In its first meeting of the year, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing on Feb. 10–11 took on a packed agenda that contained updates on work relating to early childhood education, rich discussions about the use of Teacher Performance Assessments (TPAs), and early steps in creating […]
Multiple school districts and county offices of education have recently received California Public Records Act or Freedom of Information Act requests for copies of board members’ “surety bonds.” The request may claim that all public officials, including elected board members, are required to obtain a […]
To help ensure that the state’s approximately 10,500 schools have safe facilities in which to learn, California provides funding to school districts for facility construction, modernization and alteration through the School Facilities Program. The California State Auditor on Jan. 27 released an audit of the […]
By Wasan Kumar, Anisha Patel, and Christina Hecht Should drinking fountains be turned off because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Public health experts say, “no.” Despite perceived concerns by some, the virus causing COVID-19 has not been found to transmit through drinking water. Moreover, the risk […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, schools are struggling to fill teaching positions — and not only due to exposure to the virus. A new report by the Learning Policy Institute, Teacher Shortages During the Pandemic: How California Districts Are Responding, shares the results of […]
This Black History Month, CSBA spotlights programs helping to close opportunity and achievement gaps. In Bakersfield City School District, a program for African American students is empowering young people to challenge common notions and media portrayals of what it is to be a Black youth […]
The California Department of Public Health on Jan. 12 updated its COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools to include new quarantine recommendations and introduce a group contact tracing approach that can be used by local educational agencies. Student close contacts who have completed the […]
As a member of a school board governance team, few situations are more sensitive than a district delivering March 15 layoff notices. The March 15 notice is a formal, written announcement from a school district to employees informing them that they may be released for […]
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a temporary executive order on Tuesday, Jan. 11, aimed at increasing staffing flexibility in response to shortages caused by the current surge in COVID-19 cases. The order, which takes effect immediately and expires on March 31, will: Allow local educational agencies to issue 30-day […]
This January during School Board Recognition Month, CSBA salutes local educational agency boards and encourages communities around California to do the same. Roughly 5,100 California school board trustees — the largest group of elected officials in the state — aid in supporting student success by […]
