County
COE leaders engage at County Board Conference
Highlights included a panel about juvenile justice, keynote speakers and micro-trainings
More than 130 leaders from county offices of education across the state came together in Monterey from Sept. 5-7 for CSBA’s 2025 County Board Conference.

During his opening remarks, CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy brought the crowd to their feet for a round of applause in recognition of their critical work.

“Whether you’re supporting students experiencing homelessness, overseeing county-operated schools and programs that support incarcerated youth or special education, or working to ensure equitable access to education for all youth in your jurisdiction, your work is not just appreciated — it is absolutely essential,” Billy said.

CSBA President Dr. Bettye Lusk echoed Billy’s statements, telling attendees they, “occupy a unique and invaluable role in our public school system and strong county boards of education are essential to ensuring a high-quality education for every student in every community. The students that you serve as county board members would not have the opportunities to be successful without the support that you provide to them.”

A woman in a navy shirt raises her hand while holding a yellow card in a conference room. Other people are seated at tables around her.
During the three-day professional development event, participants took part in General Sessions, micro-trainings and breakout sessions as well as networking mixers. Traditions like the gift basket giveaway, where COEs bring a collection of local goods to be raffled off, continued and attendees were treated to special drawings, including those for a complimentary registration to the Coast2Coast federal advocacy event in Washington, D.C., and physical copies of the new “CSBA County Board Governance Handbook,” designed to give a cohesive and practical overview of the work of county boards of education. (Access a free digital version of the handbook or purchase a physical copy at csba.org/countyboardmemberservices.)

All attendees also received paperback editions of “Permission to Dream” by entrepreneur and author Chris Gardner, who served as the conference’s first General Session speaker on Sept. 5.

General Sessions

Gardner, whose journey to success was captured by the film “The Pursuit of Happiness” starring Will Smith, shared about his background and upbringing as well as his current mission to embolden young people to have the confidence, work ethic and skills to pursue their goals.

A product of public education, Gardner noted that sharing one’s own experiences helps close generational gaps and fosters meaningful connections that have lasting impacts on the lives of others. “You’ve got to be really clear with these young people because you’ve only got so much time,” Gardner said.

Gardner has partnered with Transfr to expose young people to potential career paths and training opportunities in health sciences, manufacturing, construction, architecture, transportation and other fields using virtual reality. Attendees were able to get a feel for the product at a demo held during the networking reception.

Gardner encouraged county leaders to accept and embrace that the world changes and they must adapt to set students up for success, whatever that means to them.

During his Sept. 6 address, Kevin J. Fleming made similar points.

The author and founder/CEO of Catapult gave a passionate presentation on how school systems can redefine their goals to meet the needs of all students and prepare them for the lives they want.

The college-to-career pipeline isn’t the linear path to financial freedom it once was promised to be, as Fleming experienced firsthand. Many elements of a traditional education have become irrelevant, Fleming noted, citing shifts in trends around higher education, employment, income and other metrics. His point was clear — learning and working are shifting.

“I have learned that the future of workforce development, the future of education, the future of our state’s economic vibrancy is relevancy,” Fleming said. More personalized learning may be the key.

Fleming said he often suggests one of the following goals for youth after high school: enroll in higher education, get a job, enlist in the military, participate in an apprenticeship program or prepare for entrepreneurship.

“Those are the five Es that most — 95 percent of our students — can be aligned with and prepared for,” Fleming said.

On Dec. 7, a pair of sessions focused on how to expand and improve offerings for incarcerated youth. One discussion featured Darya Larizadeh, director of Youth Justice at the National Center for Youth Law, and UC Berkeley student and youth justice advocate Charlie Nguyen.

Nguyen, who was incarcerated from ages 16-24, recounted how his teachers and other trusted adults he encountered while in juvenile hall inspired him to further his education and advocate for the availability of college courses. Now, at 25, he plans to pursue law school — leveraging his lived experience and empathy to help others.

San Joaquin County Office of Education’s Court Schools Director Doug Silva and Richard Fenton, manager of Monterey County’s juvenile hall, shared impactful strategies for helping incarcerated students succeed after their release.

Also at the conference, CSBA Chief of Governmental Relations Patrick O’Donnell, alongside experts from Capitol Advisors Group, covered the current political landscape and how it impacts COEs in a General Session moderated by San Diego COE Board Vice President Rick Shea.

Other sessions
Breakout sessions focused on topics like advocacy, good governance practices, charter oversight, career and technical education, supporting students’ mental and physical health, education workforce housing, building rural teacher pipelines and more. Many of these sessions were hosted by COE leaders from Placer, Lake, Tuolumne, Butte, San Joaquin, El Dorado, Santa Clara and Monterey counties.

Micro-trainings hosted by CSBA staff covered topics including the Brown Act, the benefits of using a governance calendar, and leveraging data to improve decision-making. CSBA Business Affiliate DCG Strategies presented on the possibilities around education workforce housing.

On the horizon
COE governance team members and support staff can continue learning from LEAs and experts around the state at the 2025 CSBA Annual Education Conference and Trade Show from Wednesday, Dec. 3 through Friday, Dec. 5 in Sacramento. Registration is open for the County Board Members’ Breakfast, happening from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. on Dec. 4.

Additionally, be sure to save the date for the 2026 County Board Governance Workshop, scheduled to take place March 11-12 in San Diego.

A man with a white beard wears a virtual reality headset and holds two controllers.
A woman with gray hair and glasses in a red jacket stands behind a podium with a microphone, gesturing with her hands.
A man in a maroon suit and light blue shirt speaks on a stage, pointing his finger up.
A panel of three people—two men and one woman—sit on a stage. The man in the middle is speaking with a raised hand.
A man with a gray beard and glasses speaks at a podium with an American flag to his left.
Three women sit around a table with a large sheet of paper, a pitcher, and glasses. Two of the women are looking down at the paper.
A woman with long dark hair and a man with glasses and short black hair sit on a stage. The man is speaking while the woman listens.
A man with a goatee and a bald head wearing a brown checkered jacket listens intently at a conference. The blurred face of another man is in the foreground.
A man with a white beard wears a virtual reality headset and holds two controllers.
A man in a maroon suit and light blue shirt speaks on a stage, pointing his finger up.
A panel of three people—two men and one woman—sit on a stage. The man in the middle is speaking with a raised hand.
A man with a gray beard and glasses speaks at a podium with an American flag to his left.
A woman with gray hair and glasses in a red jacket stands behind a podium with a microphone, gesturing with her hands.
Three women sit around a table with a large sheet of paper, a pitcher, and glasses. Two of the women are looking down at the paper.
A woman with long dark hair and a man with glasses and short black hair sit on a stage. The man is speaking while the woman listens.
A man with a goatee and a bald head wearing a brown checkered jacket listens intently at a conference. The blurred face of another man is in the foreground.

1.) Attendee tests virtual reality CTE training discussed by entrepreneur, author and first General Session speaker Chris Gardner 2.) Kevin J. Fleming, author and founder/CEO of Catapult, provides keynote address 3.) CSBA Chief of Governmental Relations Patrick O’Donnell’s Pure Politics Panel with Capitol Advisors Group 4.) CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy addresses attendees 5.) CSBA President Bettye Lusk delivers welcoming statement 6.) County office of education leaders gathered in the main conference room for a weekend of deep learning and networking 7.) Darya Larizadeh, director of the National Center for Youth Law, and UC Berkeley student/youth justice advocate Charlie Nguyen 8.) Attendees listen intently to a General Session speaker

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