Advocacy
Legislative
Advocacy
The CSBA Governmental Relations Department was influential throughout the 2024–25 budget and legislative year, increasing school district and county board member involvement in advocacy at the state and national levels, and achieving positive policy and fiscal outcomes both in the state budget and in legislation. The Public Affairs and Community Engagement Representatives (PACERs) are liaisons in the field, establishing communication between CSBA and local educational agencies and facilitating stronger relationships between board members, other elected officials and community leaders.
sponsored bills
CSBA sponsored six bills, four of which were sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk and three of which were signed into law by the Governor in 2025.
- Assembly Bill 1021 (Wicks, D-Oakland and Muratsuchi, D-Torrance) provides greater access to education workforce housing.
- AB 1390 (Solache, D-Lynwood) modernizes the 40-year-old compensation stipends afforded to school district and county board of education trustees based upon local educational agency size.
- Senate Bill 374 (Archuleta, D-Pico Rivera) extends by one year the deadline for the California Department of Education to submit a report to the Legislature assessing the number and types of reports that LEAs are required to annually submit and which reports can be consolidated or eliminated; eliminates the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part-B Addendum for the Local Control and Accountability Plan.
coast2coast
The fourth annual Coast2Coast Federal Advocacy Trip was held in April 2025. More than 300 school board members and superintendents traveled to Washington, D.C. for meetings with members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill, as well as informational briefings and opportunities to connect with prominent pollsters, journalists, researchers, members of Congress and representatives from the executive branch. As part of the largest delegation in Coast2Coast history, participants sharpened their advocacy skills, absorbed timely policy insights and delivered an unequivocal message to Congress: strong public schools are America’s best investment, and California’s 5.8 million students can’t wait for political gridlock to clear before their needs are met.
other 2025
accomplishments
accomplishments
- The Governmental Relations Department helped to secure significant wins in a challenging state budget year, including full funding for the Local Control Funding Formula cost-of-living adjustment of 2.43 percent, full funding of the Student Support and Professional Development Discretionary Block Grant at $1.7 billion, and $300 million for the new Student Teacher Stipend Program.
- Reviewed more than 3,000 bills introduced in the Legislature, analyzed hundreds of proposals and took positions on nearly 100 critical pieces of legislation impacting public education.
- Organized and coordinated a successful Legislative Action Week in March, which drew more than 300 school board members from across the state who held over 100 virtual meetings with state legislators and staff on CSBA budget and legislative priorities.
- Pushed for the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools Act and fought for the release of federal funding withheld by the current federal administration, including funding for critical school nutrition programs.
- The PACER team successfully implemented the first year of the PACER Legislative Coffee series, convening 13 meetings between Regional Directors, Delegates and trustees with legislators throughout the state, including Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate Pro Tempore Monique Limon.
- Governmental Relations staff participated in numerous regional and local trainings and presentations across the state.