This Weekly Update provides members with the latest news from the association as well as important education-related developments.
CSBA was recently the subject of a malicious cyberattack resulting in outages to some internal systems, including the primary CSBA website, training registration and email marketing systems. We are working expeditiously to remedy the situation. Re-establishing access for the benefit of CSBA members is our highest priority, and all possible resources are being directed toward this purpose. In the meantime, thank you for your patience.
State update: ETS data security breach
On Sept. 25, Educational Testing Service (ETS) identified unauthorized activity involving a secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) site used to exchange California statewide assessment information with the California Department of Education (CDE). ETS, which supports statewide assessment programs, including the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress and the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California, said that information including student names, dates of birth, residential addresses, schools, districts and grade levels were accessed and copied. Other compromised information included Statewide Student Identifier and local student identifier numbers; gender, race or ethnicity, primary language, country of origin and English learner status; disability and Section 504 status, testing accommodations and primary disability type; and eligibility status for programs including Title I, Part A; Title I, Part C; and McKinney-Vento.
The data accessed and copied did not include Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, financial account information, credit or debit card information, or account passwords, nor any parent or guardian personal information, according to the ETS notification. To help protect affected current and former students, ETS is providing complimentary identity-protection services through Experian IdentityWorks for two years.
October newsletter available online
The October edition of California School News is available online now and includes a breakdown of the final wave of education bills signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom — including four CSBA-sponsored bills that, together, will give local educational agencies the additional tools, flexibility and state-level support they need to serve students effectively while eliminating unnecessary administrative obstacles. This issue also provides recaps of new research spotlighting the growing challenges of youth homelessness, the most recent State Board of Education and California Commission on Teacher Credentialing meetings, a recent court ruling in the ongoing battle over the rights of transgender students in schools and CSBA’s latest webinar detailing the role of superintendent-principals, and much more. Read the full issue »
Golden Bell ceremony and reception registration now open
The Golden Bell Awards Ceremony and Reception will be held on Dec. 3 during the Annual Education Conference and Trade Show in San Diego. Registration for the ceremony opened on Oct. 21 and a link and instructions were sent out to local educational agencies that will receive a Golden Bell Award. Please reach out to Conferences and Awards Program Manager Rimma Cotton at rcotton@csba.org with any questions.
District perspectives needed for national education survey
The fall 2026 American School District Panel (ASDP) survey, which is designed to help policymakers understand ongoing challenges and needs in education, is now open. All districts included in the sample received an email invitation from ASDP@rand.org on Oct. 21. CSBA encourages participation among those who received the invitation from RAND as the association’s research department utilizes the results. Responses are due by Dec. 4.
The 7-minute survey covers budget constraints, declining enrollment, career-connected learning, artificial intelligence guidance, advanced math coursework and civic learning. Participating districts will receive a customized report in February 2027 showing how their responses compare with those of districts nationwide — information useful for benchmarking and internal planning.
ASDP is the only nationally representative survey of school districts, and district responses help inform philanthropic funding decisions and contribute to findings used by policymakers and education media.
Legislative update: Legislature fails to amend problematic curriculum law
In a follow-up legislative effort to Assembly Bill 715 (2024), which was adopted to respond to and prevent instances of discrimination, including antisemitism, in public education, the bill’s authors introduced AB 2615 to address issues raised during the deliberations of AB 715. Among AB 715’s many provisions — including the establishment of the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and the position of the antisemitism prevention coordinator within the OCR — it included overbroad statutory language mandating the use of “factually accurate” instruction and instructional materials. In response to concerns about the meaning of “factually accurate” and how it could be implemented, the authors of AB 715 agreed to address the issue in follow up legislation in the 2025–26 session.
AB 2615 was introduced to fulfill the authors’ commitment to address the concerns about AB 715. Approaching this issue with the seriousness and sensitivity it deserved to help address and prevent instances of discrimination in public education while also ensuring any changes do not undermine student learning, CSBA worked with the authors and stakeholders to develop a mutually agreeable approach. Unfortunately, however, an agreement on language was not met and AB 2615 was shelved by the authors, which leaves AB 715 in place as adopted.
Share local perspectives in CSBA/UCLA superintendent evaluation research
CSBA is leading a statewide study of superintendent evaluation practices in partnership with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As part of this effort, all district superintendent and board presidents received a statewide survey of current superintendent evaluation practices on Oct. 9, as well as a follow-up reminder on Oct. 22. Email invitations were sent directly from SurveyMonkey to superintendents and board presidents, each with a personalized link.
Superintendent evaluation is one of a board’s most consequential governance responsibilities, yet there is no current statewide picture of how California boards approach it. Findings from this survey will inform updated CSBA guidance and resources that reflect what is working in the field and where more support is needed. The survey closes Oct. 30.
