For the past several years, the California County Boards of Education (CCBE) has honored current members of the California Senate and Assembly who actively work to improve our public schools, support local county and school board governance and exercise leadership in the legislative arena.

In 2021, Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) was honored with the award. Laird chairs the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee’s Subcommittee on Education. In that role, he has overseen and pushed for a historic increase in funding for education. Due in large part to Laird’s tireless leadership, education funding is working to expanded child care, provide universal transitional kindergarten for 4-year-olds and create the country’s first universal breakfast and lunch program for all students. He has also prioritized giving school districts the resources and tools they need to successfully return students to campus safely and worked to ensure that funding intended for student instruction reached the classroom as intended.

Sen. Josh Becker (D-San Mateo) is the 2022 award winner. Becker has sponsored and supported important legislation to ensure county offices are able to meet the needs of the students and districts they serve. He was an early and strong supporter of funding proposal for COEs and proactively worked for its inclusion in the 2022 budget bill. This legislation will help all county offices maintain critical student-serving programs and fulfill their growing list of obligations. Becker also worked closely with COE technology officers to develop and sponsor legislation (Senate Bill 876) to provide funding to county offices of education to support districts in implementing technology, a great need identified by schools and county offices of education across the state.