Led by Policy Analysis for California Education, CSBA and more than 40 other education associations, labor unions and advocacy groups came together to embrace this idea in the form of a brief titled, “Reimagine and Rebuild: Restarting School with Equity at the Center.” The brief contends that inequity in our schools — in terms of access, opportunity and outcomes — has disadvantaged many students, and that the pandemic has exacerbated this problem because of its disproportionate impact on low-income students, English learner students, students with disabilities, foster and homeless youth and students of color. In order to meet the goal of providing all students with a high-quality education, schools must address not only the immediate trauma stemming from the pandemic and school closures, but also the longstanding disparities that have prevented many students and schools from reaching their true potential.

Billy opened the “May Budget Revision Update: Implications for Schools” webinar by critiquing the major thematic elements of the Governor’s revised proposal. “This year’s May Revise contains more bright and shiny budget proposals than any in recent memory, and yet, at the same time, many of our underlying, structural funding issues still remain,” Billy said. “Gov. Newsom’s proposal is extremely generous … and is ambitious in terms of the new programs … which are well-intentioned and in areas of great need, and the Governor should be commended. At the same time, we are concerned about the creation of new programs with one-time funding that should be used for things like paying off deferrals.”

On May 17, CSBA debuted a radio ad in the Sacramento and Los Angeles metro areas emphasizing the critical role school boards have played in supporting students and families despite incredibly adverse conditions. On May 25, the campaign expanded to include stations in the Fresno and San Diego markets. The spots emphasize how schools have gone beyond their traditional functions to become technology centers, food distribution networks and public health resources, among other valuable services. It also focuses on the intense preparations school boards are making for summer school and the return to full-time, in-person instruction this fall.

“I am humbled to be in this position,” Heredia said during the two-day event, which took place May 15–16. “I have known Suzanne for a very long time, as many of you have, and she was an inspiration for me. We both share a passion for education and for kids.”

In part one, “School’s in for Summer: Strategies for Successful Summer Programs and Beyond,” experts discussed how districts can best leverage state and federal funding to support students and provided examples of how some local educational agencies were planning for summer learning.

Though children and adolescents typically have milder cases compared to adults, it was a critical step in further fighting the spread of COVID-19 and protecting student and families.

“This official CDC action opens vaccination to approximately 17 million adolescents in the United States and strengthens our nation’s efforts to protect even more people from the effects of COVID-19,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.

State Board President Linda Darling-Hammond said during the board’s meeting that the funding would “in many ways, begin the process of reinventing our public education system from TK to college, with a whole child vision in mind.” Two items on the agenda also have the potential to push California’s education system to better serve all students and prepare them for the future, she said; the long-anticipated adoption of the student growth model and the adoption of digital learning guidance that can be used even as students return from distance learning to classroom-based instruction.