CSBA PACERs (Public Affairs and Community Outreach Representatives) reached out to new board members in their regions to ask why they ran for school board. Below are a few of their responses. Brad Beach ABC Unified School District “I chose to run for school board […]
Author: Kimberly Sellery
New to school governance? Tips and resources for new board members
CSBA is excited to welcome new trustees to the association and to board governance! These candidates were elected as individuals but will serve as part of a governance team — and, as with building a solid foundation for any team, a key first step is […]
CCEE debuts new ‘field guide’ to support immediate learning needs during pandemic
In its first meeting of the year on Feb. 4, the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence reviewed the organization’s 2020–21 goals, provided an update on the System of Support and debuted a new website designed to provide assistance directly to educators and administrators in key […]
CDC releases ‘roadmap’ to school reopening; CDPH releases maps showing school reopening status
In a flurry of activity on Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health held a series of press conferences on school reopening and issued new tools and guidance meant to support the return to in-person instruction. Although […]
Past chronic absence data can help identify students most in danger of falling behind during pandemic
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, one out of six children — or 8 million U.S. students — experienced some level of chronic absenteeism, according to an analysis of the most recent federal data. Those with the most absences are also in the groups hardest hit […]
March 15 layoff notices: What boards should know
For any member of a school board governance team, few situations are more sensitive than a district delivering March 15 layoff notices. It is essential for governing board members to be familiar with information about the March 15 notice, its implementation process and the strict […]
Litigation and school districts: Providing FAPE amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Despite the remarkable efforts school districts have made to meet the legal and practical requirements of educating all students during the COVID-19 pandemic, lawsuits related to distance learning and school closures were inevitable, including lawsuits related to educating students receiving special education services. For some […]
Governor’s school reopening plan misses first deadline
While the proposed Feb. 1 deadline for districts to apply for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Safe Schools for All plan has passed, conversations around school reopening continue to dominate the education policy landscape. The Governor’s plan has faced significant pushback from school officials, labor unions and […]
2021 Black History Month honors the African American family
First celebrated in 1926, February has marked a time to commemorate and celebrate the contributions of Black Americans for nearly a century. The Black History Month 2021 theme, “Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity,” explores the African diaspora, and the spread of Black families across […]
CSBA and other education management organizations offer critique on Safe Schools for All plan
A Jan. 19 letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom from CSBA and four other education management organizations acknowledged the shared goal behind the state’s Safe Schools for All plan of returning students to in-person instruction, but pointed out several areas that should be adjusted to make […]









