Research
Research and Education Policy Development
The goal of the Research and Education Policy Development (REPD) Department is to provide cutting-edge research that helps support members to make informed governance decisions, set policy and advocate at the local, state and national levels. REPD also collaborates with external researchers and education agencies to provide board members with a spectrum of support. In 2025, the team produced research on a number of key policy issues and provided several resources related to artificial intelligence, instructional materials selection and other governance resources tailored to support board members.
instructional
materials
Instructional materials are central to students’ educational success, and local governing boards play a critical role in ensuring the smooth adoption of high-quality materials that reflect the diversity in their communities. Resources found on the Adopting Instructional Materials webpage, launched in 2025, highlight the importance of high-quality instructional materials for student learning, provide crucial information about the legal requirements enacted by Assembly Bill 1078, provide a comprehensive overview of the adoption process at the state and local level, and considers upcoming adoptions related to California’s new Mathematics Framework. These resources are brought to CSBA members by a generous grant from the Gates Foundation.
A close-up view of a student's hand using a pencil to write in a notebook, surrounded by textbooks and colorful sticky notes.
ai taskforce
CSBA’s AI Taskforce: Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) was formed to equip boards of education with the knowledge and tools to navigate the complexities of integrating AI into the work of public school districts and county offices of education. The AI Taskforce finished its work in 2025, but its resources are available at csba.org/AI. These webpages contain a multitude of resources developed and curated for board members including briefs, fact sheets, articles, blog posts, webinars and reports. The webpages also include the AI scenarios for board members document, which provides 21 real-world scenarios and their relevant policy areas. LEAs can use this resource to help address new and emerging issues related to AI, and boards can use it when assessing whether relevant policies permit, prohibit or require further analysis for a specific use of AI. Finally, users can access a fillable AI Roadmap Facilitation Guide, which helps governing teams to develop an AI roadmap tailored to their own policies, values and mission.
other 2025
accomplishments
  • The CSBA Students in Focus series of briefs was expanded in 2025 to include content on LGBTQ+ students, “LGBTQ+ Students in Focus: Demographics and Academic Achievement.”
  • In partnership with UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools, REPD highlighted the role of the board member in equitable discipline practices. “Practical Steps Toward Advancing Equitable and Supportive Discipline: A Guide for School Boards” distills information from the UCLA/UC Berkeley California Race, Education, and Community Healing (REACH) Network.
  • In partnership with Attendance Works, CSBA defined chronic absenteeism using the most recent data from the 2023–24 academic year in the brief “Seize the Data: Using Chronic Absence Data to Drive.”
  • Led by REPD facilitation, CSBA’s Small School District Advisory Workgroup developed a survey for county offices of education to capture services provided to small school districts by county. This resource will be updated every two years.
  • REPD facilitates CSBA’s Delegate Assembly Policy Pillar Committees, which convene twice a year to provide feedback on education issues. Examples of work influenced by Delegates include:
  • REPD convened the Superintendents Advisory Council, Small School District Advisory Workgroup, Policy Platform Committee and AI Taskforce to ensure CSBA reflects member needs through research, training, legislation, policy and resource development.
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