez captivated CSBA’s Delegate Assembly with her recollection of the historic case in which she and her parents, Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez, fought to desegregate California schools. The heartfelt presentation brought to life the intensity, emotions and history […]
A Stroll Down Memory Lane And A Glimpse Of The Future
by Chris Ungar They say you can’t go home again. That’s not exactly true. You can return home, just be prepared for a lot of change. That’s what I found when I journeyed south to my childhood stomping grounds in the Los Angeles Unified School […]
School officials and equity groups team up to close achievement gap
CA Fwd and California School Boards Association have been working together to build the capacity of local school districts and county offices of education to boost academic achievement under the Local Control Funding Formula. As part of a collaborative of 15 school districts and two county offices of […]
Involving Students in LCAP Process is a Lesson in Civic Engagement
by Paul Richman California Gov. Jerry Brown’s May Budget Revise reflected a strong commitment to the improvement of public education through the Local Control Funding Formula. As school districts seek to involve local communities – parents, students, teachers, administrators and school boards – in shaping […]
The Demographic Divide— African-American Students in Focus in California
by Manuel Buenrostro Demographics should not be destiny — all students are entitled to a quality education that enables them to meet their potential. It is for this reason that CSBA has continued to highlight the conditions and opportunity gaps of California’s diverse student population. […]
Elected Boards Are The Best Way To Ensure Schools Remain Accountable To The Public
by Chris Ungar Public schools are the most universal and intimate of our democratic institutions. A central role in this tradition is played by publicly elected school boards. Charged with the stewardship of their local districts, school boards provide the most direct (and often the […]
California’s Substantially Underfunded Public Education System
by Keith Bray A remarkable thing happened this past January in San Francisco. In the First District Court of Appeals, the attorney representing school boards, administrators, parents, students and community groups and the Deputy Attorney General representing the state of California argued the merits of […]
Saluting our unsung heroes
by Chris Ungar It’s 6 a.m. and her school bus is gassed up, inspected and ready to begin gathering students from throughout the district. She guarantees that the kids will arrive safely, and, as a bonus, she helps reduce air pollution and traffic congestion; It’s […]
Legislative Action Day 2016: 200 Education Advocates Rally at Capitol
CSBA President Chris Ungar shares the virtues of active engagement with local representatives in this 2016 Legislative Action Day video. “Remember the two A’s; advocacy and adequacy,” Ungar said. Watch this inspiring gathering of leaders fighting for public education and working on action for schools.