CSBA

CSBA is a nonprofit association representing nearly 1,000 K-12 school districts & county offices of education throughout California. RTs are not an endorsement.

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The nomination period for the 2026 CSBA Legislative Awards Program is open through Sept. 18. Learn more and make a nomination: https://t.co/k8oYuLbN77

For more than 30 years, CSBA has honored current members of the California State Senate and Assembly, as well as members of Congress, who actively work to improve public schools, support local school board governance and exercise leadership in the legislative arena. CSBA encourages all school district and COE boards to consider nominating their state or federal legislative representatives if they have gone above and beyond for public education in 2026.

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CSBA’s Policy and Governance Technology Services team will host its quarterly policy update webinar at 11 a.m. on Aug. 26 covering topics including special education; elections: governing board, parcel tax and general obligation bonds; discrimination prevention: AB 715; and the Mirabelli v. Bonta U.S. Supreme Court order.

Presenters will provide essential insight into the process and rationale behind the policy updates as well as how they may impact districts or COEs and host a Q&A. Register at https://t.co/lMnw0AMXW7.

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Before CSBA’s Close the State Accountability Gap four-bill package is considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Aug. 13, Assemblymember Robert Garcia shared his thoughts about the issue of student achievement and his bill, AB 2149, during a hearing earlier this summer:

“California's achievement gaps are stubborn, and the status quo is unacceptable … This bill will create a North Star to guide the state's public education entities on a map toward realizing the shared goals of supporting student success. This bill has gained widespread support from school districts and educational organizations throughout California. It has bipartisan support and faces no opposition.”

To date, AB 2149, AB 2225, AB 2514 and AB 2202 have passed the Assembly and the Senate Education committees with broad bipartisan support.

Close the State Accountability Gap legislation would connect governance reform to measurable outcomes for students, especially those affected by persistent achievement gaps. The legislative package requires California to write an actual plan for supporting local schools, with clear goals, benchmarks and annual performance targets for state action. The intent is to ensure that state assistance to local schools is directed by an aligned, overarching strategy rather than pet projects or the prevailing political winds. Learn more at https://t.co/5crTHoJl2W.

#SOSforStudentAchievement

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The Learning Policy Institute explores trends in California’s teacher workforce supply in a new brief, “California’s Teacher Shortages: Trends in Supply, Demand, and Turnover.” Using data from the California Department of Education and the state Commission on Teacher Credentialing, researchers determined that turnover is highest among beginning teachers, those on emergency permits, teachers of color and special education teachers. Find more insights on the CSBA blog:
https://t.co/ncaogVJzTa

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The 2026 CSBA Counties Conference is happening Sept. 25-27 in Marina del Rey! The event is designed exclusively for county board trustees, superintendents and staff with breakout sessions focused on the topics that matter most for COEs.

This year’s keynote speakers include best-selling author and criminal justice advocate Damon West, M.S. Criminal Justice, as well as foster youth advocate and UC Santa Barbara student Alex Ballantyne and award-winning documentary filmmaker Shaun Kadlec. Visit https://t.co/1LPUs6jV15 to explore breakout sessions, a pre-conference professional development opportunity, registration and housing information and more!

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.@EdSource featured CSBA-sponsored AB 2555 by Assemblymember Darshana Patel, part of the #SOSforStudentAchievement: Close the State Accountability Gap legislative package, as one of its education bills worth watching as the legislative season wraps up. Details: https://t.co/GJSR87zILj

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A July brief from EdResearch for Action synthesizes current research on strategic staffing — a framework for redesigning teaching roles, time and compensation to better improve teacher retention, instructional quality and student outcomes. Read a summary of key findings: https://t.co/DlkaVzV9OW

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Gov. Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) deserves praise for identifying the problem of disjointed governance and signing into law Assembly Bill 181, which will move school oversight under a new education commissioner role appointed by the next governor. This is a crucial first step in repairing California’s fragmented system of education governance at the state level, but effective governance reform cannot stop at reassigning authority.

That's where the SOS for Student Achievement: Close the State Accountability Gap legislative package comes in. CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy penned an op-ed that was published on Aug. 4 by the San Francisco Chronicle detailing how the four bills together would dovetail with AB 181 to establish a new state education system based on reciprocal accountability. Read the op-ed here: https://t.co/2FuS8KGOSL
#SOSforStudentAchievement

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National Immunization Awareness Month occurs each August, as families and school communities are busy gearing up for a new academic year and settling into the routines that will set them up for success.

This preparation period offers the perfect opportunity for schools, as well as parents and guardians, to review student vaccination records, particularly at “check point” grades. California law requires all children enrolled in schools, both public and private, to have certain doctor-recommended immunizations, or receive them when they enroll. Learn more: https://t.co/oXg0t2xuXK

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The following is an excerpt from an opinion piece by CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy (@Vbilly_CSBA):

"In July, Gov. Gavin Newsom held a press conference to celebrate signing into law Assembly Bill 181, which will establish far greater control over public education for the governors who succeed him. Moving school oversight under a new education commissioner role appointed by the governor is a crucial first step in repairing California’s fragmented system of education governance at the state level. Newsom deserves praise for identifying the problem of disjointed governance, but effective governance reform cannot stop at reassigning authority.

