CSBA

High school (53%), social media (31%) and their parents (21%) were the top sources rising college students whose own parents received higher education cited for learning about their future careers, according to the California Cradle-to-Career Data System’s student experience report for the 2025 academic year. The report covers the findings of a spring 2025 survey of nearly 7,000 graduating high school seniors about their time in grades 9-12 and postsecondary plans. For first-generation college goers, school (50%) and parents (38%) were top sources, followed by social media (27%). blog.csba.org/c2c-student-su…

In part four of the CSBA County Board Handbook webinar series, happening at 11 a.m. on May 7, panelists will take a look at one of the most complex and critical responsibilities of county boards — financial oversight. This session will help ground county board members in the connection between budgets and their role in financial accountability. Register at csba.org/webinars!

Two new resources for local educational agencies to support stronger procurement processes and use of high-quality education technology, or edtech, have been released by @SETDA. Through the EdTech Quality Collaborative — organizations with distinct expertise working together to address challenges LEAs face in assessing edtech quality amid a rapidly evolving landscape — 5 edtech quality indicators have been developed that researchers say can help to support smarter procurement and implementation decisions. blog.csba.org/edtech-procure…

CSBA is seeking innovative and engaging ideas for sessions at the 2026 CSBA Counties Conference, happening Sept. 25-27 in Marina del Rey. Learn more: csba.org/countyconferen… County trustees are encouraged to submit proposals that will spark meaningful discussions and collaborative learning opportunities. Share your expertise in workshop sessions that dive deep into the specific themes or challenges most relevant to county board members. Proposals are being accepted through June 12 and should correspond to one or more of the major strands identified for this year’s conference, which include advocacy, governance and policy; funding, workforce and educational access; and student well-being, safety and success.

The CSBA-ACSA Coast2Coast Federal Advocacy Trip took place from April 12-15, where California education leaders came united by a shared goal: to help federal policymakers understand the realities facing California schools and make sure state representatives advocate for solutions that improve school conditions and student outcomes. 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. Read more about the event and advocacy topics on the CSBA blog: blog.csba.org/c2c-recap-26/ @ACSA_info @ACSARegionXIX @AcsaRegion4

This Earth Day, recognized annually today, April 22, San Diego County’s @NationalSD District will be one of six local districts participating in an event at the Fleet Science Center where roughly 200 sixth graders will learn about the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals and explore sustainability-focused exhibits. National SD is a long-time proponent of this work as evidenced by many impactful initiatives. This year, the district earned recognition as a California Green Ribbon Schools Green Achiever recipient, the highest distinction a local educational agency can receive, for their work around resource conservation, health promotion and environmental literacy.blog.csba.org/earth-day26/

The federal Government Accountability Office released a report examining the national landscape of school improvement & strategies that helped schools exit comprehensive support & improvement (CSI) and the challenges they faced. Under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, states are required to measure the performance of their public schools. They must also identify three categories of low-performing schools for support and improvement, including those that need CSI — representing the lowest-performing schools in the nation. The report determined that a school’s location, size and student characteristics — such as having higher rates of poverty — influenced the odds of improvement. blog.csba.org/exiting-compre…

Don't have time to watch the 2-day Commission on Teacher Credentialing meeting? CSBA has you covered with a recap after each meeting. The April 16-17 Commission meeting continued work on long-term projects to support teacher candidates in both qualifying for an educator preparation program and exiting one with a credential. Staff also returned with the results of a field survey regarding sanctions for local educational agencies that continually misassign certificated educators. Ultimately it was not recommended for board members to be included in proposed mandatory training sanctions. blog.csba.org/ctc-recap-apri…

The April newsletter is available online now. This issue features recaps of the SOS for Student Achievement legislative package announcement, the 2026 Counties Governance Workshop and Legislative Action Week, as well as a look into new CSBA resources including fact sheets on newcomer students and the board bylaw on professional development, sweeping new legislative requirements to enhance student safety, and program highlights from @BCOEStory, @ComptonUnified and National SD. Read it here: ow.ly/EkTC50YKxBu

Register for "CSBA Business Partner Webinar: OPEB Fundamentals and Considerations," happening at 11 a.m. on April 23. This session, led by Foster & Foster Senior Consulting Actuary Drew D. Ballard, will focus on other post-employment benefits (OPEB) from an actuary’s perspective. Topics covered will include basic actuarial terms, benefit design components, funding strategies and a Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) 75 overview. Learn more and register at csba.org/webinars!

