One day after President Donald Trump tweeted, “SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!” senior health and education officials said at a June 7 White House summit that reopening schools this fall is a necessity. But to do so safely, health and safety precautions eschewed by […]
Author: Kimberly Sellery
California leads multistate lawsuit to protect CARES aid for public schools
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced on Tuesday, July 7, that he is leading a multistate lawsuit with Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel against U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos over the interim rule for how public schools distribute K–12 CARES Act money to […]
CDC releases new school guidance, does not recommended universal COVID-19 testing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on June 30 released new guidance, “Interim Considerations for K-12 School Administrators for SARS-CoV-2 Testing.” The document notes that testing for COVID-19, along with symptom screening and contact tracing, are effective strategies to mitigate the spread of the […]
Ninth Circuit upholds existing FAPE rules in A.W. v. Tehachapi Unified School District
On June 25, 2020, in a special education case in which CSBA’s Education Legal Alliance filed an amicus brief, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the district in an unpublished opinion in A.W. v. Tehachapi Unified School District, upholding the district […]
Governor signs 2020–21 budget package; CSBA webinar dives into details
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday night signed the 2020–21 state budget that leans heavily on deferrals in lieu of cuts to K–12 education funding and counts on significant additional federal funding to bolster schools financially in their monumental task to safely reopen schools. In a […]
E-rate program regulations and innovative district solutions to digital divide explored in webinar
A June 25 webinar hosted by New America’s Open Technology Institute featured advocates for closing the homework gap and three school district representatives from across the nation attempting to do so right now. At least 7 million students in the U.S. currently lack broadband access […]
State budget provisions complicate school reopening under COVID-19 conditions; Mega-deferrals established and major cuts avoided
While touted by Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders as preserving K–12 funding and positioning schools to reopen this fall, the 2020–21 state budget trailer bill language strips local educational agencies of critical flexibility needed to safely and effectively resume instruction. Distance learning Assembly Bill […]
Mandated reporters help ensure the safety and well-being of children during COVID-19
While learning loss has been at the forefront of concerns about the impacts of school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shuttering of schools across the country poses additional risks for children who may experience abuse and neglect in their households. The economic crisis […]
Legislators call out resources, liability and lack of direction as concerns in reopening schools
With local educational agencies equipped with federal, state and county guidance on reopening campuses for the 2020–21 academic year, a June 16 joint Assembly Education Committee hearing cast concerns about the practicality and affordability of welcoming students back to the classroom. A yet-to-be finalized state […]
Budget negotiations to intensify as Legislature meets June 15 deadline
The Legislature on Monday, June 15, passed a 2020–21 budget bill that staves off immediate and drastic cuts to K–12 education, however, the spending plan is far from final as negotiations with the Governor’s Office continue. The Legislature’s action meets the requirement that lawmakers pass […]











