Even after all these years serving on a school board, I’m continually impressed by just how much we can learn from one another. Whenever I have the privilege of gathering with school trustees, I’m reminded of the power of our membership and how we are our own greatest resource. That idea was reinforced by my attendance at the 2024 CSBA County Board Member Conference, where valued traditions, new ideas and important insights combined for an informative and engaging three-day event.

I was honored to help open the conference with a brief address, along with remarks from CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy and our new Director of County Board Member Services Mike Walsh. This was followed by attending and learning from sessions focused on five main concepts: advocacy and community engagement; the legal duties of county boards; funding, finance and human capital; shared governance; and wellness, safety and learning.

I couldn’t take in all the workshops that caught my eye, but the long list of topics included charter authorization and renewal, the use of CSBA sample policies, accessing interdistrict attendance appeals, elevating community schools, budget approval, accessing governance resources from CSBA, social and emotional learning, literacy, educational innovations, STEAM, setting the superintendent’s salary, Title IX, education workforce housing, mental health, and cross-agency collaboration to create pathways of success for youth.

The workshops I attended drove home the unique nature of serving on a county board and the varied responsibilities county trustees carry out for the benefit of some of our highest-need students. It was also encouraging to see county trustees and superintendents dive into critical topics, share relevant experiences, renew old acquaintances and forge new relationships.

I’m happy to announce that the overwhelming consensus, both anecdotally and in the surveys collected by CSBA’s Member Services team, indicates this year’s conference was a success.

At the same time, I know that staff and county board leaders will not rest on their laurels and are working to incorporate feedback from this year’s attendees to ensure that each edition of the county conference improves on the last. They are also striving to continue the transition to CSBA County Board Member Services in a manner that reflects the input received over the past 11 months. To that end, the conference’s closing General Session included a presentation on the future of County Board Member Services and an opportunity to provide feedback on the preliminary recommendations from the Transitional Working Group. That engagement will be reflected in recommendations considered by CSBA’s Board of Directors at its December 2024 meeting.

Perhaps the significant — and certainly the most profound — moment of the conference came on its final morning, which featured a presentation from the Monterey County Board of Education, From Awareness to Action: Tackling Human Trafficking Together, which moved me beyond words. It was a heartbreaking but essential lesson on an evil that lurks all around us and often beyond our notice. As sobering as the issue is, it was encouraging to see the profile of this subject raised in a manner that offered practical steps for county trustees and others to take decisive action to protect and support our students. After all, that is the core of our work as school board members, particularly for those who sit on county boards and are charged with the welfare of some of California’s most vulnerable students.