By Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez, CSBA President Providing all students with a high-quality education is our greatest responsibility as school board members. In order to succeed in this work, we must prioritize teacher quality and invest both intellectually and financially in the recruitment, retention and development of […]
On Jan. 16, 2020, the California Supreme Court reversed a court of appeal decision and held that section 1253.3 of the Unemployment Insurance Code (section 1253.3) does not bar public school employees from collecting unemployment benefits if the summer session constitutes an “academic term.” The […]
A majority of California voters continue to say the state should spend more money on schools, new polling shows, reflecting the severity of chronic underfunding that has left California well below the national average in per-student spending. Additionally, a robust 64 percent of voters support […]
At their Feb. 6 board meeting, California Collaborative for Education Excellence board members and staff discussed ways to ensure the Statewide System of Support is taking root, a continuing theme for the under-resourced organization. The system aims to assist local educational agencies by promoting partnerships, […]
As a 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 […]
The new year presents a good opportunity for governing boards to reflect on recent achievements as well as unfinished work that districts and county offices of education have ahead of them to ensure that all students have access to an education that prepares them for […]
On Jan. 27, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision to allow revisions to the “public charge rule” to go into effect while legal challenges to the expansion of this rule proceed through the courts. As a result, the federal government can […]
Students’ high school grades are five times better at predicting college graduation rates than their ACT scores — regardless of where they attend school, according to a new study published in Educational Researcher, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association. This conclusion upends […]
By Deborah L. Keys Write Horace Mann, a pioneer of American public schools in the 19th century, famously called education the “great equalizer of the conditions of men.” But the reverse is also true. Students who receive a poor education, or who drop out of school before […]
By CSBA President Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez January is School Board Recognition Month, a time to appreciate district and county office trustees and the special obligation we have as stewards of America’s greatest public trust — its public school system. As we reflect on our unique role, […]
