Special Issue 2026
California Schools logo
Birth of a Vision
CSBA’s campaign for state accountability in California’s education system
Demystifying data, 38 | Drowning in documentation, 44

Special Issue 2026

California Schools Logo
Volume 84, Number 4
Special Issue 2026

The California School Boards Association is the essential voice for public education. We inspire our members to be knowledgeable leaders, extraordinary governance practitioners and ardent advocates for all students.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
features
White capitol dome silhouette with rising yellow arrows over legislative bill numbers.
Birth of a vision
28

CSBA’s campaign for state accountability in California’s education system

Hands examining data charts and graphs with a lightbulb symbol for new insights.
Demystifying Data
38

Understanding an important tool to drive student achievement

by Heather Kemp

A person in a suit overwhelmed and drowning in a massive mountain of documents.
Drowning in Documentation
44

How the reporting burden takes focus away from students, and CSBA’s advocacy to lighten the load

by Kimberly Sellery

departments
Q&A
with CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy
5
Legal insights
by Dana Scott
11
A Century of Leadership: CSBA Presidents from 1931 to 2031
13
Research spotlight
by Jeremy Anderson
15
Member profile
Sonia Heredia, Greenfield Union School District
17
Class act
19
BoardWise
by Monika Moulin and Merrill Grant
21
CSBA at issue
by Michael Sheehy
25
A conversation with…
Assemblymember Darshana Patel
51
Close the State Accountability Gap
Vernon M. Billy
Close the State Accountability Gap
Q&A
WITH CSBA CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR VERNON M. BILLY

@Vbilly_CSBA

An SOS for reciprocal accountability and student achievement
CSBA’s plan to close the state accountability gap
Q1
What prompted CSBA to launch the SOS for Student Achievement: Close the State Accountability Gap (SOSSA) campaign?
The campaign was prompted by a reality that local school district and county office of education (COE) board members confront every day: California holds local educational agencies accountable for student outcomes, but the state has never created an equally coherent, measurable plan for how its own agencies, budgets, policies and programs will support LEAs in closing achievement gaps — known as reciprocal accountability. We launched this effort after another round of state and national data showed that, despite the hard work happening locally, achievement gaps remain stubborn and, in some cases, are widening.

As long as this state accountability gap exists, LEAs can do everything asked of them and still struggle when state programs are fragmented, guidance is conflicting, funding is misaligned, technical assistance is inconsistent or reporting requirements pull staff away from implementation. Student outcomes remain the ultimate reason for this work, but the campaign is focused on the state-level conditions that make local success more likely.

Read Full Article

CSBA 2026 Board of Directors

  • Tyler Nelson
    Region 1, Ukiah USD
  • Bruce Ross
    Region 2, Redding ESD
  • Robin Jankiewicz
    Region 3
  • Renee Nash
    Region 4, Eureka Union SD
  • Patricia Murray
    Region 5
  • Jessicca Rogers
    Region 6, El Dorado Union HSD
  • Rachel Hurd
    Region 7, San Ramon Valley USD
  • Christopher “Kit” Oase
    Region 8, Ripon USD
  • Roger Snyder
    Region 9, Scotts Valley USD
  • Kathy Spate
    Region 10, Caruthers USD
  • Daniel Sandoval
    Region 11
  • William Farris
    Region 12, Sierra Sands USD
  • Annette Lewis
    Region 14, Contra Costa COE
  • Susan Henry
    Region 15, Huntington Beach Union HSD
  • Karen Gray
    Region 16, Silver Valley USD
  • Eleanor Evans
    Region 17, Oceanside USD
  • Bruce Dennis
    Region 18, Riverside COE
  • Devon Conley
    Region 20, Mountain View Whisman SD
  • Rocio Rivas
    Region 21
  • Nancy Smith
    Region 22, Palmdale SD
  • Helen Hall
    Region 23, Walnut Valley USD
  • Jan Baird
    Region 24, South Whittier ESD
  • Chris Clark
    Director-at-Large African American, Folsom-Cordova USD
  • Christina Cameron-Otero
    Director-at-Large American Indian, Needles USD
  • Sylvia Leong
    Director-at-Large Asian/Pacific Islander, Cupertino Union SD
  • Ramon Flores
    Director-at-Large County, Ventura COE
  • Alma Carina Castro
    Director-at-Large Hispanic, Lynwood USD
Dana Scott headshot

legal insights

By Dana scott
Challenges to case securing education for undocumented immigrant students
I

n the 1982 case Plyler v. Doe, the U.S. Supreme Court held that under the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, states must provide a free public education to undocumented immigrant students. The Equal Protection Clause provides that no state can deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Since Plyler, there have been legislative efforts to undermine the decision, including the passage of laws that were eventually struck down by the courts in states such as California and Alabama.

