On Aug. 19, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond was joined by other state education leaders and Attendance Works for a press conference at Williamson Elementary in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District to announce that California is on track and committed to reduce […]
New toolkit provides guidance to LEAs in navigating FERPA and HIPAA
The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) recently released a toolkit detailing two federal data privacy laws — the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule — and how they might apply in […]
Webinar spotlights methods of supporting multilingual learners one conversation at a time
Multilingual learners are one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. student population, with nearly one in five students in public schools across the country speaking a language other than English at home. Developing disciplinary literacy is vital to equipping students with the skills […]
New resources offer equitable approaches to improve literacy
A recent report from EdTrust that compiles related-resources on fostering an equitable approach to improving literacy, provides recommendations for state and local actions to address subpar literacy rates.
Newsom executive order aims to improve mental health and life outcomes for boys and young men
On July 30, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to address “the alarming rise in suicides and disconnection among California’s young men and boys.” The order directs a coordinated statewide response to improve mental health outcomes, reduce stigma and expand access to meaningful education, […]
CSBA 2025–26 Back-to-School Digest
Back-to-school season is an exciting time for all in the school community as a new academic year brings opportunities and challenges for students, staff and governance teams alike. CSBA has created this Back-to-School Digest to provide essential resources and critical information school boards and superintendents […]
Webinar examines effect of federal cuts on rural education
A July 30 webinar hosted by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading examined how the passage on July 4 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, coupled with other federal proposals, threatens programs like Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Head Start and the Digital Equity Act with cuts that could prove catastrophic for […]
Americans increasingly support banning cellphones in schools
More Americans support school cellphone bans compared to last year, with 74 percent adults saying they would support banning middle and high school students from using their devices in class — up from 68 percent in fall 2024, according to data released in July by […]
Introducing disciplinary literacy in elementary school preps students for later reading success
Education research organization WestEd is holding a series of 30-minute webinars from June through December featuring experts sharing research and evidence-based practices that help bridge opportunity gaps, support positive outcomes for children and adults and help build thriving communities. The July 31 webinar, “Reading and […]
Districts that include student voice find school climate improvements
In spring 2025, the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) surveyed its members to explore how schools are engaging students more directly in their communications. NSPRA then worked with SchoolStatus, a company helping districts tackle issues with “data-driven solutions,” to broaden the pool of real-world […]











