Existing board policy can aid in preparing and responding to emergencies: BP/AR 3516 – Emergencies and Disaster Preparedness Plan  

As districts and county offices of education navigate the daily-changing landscape of providing education to students while shelter-in-place orders are extended, leadership teams should look at their existing policies and plans that pertain to emergencies. Over the last few years, many local educational agencies have […]

Boards may meet without a physical meeting space for the public, and may receive updates on COVID-19 from officials

On March 17, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a second executive order impacting meetings held by school district and county office of education boards. Executive Order N-29-20 superseded paragraph 11 of the March 12, 2020, Executive Order N-25-20, which required local educational agencies to provide […]

Coronavirus update: Passage of Senate Bill 117 offers relief to school districts, COEs

On Monday, March 16, the Legislature and the Governor took special action to support agencies grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, including passage of SB 117, a bill providing relief to school districts, county offices of education, and childcare centers. CSBA appreciates the swift work to […]

Governor issues executive order ensuring state funding for coronavirus-related school closures

Early on the evening on March 13, 2020, Gov. Newsom issued an executive order addressing some of the unresolved questions prompted by coronavirus-related school closures. The order ensures that districts will receive state funding as normal and will not lose Average Daily Attendance (ADA) revenue […]

African American History Month: An interview with Bettye Lusk, CSBA Director-at-Large, African American

Each February, African American History Month marks a time for celebrating the achievements of African Americans and recognizing their central role in U.S. history. To help mark the month, California School News interviewed Bettye Lusk, CSBA’s Director-at-Large, African American and longtime trustee for the Monterey […]

What the California Science Test Scores say about access and opportunity

The first statewide results of the California Science Test (CAST) were released by the California Department of Education in early February. The new assessment is tied to the California Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which districts have been in the process of implementing since their […]

President’s message: Promoting student success through teacher recruitment, training and retention

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 […]