Fulfilling a board’s obligations to students and community means pursuing continuous improvement and learning and honing governance skills. The “CSBA County Board Governance Handbook” is designed to facilitate that professional growth and assist COE board members in their governance journey.
“This handbook is a great tool to help all county board members, both new and experienced, to face the complex challenges and decisions that are part of the position in California,” said CSBA Director-at-Large, County, Michael Teasdale. “I urge all to read through it completely or use it as a reference book to build your confidence and help you exercise the duties of your role.”
CSBA is committed to strengthening and promoting school board governance as it drives the public education agenda through best-in-class advocacy, training programs and member services. California’s 58 county boards of education are integral to this mission as strong COE boards are essential to ensuring a high-quality education for every student, in every community.
Now, more than ever, county boards play a critical role in maintaining stability and advancing progress in California’s public schools. CSBA recognizes this is a challenging time to serve as a county board of education trustee, with the position growing increasingly complex, so creating the legislative, policy and financial conditions needed to strengthen schools and support student success is critical. The new “CSBA County Board Governance Handbook” will be a helpful reference for this important effort.
“It was important for us at CSBA to provide county trustees with a clear, practical resource that connects their statutory responsibilities to effective governance practices,” said CSBA Director of County Board Member Services Mike Walsh. “To ensure accuracy, the handbook was reviewed by legal experts, governance trainers and informed by input from county board members and superintendents across the state.”
California’s 58 county offices of education serve as critical partners in the state’s public education system — bridging the gap between state policy and local implementation, ensuring fiscal and academic support, and directly educating students across the county. This work is only possible when governance and leadership engage in strong collaboration with deference to the respective statutory roles and responsibilities.
That is why CSBA is proud to have collaborated with the California County Superintendents organization on this handbook to reflect a mutual commitment to excellence and service.
“Together, we recognize that effective shared governance by county boards and county superintendents plays a vital role in fulfilling the mission of county offices of education: ensuring that every student, regardless of circumstance, receives a high-quality education and the support they need to thrive,” said J. Todd Finnell, Imperial COE superintendent and 2025–26 California County Superintendents president.
- Understand the distinct mission and scope of California’s county offices of education and county boards of education
- Reflect on their responsibilities as a board member — individually and collectively
- Navigate ethical dilemmas and boardroom dynamics with integrity
- Engage in effective advocacy and community relationships
- Build the habits and mindset that support long-term public leadership
Each section is followed by guided questions and writing prompts designed to help county trustees internalize the content and bring it into their daily practice. Throughout the handbook, references to sample CSBA policies that align with the topics are provided, along with Education Code citations. These are included for those who want to dig deeper or explore how policy connects to practice. Legal references are also provided and collected in an appendix, where you’ll find short explanations of these key statutes, regulations and constitutional provisions.
“The handbook lays out the separate roles and responsibilities for county board members and county superintendents,” said CSBA Region 14 Director Annette Lewis, who serves as a trustee in Contra Costa COE. “It discusses the unique set of students we serve in the community. It addresses the often-unknown differences between district school boards and county school boards. It provides guidance on how the many tasks of the county office are addressed and who is responsible. When we do our part effectively as a team, the community can see the work we are doing to support the students. With positive community engagement, we have the opportunity to promote ideas that shape and maybe reshape public education.”
CSBA recognizes the essential role county boards play in shaping the future of public education. County boards leadership, dedication and oversight serve some of the state’s most vulnerable students — and CSBA is committed to supporting trustees every step of the way.