As the 2026–27 academic year begins, school communities are preparing for another year of opportunities, new and continuing priorities and evolving challenges. To help governance teams start the year with confidence, CSBA has assembled this Back-to-School Digest featuring timely resources, practical guidance and key information […]
The U.S. Surgeon General in May published an advisory about the harms of screen use for children and adolescents as well as actions families, schools and policymakers can take to protect them.
The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) met June 26 and approved recommended staff actions related to teacher misassignment monitoring sanctions — a proposal for a new intervention system of school-level teacher misassignment identification, support and improvement to increase placements of fully credentialed teachers in their relevant credential areas — despite objections from CSBA and other organizations during public comment.
A new white paper from Learning.com and Whiteboard Advisors found that at least 39 states have passed legislation restricting student cellphone use since 2023, but interviews with superintendents, state education technology directors, researchers and practitioners suggest banning or limiting the use of these devices on school grounds should be a first step.
On May 14, the Legislature’s respective Appropriations Committees dispensed with their suspense files. The suspense file compiles bills with a price tag of over $150,000 to be considered in bulk in order to assess their fiscal impact upon the state as a whole. Suspense hearings […]
The May Revise contains welcome provisions that will benefit public schools, including a 4.31 percent COLA for LCFF and a $2.4 billion ongoing increase for special education. Unfortunately, the Governor’s proposal masks an underfunding of the Prop 98 school funding guarantee and relies on the prolific use of one-time money to inflate funding levels in the short term without providing the stability and predictability schools need to plan effectively for student support.
When education leaders take the time to show up, share their stories and speak with clarity and purpose, they help shape policies that directly affect students’ lives. This truth was on full display when school board members and superintendents from across California gathered in Washington, D.C. from April 12-15 for the 2026 CSBA-ACSA Coast2Coast Federal Advocacy Trip.
The results of a survey and study on civil discourse in middle and high schools led to the creation of the Or Initiative, which aims to develop evidence-based tools to help students engage civilly in contentious issues. The initiative focuses on two main principles: build digital skills to obtain a thorough knowledge base about complex and contentious issues, and to enhance civil discourse skills to communicate across different viewpoints with empathy, curiosity and respect.
Thousands of education leaders joined CSBA in Sacramento Dec. 3-5 for the 2025 Annual Education Conference and Trade Show (AEC), confirming their commitment to professional development and passion for championing students’ academic and social-emotional well-being.
Young adults are staying in school longer and achieving higher levels of education, according to The Economic Milestones of Young Californians, a recent report from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC).
