The Governor’s plan proposes $108.8 billion in Prop 98 funding for 2023–24, a decrease of approximately $1.5 billion relative to the 2022 Budget Act.

The proposal also includes a Local Control Funding Formula cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 8.13 percent, an increase of $4.2 billion in discretionary funds for local educational agencies when combined with growth adjustments. To fully fund this increase and to maintain current year LCFF apportionments, the plan provides $613 million in one-time funds to support the ongoing cost of LCFF in 2022–23 and approximately $1.4 billion in one-time funds in 2023–24.

According to the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO), K-12 schools around the nation have reported considerable educational impact due to cybersecurity occurrences, such as ransomware attacks. Cyberattacks can result in monetary losses for affected schools due to the downtime and resources needed to recover from incidents.

According to a report from the GAO, “officials from state and local entities reported that the loss of learning following a cyberattack ranged from three days to three weeks, and recovery time ranged from two to nine months.” While the precise national significance of cyberattacks on K-12 schools is unknown, research organization Comparitech reported the number of students affected by ransomware attacks between 2018 and 2021, peaked in 2020 with 1,196, 000 affected students.

Del was a mentor and friend to hundreds of school board members over the years, but I am one of the few who had the pleasure of serving alongside him as a school trustee. It is one of the great blessings of my life and I could not imagine a more knowledgeable guide or one who was more passionate about public education. Fortunately for me and for others he touched in his life, Del not only had passion for schools, he was also committed to sharing that passion with others. His commitment to and belief in public education was contagious and he was always preaching the gospel, seeking new converts, and helping others find their own sense of purpose and way of giving back.

Chronic absenteeism proved to be a particularly troubling indicator, with 30 percent of students marked as chronically absent in 2021–22 — more than double the rate of 14.3 percent in the 2020–21 school year. Students are considered chronically absent if they miss at least 10 percent of the instructional days in an academic year. As expected due to national and state assessment results, statewide English language arts and Mathematics indicators were at the “Low” level.

“School districts and county offices of education are dedicating time and resources to facilitating learning recovery, supporting student mental health and well-being and continuing to address gaps that existed prior to the pandemic,” said Naomi Eason, CSBA Chief, Research and Education Policy Development Department. “The Dashboard is an important tool to gauge where our students and schools are and plan the most effective strategies to meet them there. This year’s results reflect the traumatic impact of the pandemic on students and underscore the need for continued investment in public education.”

At the conclusion of the First General Session on Dec. 1, CSBA President Dr. Susan Heredia and President-elect Susan Markarian, surrounded by leaders of local educational agencies from across the state, led the Educate, Engage, Empower press conference highlighting boards’ successes and resourcefulness during a challenging period, previewing CSBA’s 2023 legislative priorities and making a case for ongoing investments to support student success. Their voices were heard around California as the pivotal moment was distributed by news organizations.

“So many school boards have demonstrated resourcefulness, resolve and commitment to student learning and well-being this year that it was difficult to identify just a single winner,” said 2022 CSBA President Dr. Susan Heredia. “But from among this remarkable group of candidates, the Encinitas Union School District board distinguished itself with a relentless focus on the whole child, equity and aligning governance team practice to facilitate the vision and goals adopted by the district and its community.”

To honor these achievements, Encinitas Union SD was inducted into the Golden Gavel Hall of Fame. The San Diego County district represents CSBA Region 17 and was selected for recognition from among 1,000 local educational agencies in California.

The use of social media, as well as other means of communication like the LEA’s podcast, #CJUSD Chats, keeps the community connected and informed. The district, which serves roughly 20,000 students and spans four cities in San Bernardino County, highlights far more than just milestone moments like awards and anniversaries.

Flores uses her social media accounts to amplify events happening in the district, like a winter jacket drive and giveaway, as well as topics she’s passionate about.

A new year brings new laws to consider and incorporate into board practices. Below is a summary of key legislation impacting board governance signed into law in 2022.

Student delegates of the 2022 Student Advisory Board on Education Conference held from Oct. 30 through Nov. 2 brought to the board key issues researched and examined during the conference. This year, students emphasized the need for continued work in the areas highlighted in their report: staff qualifications and training, political literacy, student mental wellness support, school safety and socioeconomic equity.

The Sacramento County Office of Education is continuing years of efforts to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as a partner organization with WellSpace Health, which was recently awarded a $1 million ACEs Aware grant from the California Department of Health Care Services.

ACEs are traumatic events that individuals experience before age 18 that affect them into adulthood. Examples of ACEs include experiencing or witnessing violence, abuse or neglect; growing up in a home environment with substance abuse or mental health problems; or experiencing family or parental separation. The third round of ACEs Aware funding focused on Preventing and Responding to ACE-Associated Health Conditions and Toxic Stress in Clinics through Community Engagement (PRACTICE).

Besides building partnerships and identifying ways to fill gaps, another goal associated with the PRACTICE initiative is to “expand the workforce to fill these gaps and address toxic stress and ACE-Associated Health Conditions among Medi-Cal beneficiaries in a sustainable way,” according to ACEs Aware.