As school board trustees, it’s important we stay grounded and remain in touch with what’s happening at our school sites. Given the myriad responsibilities school board members have, this isn’t always easy. The combination of our day jobs, family lives and the demands of our policy, governance and advocacy duties restrict the amount of time available for firsthand contact with school communities. Yet, it’s critical that we find the time to tour and become acquainted with our school sites, taking note of their conditions, cultures and programs. And if the opportunity permits, you should leap at the chance to visit and learn from schools in other districts or county offices of education. In my role as CSBA President, I’ve visited several local educational agencies in recent weeks and the experience has been both illuminating and inspiring.

My first stop on the recent tour was the Yolo County Office of Education, where I was welcomed to the city of Woodland by Yolo COE trustees Armando Salud-Ambriz and Shelton Yip, Superintendent Garth Lewis and members of his staff, who explained their involvement with the Roadmap to the Future for Yolo County Children and Youth. The roadmap is a multiyear initiative funded by American Rescue Plan money that convened Yolo elected officials and community leaders to develop shared priorities for the area, perform community asset and service mapping, conduct a needs assessment and develop a blueprint for future action to improve the lives of Yolo County children. The work is focused on four key objectives, promoting balanced economic development, providing opportunities to earn a living wage, ensuring children live healthy lives in a safe environment and offering opportunities for civic engagement and leadership development.

I also had the chance to explore other forward-thinking initiatives, since Yolo COE is the first county office of education in the United States to launch its own independent microgrid. The $4.8 million investment is part of the COE’s Schools Resiliency and Sustainability project that includes 12 significant energy conservation measures. When complete, the microgrid will ensure uninterrupted power to Yolo COE’s various sites, move the agency toward net-zero energy usage and provide hands-on opportunities to learn about energy generation, distribution and conservation.

We then toured an early childhood education site for infants and toddlers and the Cesar Chavez Community School serving high school students. The Chavez promise is that “Every student be known, valued, and empowered to develop their unique strengths in a safe, academically rich learning environment.” Its blueprint for success is based on 12 strategic priorities organized into four pillars: extended and enriched learning, active family and community engagement, collaborative practices and leadership, and integrated support and services. By investing in these areas, the school is working to ensure students graduate as critical thinkers and problem solvers, responsible and accountable adults, civic-minded community leaders, creative and adaptive learners with healthy minds and bodies, and college and career-ready individuals.

A similar vision was reflected on the second leg of my trip when I visited Washington USD in West Sacramento to learn about its transformation into a comprehensive community school district, an initiative the LEA launched in 2023–24 with its primary partner, United Way Capitol Region. The district’s community schools are funded by two grants — a five-year, $4,275,000 grant through the California Community Schools Partnership Program awarded in 2023, which was used for the district’s three elementary schools, and a five-year, $2.5 million grant awarded to the United Way Capital Region in 2022 for the project. Just 42 communities in the entire U.S. received the grant and just four of them are in California.

Superintendent Cheryl Hildreth, central office staff and community school facilitators joined their local United Way partners and explained the central role of community schools in the district’s strategic plan and offered a tour of West Sacramento’s River City High, where we saw the four pillars in action: equity-focused teaching and learning, strong partnerships with families and community, learning and growth opportunities for all employees, and a safe climate and equitable access for all.

Our next stop was up in the El Dorado County foothills where we had the chance to visit Black Oak Mine Unified School District, a small-but-mighty district with 1,284 students. El Dorado School Boards Association President and El Dorado Union HSD trustee Jessicca Rodgers, Black Oak Mine trustee Darcy Knight, Superintendent Gabe Simon and Director of Educational Options and Services Carrie Arnett demonstrated how the district educates the whole child by complementing a rigorous and engaging curriculum with a commitment to supporting the social-emotional well-being and growth of their students. Black Oak Mine is proof that the community school model can thrive in a small, rural district. It was clear from my visit that Black Oak Mine is committed to its goals of meeting the needs of the whole child, improving academic outcomes, helping students develop their creative potential and providing a foundation to build their marketable, career, technical and personal skills.

The final visit of the day came at a meeting of the El Dorado County School Boards Association, which provided an excellent example of a cooperative school boards association that provides support for good governance and advocacy for the diverse group of school districts in the county. It was a busy day, but a productive one that passed quickly, as I was engrossed in the work our schools are doing for kids and the plans they have in store. It’s clear that California LEAs have much to offer — we have much to learn from one another.