California School Boards Association

09/10/2026

The State Board of Education’s Sept. 9 meeting included thorough discussion on proposed changes to the state’s Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) template — including ways to make the document more useful to schools and communities rather than an exercise in compliance — as well as potential use of 11th grade Smarter Balanced results in higher education admissions and more. Check out CSBA's recap of the meeting: https://blog.csba.org/sbe-recap-sept-26/

09/09/2026

Introducing Shawn Achor, the New York Times bestselling author and positive psychology pioneer who will serve as a keynote speaker at CSBA's 2026 Annual Education Conference and Trade Show, happening Dec. 3-5 in San Diego! Learn more about Shawn and get all event details at aec.csba.org!

09/08/2026

Join CSBA at noon on Sept. 17 for the webinar “Support Strategies for the Superintendent-Principal,” featuring leaders from Happy Valley Union ESD, Camino Schools, San Lucas Union ESD and San Ardo Union ESD. Register: https://ow.ly/Cv8j50ZJ2eO

Panelists will participate in an informative discussion on the dual-role administrator position, associated challenges and opportunities and how board members can effectively support those in the role as well as findings from CSBA’s original research report “Two Jobs, One Person: Supporting the superintendent-principal.” Access the report: https://ow.ly/os9N50ZJ2eI

09/04/2026

Attendance rates plummeted among Centralia Elementary School District children during the COVID-19 pandemic just as they had in local educational agencies throughout the country. Prior to the pandemic, the district boasted just a 5 percent chronic absenteeism rate, which spiked to 22 percent.

“That's a fifth of our student body absent every single day. We don't like that,” said Superintendent Norma Martinez. “If the children are not in school, they can't take advantage of all the great services we're offering. But we recognized that we were doing the same old thing, and so now I do feel like we have a much more restorative approach. We are much more supportive, we listen to parents, we listen to the school, we provide what they need.”

Preliminary data from the last school year shows the district’s chronic absenteeism rate is down to 8 percent, with every school site reporting declines. Learn how they did it: https://blog.csba.org/centralia-esd-attendance/

09/03/2026

CSBA's Legal Services team hosted a SOLD OUT session of UCP University on Aug. 18 in West Sacramento, providing attendees an in-depth breakdown of the complexities of Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP).

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. Failure to comply with UCPs can bring costly consequences and substantial loss of time and resources for LEAs. Keep an eye out for the next offering of UCP University and be sure to register early!

09/02/2026

All 285 students enrolled in Maple School District participate in the TK-8 local educational agency’s program, Rooted in Family, Community, and Education. Launched in August 2025, the initiative aims to strengthen student outcomes by empowering families first. Located in rural Kern County, the 115-year-old single campus is surrounded by pistachio and almond orchards.

According to Superintendent Bryan Easter, the school has long maintained a close-knit, family-centered culture, with many staff members spending their entire careers at Maple SD. CSBA Public Affairs and Community Engagement Representative Cecilio Barrera saw the program in action while speaking to Easter about the role of adult engagement in children’s educational journeys, early successes the program has seen and how an already strong sense of community helped effectively launch the Rooted series with broad support from families and staff. CSBA is recognizing the exceptional work of small districts through the Small Schools, Big Ideas blog series. Learn more: https://blog.csba.org/ssbi-maple-sd/

09/01/2026

It's time to meet the keynote speakers for CSBA's 2026 Annual Education Conference and Trade Show, happening Dec. 3-5 in San Diego! First up is Josh Shipp, an award-winning speaker, bestselling author and global youth advocate. Learn more about Josh and get all event details at aec.csba.org!

08/28/2026

School is back in session and CSBA has plenty of professional development opportunities happening this fall to assist governance team members and support staff in their work. From Masters in Governance® offerings and the Board Presidents Workshop to specialized sessions for student board members and executive assistants and courses on ethics and the Brown Act, find something that suits your needs, interests and commitment to lifelong learning: csba.org/training

08/26/2026

According to the latest CIF State Sports Participation Survey released Aug. 3, flag football is now the sixth most popular sport among girls by participation. Women’s flag football is also one of the fastest-growing collegiate sports, providing new pathways to higher education for girls from all background.

Elena DeNecochea said she is seeing this firsthand as head coach for the Women's Flag Football Club at CSU Sacramento, which will kick off its inaugural season in September. However, while she has witnessed the options open up for female athletes over the years since her time playing with San Juan Unified School District’s El Camino Fundamental High School varsity and junior varsity football teams, there are also significant challenges facing female athletes as they consider a future in the sport. Learn more: https://blog.csba.org/girls-flag-football/
(Photos curtesy of DeNecochea)

08/25/2026

In her August address, CSBA President Dr. Debra Schade, who is entering her 24th year as a trustee, details how each new academic year is a chance for school board members to renew their commitment to serving every child. Read it now:

As the daughter of a military family, I became accustomed to new beginnings.