California School Boards Association

Last month, CSBA President Dr. Debra Schade learned more about some of the incredible local programs and initiatives underway in Calexico Unified School District, Heber Elementary School District and Imperial Unified School District related to everything from robotics, dual immersion, student wellness and more!

Registration for CSBA’s Annual Education Conference and Trade Show (AEC) — the premier event for board members and other education leaders to connect and further their governance skills in California — is open now!

Join us in San Diego from Dec. 3–5 for inspiring General Sessions, informative workshops and breakout sessions, and explore the Trade Show Floor! New and veteran trustees, superintendents, school business officials and board support professionals will come away from this conference with practical ideas and strategies to better support board governance and student outcomes. Register between June 9 and Aug. 11 to lock in the early rate: https://aec.csba.org/registration/

Have you read the spring issue of California Schools yet? It includes articles on how LEAs are supporting foster youth, common issues in special education and how LEAs are addressing them with innovative solutions, and what education leaders should know about the evolving crime of sextortion. Explore the magazine: https://ow.ly/s4Xq50Z0piY

Additionally, it highlights the upcoming 250th anniversary of America’s founding and the importance of civics education, including a column on the topic from CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy; CSBA’s Small School District Advisory Workgroup’s research and guidance on the role of the superintendent-principal; Westside Union ESD’s Extended Day Reading Intervention Program; insights on labor negotiations and more.

Submissions for student performances for this year’s Annual Education Conference and Trade Show, happening in San Diego Dec. 3-5, are being accepted through June 24. Find guidelines, the application form and other important AEC-related info: https://ow.ly/Rxl950Z7bEn

AEC attracts thousands of members from California’s diverse education community, creating a meaningful platform to celebrate student success in the arts and showcase the state’s talent. All performance styles and traditions are encouraged to apply. Selected groups will take the stage during General Sessions on Thursday, Dec. 3, or Friday, Dec. 4, for performances that will run approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

Reminder: Nominations in all CSBA Golden Awards categories are due June 26! Learn more: awards.csba.org/

The Golden Awards honor the hard work and dedication of governing boards and LEA staff who create innovative programs that improve student achievement and well-being in the state’s preK-12 public schools. The Golden Bell Awards recognize outstanding programs and governance practices of school boards, the Golden Gavel Awards recognize individual school board members and governance teams who exemplify best practices in effective governance and boardsmanship, and the Golden Quill Awards celebrate the important role education journalists play in creating awareness in the community.

Shout out to 2025 Board Member of the Year Suzie R. Swartz of Saddleback Valley Unified School District and the 2025 Governance Team of the Year from Napa Valley Unified School District, pictured here!

May was another busy month for CSBA President Dr. Debra Schade! In addition to multiple visits to Sacramento for the Board of Directors and Delegate Assembly meetings and budget-related advocacy efforts, she attended a convening of the Los Angeles County School Trustees Association and toured sites in Cajon Valley Union School District to learn about local programs.

Ahead of Pride Month celebrated each June, the Petaluma City Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution directing all campuses in the district to fly the Pride flag throughout the school year. Specifically, the district will now fly the Progress Pride flag, designed in 2018 as an update to the traditional rainbow flag to emphasize inclusion and intersectionality within the LGBTQ+ community.

“At the end of the day, it’s a symbol. It doesn’t change policy or it doesn’t magically make bullies not bully, or make homophobic adults not be homophobic or transphobic, but it does signal that the district is thinking about inclusion, that the adults on campus are committed to that, and that school should be a safe place," said Petaluma City Schools trustee Caitlin Quinn. Learn more: https://blog.csba.org/pride-month-2026-1/

Looking for some weekend reading material? Check out CSBA's May newsletter, which includes a breakdown of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May Budget Revise, as well as CSBA advocacy to demand Prop 98 education funding be protected in the final budget; progress related to the legislative package; and a recap of the Coast2Coast Federal Advocacy Trip! The latest edition of California School News also includes information on newly developed resources about supporting foster youth and the release of the Board Policy Development Toolkit, legal updates related to student free speech, a message from CSBA President Dr. Debra Schade on the importance of honoring students’ educational journeys as the academic year ends and more. Read it here: https://publications.csba.org/california-school-news/may-2026/

May is National Foster Care Awareness month, and CSBA has released several resources in recent weeks including briefs and the spring edition of California Schools magazine which features a deep dive into the new briefs and Riverside County Office of Education's Foster Youth Success Initiative, as well as a discussion with CSBA Vice President Jackie Thu-Huong Wong, a Washington Unified School District trustee with extensive experience working with foster youth at every level of policymaking.

"I encourage all school board members and LEA leaders to read the briefs, learn more about the needs of foster youth, and support foster youth and their caregivers and families in their communities," said CSBA Principal Research Manager Angela Asch, who oversaw the development of the new resources. "An awareness month is also an opportunity to review and update board policies and administrative regulations regarding specific student groups to ensure they are up to date." Read the magazine feature, which includes links to CSBA's new resources: https://publications.csba.org/issue/spring-2026/foster-youth-in-california-schools/