California School Boards Association

September is National Preparedness Month, and CSBA's Safe Schools Toolkit is available to help LEAs prepare to support students, staff and their communities in any kind of natural or human-caused safety threat. Section three of the toolkit — written by John Czajkowski, director of Safety and Security for Sweetwater Union High School District and Education Sector co-chief of InfraGard San Diego, an FBI-affiliated nonprofit organization — provides an in-depth look into the components and requirements of Comprehensive School Safety Plans, sample questions for board members, relevant guidance and resources, and board policies and administrative regulations. Explore this section and the rest of the toolkit at https://lnkd.in/gbZ6b4Cv

It's time to separate fact from myth when it comes to education workforce housing. As the topic gains traction around the state, LEA leaders can refer to CSBA's latest resource, “Education Workforce Housing in California: Myths and Facts,” to grow their own understanding and that of community members as they explore local options. Read it now: csba.pub/EWHfacts

Applications are now open for the 2025 Education Workforce Housing Workshop Series! Visit csba.org/workforcehousing to learn more and apply by the Sept. 18 deadline. LEAs selected for this free workshop gain connections to experts/firms, guidance on EWH options and design support.

Take some time to catch up on the latest research, state and federal updates and more on the CSBA blog! We have new posts every weekday that can inform your work as a trustee, provide insights on LEAs' successful initiatives, spark new ideas and more. Bookmark the link: blog.csba.org

Students aren't the only ones learning with the new academic year now in full swing! September dates for an array of CSBA trainings for student board members, adult trustees and executive assistants are available at https://lnkd.in/gdCzrC9e

Giving back to the community and being a voice for those who may otherwise go unheard are what motivates Cecilia Márquez in her work as a Redwood City School District trustee. What's your why?

CSBA President Albert Gonzalez was as busy as ever on Aug. 26! Alongside other CSBA leaders and staff, Gonzalez visited the Yolo County Office of Education to meet with Superintendent Garth Lewis and tour the COE’s alternative education and early childhood education sites before meeting with Washington Unified School District Superintendent Cheryl Hildreth, who provided an overview of the district’s Community Schools Initiative. Then the team headed up the hill to Black Oak Mine Unified School District to tour the STEM program at Northside Elementary School, led by Principal Emily Gallo, before capping off the night at an El Dorado County Office of Education board meeting to hear about the latest updates. It was an exciting day, and we can’t wait to do it again!

Dr. Cori Lathan, neuroscientist and founder of Anthrotronix, will be the featured speaker at AEC's Second General Session! During this keynote, attendees will explore the possibilities of tomorrow through the 20-year journey of invention with Lathan. This riveting odyssey goes from from CosmoBot, the educational robot for children with disabilities; to 3D-Space, the virtual reality experiment in space; to String, the device that stimulates your brain. In this optimistic view of the future, Lathan unveils her belief that technology should amplify our strengths, bridge our capabilities and forge an equitable tomorrow. Audiences will learn how to embark on their own adventure to invent the future in this inspiring talk. Learn more: csba.aec.org

LEAs are required to comply with an ever-growing list of state and federal reporting requirements. So many, in fact, that a list of all the mandated documents doesn’t even exist and some are duplicative or are no longer reviewed at all. CSBA compiled a sampling of these reports in the brief “Drowning in Documentation” earlier this year and is following up with a second installment in the coming months. What can you do to lessen the burden? CBSA co-sponsored SB 1315, which seeks to improve and streamline the reporting process for California’s districts and county offices of education to identify where reports could be condensed or even eliminated. Learn more and view a sample resolution that your LEA can consider passing in support of the bill in our latest weekly update: https://ow.ly/xii550T55YY

The summer edition of California Schools has arrived just in time for the start of a new academic year! Features include deep dives into how local educational agencies are preparing to balance the books while maintaining student supports as pandemic relief funds run dry; the benefits of building a high-functioning governance team and tips to get there; and lessons learned from LEAs that have implemented smartphone restrictions. This issue also includes an examination of trustees holding other elected or appointed public offices that may be incompatible with their LEA role; a look into the work of CSBA’s small school district advisory group; ways in which MORONGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT makes the most of outdoor learning in the desert; and more related to career technical education, telehealth opportunities for rural students, COMPTON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT’s journey to educational excellence and a conversation with California Department of Health Care Services Deputy Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships Autumn Boylan. Read the full issue: https://lnkd.in/gnE-Q4-j