California’s persistent student achievement gaps are exacerbated by disconnected state initiatives, inconsistent implementation, unclear accountability for state actions and insufficient evaluation of whether state investments are producing results. At any given moment, some 13 state agencies and departments are working to oversee, assist and regulate school districts and county offices of education in California. AB 181 is the first step in correcting this problem, not the endpoint.

SOS for Student Achievement: Close the State Accountability Gap legislation, sponsored by CSBA, would act as an extension of AB 181 by connecting governance reform to measurable outcomes for students, especially those affected by persistent achievement gaps. The legislative package requires California to write an actual plan for supporting local schools, with clear goals, benchmarks and annual performance targets for state action. The intent is to ensure that state assistance to local schools is directed by an aligned, overarching strategy rather than pet projects or the prevailing political winds.

As Newsom enters his last several months as the state’s top executive, Close the State Accountability Gap legislation provides an opportunity to expand on AB 181 and do what no other governor has done before — establish a new state education system based on reciprocal accountability.” https://t.co/jLqxaFuIVh

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Bret Harte Union High School District’s Fire Technology Program launched in 2022 to help prepare students for in-demand careers in fire and emergency medical services close to home. Located in a rural community surrounded by forest in Calaveras County, the program currently serves 30 of the approximately 600 students enrolled in the district. The program has already seen success, with some graduates working for nearby fire departments.

On May 13, CSBA Public Affairs and Community Engagement Representative Stephen Reid toured the transportation facilities and spoke to Fire Tech instructor John Parks to learn more about how the Fire Technology Program is supporting students and the greater community. CSBA is recognizing the exceptional work of small districts through the Small Schools, Big Ideas blog series. Read the full story: https://t.co/Or9AmwyuNw

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Students across the country could lose access to free school meals under cuts to funding and other policy provisions included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, according to a July 7 report from the Center for American Progress. Learn more: https://t.co/enPrcEaC2l

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The call for proposals for student-led sessions at CSBA’s Annual Education Conference and Trade Show is open through Sept. 11! Learn more: https://t.co/2XpG5A7F0w

Students see the current state of education from a vantage point no one else has and AEC, taking place Dec. 3-5 in San Diego, offers a platform to share that perspective. All students are invited to submit proposals for workshop sessions. Don’t miss this chance to share insights, connect with peers and give LEA leaders from across the state a firsthand look at how students are making a difference.

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In 2024–25, two-thirds of English language arts teachers at the secondary level (67 percent) intended to have students read between one to four full fiction or nonfiction books, according to a recent report by the RAND Corporation that provides insights on whether educators are assigning full books, how many and how assignments vary by curriculum and context. Learn more: https://t.co/0BzG6kT87j

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Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) can be challenging for LEAs to follow — and failure to comply can bring costly consequences and substantial loss of time and resources. Join CSBA's Legal Services team Aug. 18 in West Sacramento for UCP University to get an in-depth breakdown of the complexities of UCP. Register: https://t.co/dRbY1BOtEE

This training is open to all and is designed for administrators, compliance officers, complaint coordinators and board members seeking to enhance their understanding of the UCP requirements and ensure compliance with state regulations. Thank you to Hope ESD Superintendent Anne Hubbard for sharing your experience!

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Learn more about CSBA's education workforce housing resources, research and related opportunities at https://t.co/XqWg1iAfVW!

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The NYT reports: School districts in California, Texas and Florida are among those actively pursuing developers to turn their excess land and unused or underutilized facilities into subsidized housing. Subsidized housing can be an attractive recruiting strategy for schools in areas with high housing costs.

Nearly 200 LEAs in the state are said to be exploring their portfolios and considering development, quadruple the number four years ago, according to data provided by CSBA.

Dana Cuff, a UCLA architectural professor focused on affordable housing who runs the cityLAB research center, said efforts to educate school districts about the intricacies and financial models behind development opportunities, like the ones run by CSBA, were helping educators handle housing development deals. Read the full article: https://t.co/C6i9XlubFz

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Between the 2012–13 and 2023–24 school years, the number of students with disabilities spending some of their school day in general education classrooms increased 25 percent, according to a July report published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Read more: https://t.co/INVsELwG3Y

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CSBA’s SOS for Student Achievement: Close the State Accountability Gap legislative package will create greater coordination and coherence between the many state entities that oversee public education in California and institute reciprocal accountability for the state, so the state's actions are evaluated for effectiveness and it is held accountable for student outcomes in the same manner as the local educational agencies it oversees.

Together the bills aim to create greater alignment and improved efficacy at the state level, with the goal of a streamlined state governance system that provides LEAs with the support needed to improve student outcomes and close achievement gaps. The package passed through the Senate Education Committee in late June and has advanced to the Senate Appropriations Committee. CSBA will keep members updated on developments when the Legislature returns from its summer recess Aug. 3. Learn about the legislation at https://t.co/wyzHHsYgrP.

#SOSforStudentAchievement