It’s Week 2 of High School Voter Education Weeks! 🗳️ If you haven’t participated yet, there’s still time! ⏰

Most teenagers in the U.S. have used artificial AI chatbots, but a February @pewresearch report found that searching for information (57%) and getting homework help (54%) are among top reasons. “For a minority of teens, chatbots have become a go-to tool for much of their schoolwork. One-in-10 teens say they do all or most of their schoolwork with chatbots’ help,” the report states. “Larger shares say they do some (21%) or a little (23%) of their schoolwork with the help of a chatbot. Another 45% haven’t used them in this way.” blog.csba.org/pew-aisurvey/

With the administration making the work of public educators more and more difficult, I'm grateful for @CSBA_Now and @ACSA_info’s steadfast leadership and commitment. I look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure every K-12 student has the opportunity to succeed.

In fall 2024, just 32% of U.S. schools had recovered to pre-pandemic achievement levels in math or reading, and only 14% had recovered in both subjects, according to @NWEA’s February brief “From loss to recovery: Diverging paths and uneven gains across schools.” Researchers examined longitudinal test score data for more than 5 million students across 9,326 schools, defining a school as “recovered” if its average achievement in fall 2024 was at least that of fall 2019 — before the public health crisis began. The analysis covered declines in average achievement from fall 2019 to 2021 and post-pandemic gains from fall 2021 to 2024. blog.csba.org/learning-recov…

Across San Diego County, school districts are scrambling to create rules, policies and best practices around generative artificial intelligence — the familiar kinds of AI tools, trained on vast amounts of data, that can generate text, images, code and more. The approach local schools have taken so far is a patchwork. But it doesn't have to be. It’s an issue districts are grappling with statewide, and the California School Boards Association has created a list of resources for them. One brief gives examples of how AI can aid in administrative work, such as by scheduling classroom visits. A sample board policy says AI use should be ethical, transparent, secure and regularly evaluated, among other things. CSBA’s resources also include recommendations from a task force created to equip districts with the knowledge and tools needed to use AI properly. sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/04/13/how…

Enrollment in California TK-12 schools, and in schools across the country, is declining rapidly as birth rates drop and immigration rates fall. This school year, California had the largest decline in enrollment rates since 2021–22, after schools returned from the pandemic. Enrollment in public schools declined by 1.3 percent, or by 74,961 students. The continuing trend of declining enrollment is a new reality the state must adapt to, said Troy Flint, CSBA chief information officer. Even when enrollment declines, costs to operate the school remain the same, he said. The decline in enrollment statewide will not affect overall TK-12 state funding, which will continue to be about 40% of the state’s General Fund, and is projected to rise significantly in 2025–26. edsource.org/2026/californi…

Time is running out to submit proposals to showcase the innovative programs and successful strategies happening in your LEA at the 2026 Annual Education Conference and Trade Show (AEC). The deadline for submissions is May 1! Learn more about proposal requirements and the submission process: aec.csba.org/call-for-propo… AEC, California’s premier continuing education conference for school trustees and other education leaders, will take place Dec. 3-5 in San Diego. This year’s strands include Empowering All Students and LEAs in a Digital World; Fostering Strong Community Partnerships; Health Safety and Wellness; Pathways to College Career and Beyond; Strategic Governance for Organizational Success; and Strategies for Financial Resilience.

CSBA President Dr. Debra Schade presented @AsmSolache (D-Lynwood) with a Special Recognition Award on April 8 for authoring Assembly Bill 1390 and modernizing the 40-year-old compensation stipends afforded to school district and county office of education board members based upon LEA size by bringing existing stipend rates into alignment with the impacts of inflation and providing that district and county boards of education retain the authority to determine the amount of the stipend within the cap. While presenting the bill last year, Solache noted that “serving as a school board trustee is a demanding role that requires a great deal of time, research training, public engagement and commitment. In my districts, the level of compensation makes it difficult for individuals who are supporting themselves and their families to consider serving on the school board. AB 1390 aims to give every member of the community, regardless of their income, an opportunity to serve their local school board.”

According to YouthTruth’s recent report, School Safety, Security, & Emergency Preparedness: Understanding and Acting on How Students Experience Safety, students feel safer at school when their concerns are heard. One finding? 71% of students who feel heard also report feeling safe, compared with just 6% of those who do not feel listened to. In other words, students who believe adults take their concerns seriously are far more likely to report feeling safe at school. blog.csba.org/youthtruth-saf…