Gov. Gavin Newsom’s final legislative signing period came to an end on Sept. 30, 2026, before being termed out of office. In total, 1,160 legislative measures reached the Governor’s desk. All four of CSBA’s sponsored bills were signed into law.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 27 signed the final two CSBA-sponsored bills awaiting action on his desk, approving legislation that will give schools greater flexibility to maintain classroom continuity during teacher shortages and reduce duplicative administrative reporting requirements. With the signing of Assembly Bill 2490 (Valencia) and AB 2496 (Solache), all four CSBA-sponsored measures that reached the Governor in 2026 have now been signed into law.
CSBA extended its historical leadership position in education funding advocacy by filing a lawsuit on Sept. 22 against the State of California challenging the withholding of $3.9 billion in Proposition 98 education funding under the 2026–27 State Budget.
“We’re pleased that CTA has joined the legal fight against the state’s continual efforts to subvert Proposition 98, which was established by California voters to guarantee at least a minimum level of funding for public education and insulate our schools from wild swings in revenue that destabilize budgets and the student experience,” said CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy. “Prop 98 is not a credit card to be charged at the state’s convenience, which is why CSBA will complement its existing litigation against the state for Prop 98 violations in the 2024–25 and 2025–26 budgets with a new lawsuit challenging the withholding of $3.9 billion in funds from the 2026–27 budget that should have been disbursed to school districts and county offices of education.”
Of the 13 bills signed by the Governor, CSBA tracked and was engaged with 10 that interact with the provision of education and services to children.
In an unorthodox end to the two-year 2025–26 legislative session, the Legislature extended the session past midnight on Aug. 31 and conducted business Sept. 1. The end of the legislative session typically runs for two weeks and consists of daily convenings of the Assembly and […]
While several CSBA bills pass through, crucial measures are held in the suspense file On Aug. 13, the Legislature’s respective appropriations committees dispensed with their suspense files. The suspense file allows the appropriations committees to consider bills with a fiscal impact that exceeds a certain […]
As the 2026–27 academic year begins, school communities are preparing for another year of opportunities, new and continuing priorities and evolving challenges. To help governance teams start the year with confidence, CSBA has assembled this Back-to-School Digest featuring timely resources, practical guidance and key information […]
In 2024, CSBA began laying the groundwork for what eventually became the SOS for Student Achievement: Close the State Accountability Gap campaign. Backed by research, the approach calls for greater focus, alignment, efficiency and support in state operations, creating conditions conducive to success for school districts and county offices of education across California.
In the final days of budget negotiations, a new and alarming threat to Proposition 98 has emerged: a proposal to fold the private provider portion of the state’s preschool program into the same Prop 98 allocations that have traditionally supported TK–14 public schools.