Two young girls lie on a colorful rug reading a book together in a classroom.
Recently, similar efforts in several states have returned and surged. This trend aligns with recommendations from organizations, such as the Heritage Foundation, which aim to overturn Plyler so that states can pass laws requiring or permitting various actions including asking students to disclose immigration information and allowing local educational agencies to charge tuition. Understanding the background of Plyler and the history that followed provides a helpful reference point for the movement taking place among some states and organizations today.
Read Full Article
California Schools logo

Chief Information Officer
Troy Flint, tflint@csba.org

Editorial Director
Kimberly Sellery, ksellery@csba.org

Senior Staff Writers
Heather Kemp, hkemp@csba.org
Alisha Kirby, akirby@csba.org

Director of Marketing and Communications
Monica Griffis, mgriffis@csba.org

Director of Graphic Design and Branding
Kerry Macklin, kmacklin@csba.org

Senior Graphic Designer
Amanda Moen, amoen@csba.org

Graphic Designer
Thairah Singharath, tsingharath@csba.org

Circulation and Advertising
csba@csba.org

CSBA officers

President
Dr. Debra Schade, Solana Beach SD

President-elect
Sabrena Rodriguez, Ventura USD

Vice President
Jackie Thu-Huong Wong, Washington USD

Immediate Past President
Dr. Bettye Lusk, Monterey Peninsula USD

CEO & Executive Director
Vernon M. Billy

California Schools (ISSN 1081-8936) is published quarterly by the California School Boards Association, Inc., 3251 Beacon Boulevard, West Sacramento, CA 95691, (916) 371-4691. $2 of CSBA membership dues goes toward the subscription to California Schools magazine for each board member and superintendent. The subscription rate for each CSBA nonmember is $20. Periodicals postage paid at West Sacramento, CA and at additional mailing office. Postmaster: Send address changes to California Schools, 3251 Beacon Blvd., West Sacramento, CA 95691.

Articles submitted to California Schools are edited for style, content and space prior to publication. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent CSBA policies or positions. Articles may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Endorsement by CSBA of products and services advertised in California Schools is not implied or expressed.

www.csba.org

CSBA and NSPRA logos
A Century of Leadership

CSBA Presidents from 1931 to 2031

Prompted by discussions among several boards throughout California about the need to advocate for educational programs, 29 school board members from 12 counties gathered at the Donner School auditorium in Sacramento on Sept. 8, 1931, to form the California School Trustees Association, later to be known as the California School Boards Association.

To mark the upcoming 100th anniversary of CSBA in 2031, California Schools is taking a historical look at the CSBA Presidents from 1931 to the future president in 2031.

Read Full Article
Close the State Accountability Gap
Jeremy Anderson Headshot
Close the State Accountability Gap

research spotlight

By Jeremy Anderson

Principles for reciprocal accountability in California
An illustration of two business professionals shaking hands surrounded by puzzle pieces and gear icons.
California’s education governance system has been described as a “crazy quilt” stitched together over the decades without clear lines of accountability. Governance reform efforts dating back to the late 1800s have noted that the system’s fragmented and incoherent structure threatens local educational agencies’ ability to meaningfully navigate it and serve students. The state has long relied on one-off or temporary programs to solve enduring, deeply rooted issues — particularly student achievement gaps. Achievement gaps across and within student groups in California have been stubbornly persistent for decades despite many LEA-focused education reforms.
Read Full Article
member
profile
Sonia Heredia
Board Member, Greenfield Union School District
member
profile
Sonia Heredia
Board Member, Greenfield Union School District
A portrait of Sonia Heredia smiling while seated in a red dress against a white backdrop.
How long have you been a board member and what inspired you to run for the position?

I have been a board member for 15 years. In 2002, I was approached by a board member who attend the same Catholic church as myself. She told me (a very active member), ‘You need to run for school board so you could advocate for our students,’ and the priest said ‘Yes, you could do it.’ The priest told me, ‘You need to go and advocate for those who do not have a voice.’

Who inspired you growing up?

My mother, who did not finish elementary school and just completed second grade. However, she was very knowledgeable and loved to write recipes. She worked in the fields so hard to bring our daily bread. She migrated to this country to have a better opportunity, she prepared us our meals before she left to work every morning, she used to love to read books about old traditional medicine and she always made us a lemon verbena tea to drink every morning with toast. Another person was my second-grade teacher, who always welcomed us with a warm hug and lovely smile. She had a lot of patience with all children, and had lots of toys to play with when we finished our work.

What accomplishments are you most proud of in
your district?

One of the accomplishments is the building of a new school. We also brought solar panels to the district and most of the work was done by our local labor union contractors. We also remodeled classrooms, built a new kindergarten area and built a new multipurpose building with a stage for school performances.

What is one major concern you would like to address as a board member?

One of my major concerns is that we do not have a dual immersion program for our Spanish speakers, and another is to meet the needs of our Indigenous community.

What advice do you have for new and aspiring board members?

My advice to anybody who wants to run for office is to be themselves and be the voice of our students and community. Do not be there just to warm a chair.

How does growing up in the same district you are a trustee in now affect how you approach board duties?

I am product of Greenfield, I went to school here and my parents work in agriculture. I am an English learner, and my parents did not finish school. This is my community, my people, and I wanted to leave a good legacy and be proud of who I am today, thanks to my parents and God for always being by my side. I am a role model for all young girls who are English learners, whose parents did not have an education, but they have a big heart as a human being. I am a proud woman who majored in early childhood education, which can be the most important years of a child’s life. On top of that, I am a mother of five amazing children, and my husband, Alejandro, has always been by my side supporting me. I am very grateful to be serving my community. I am the voice of the mother, the teacher, the coworker.

Would you like to participate in an upcoming Member Profile? Contact editor@csba.org.

Close the State Accountability Gap
Close the State Accountability Gap
class act Best practices in action

class act
Best practices in action

Fontana USD program helps close college enrollment gap
A high school student in a letterman jacket sitting at a laptop while celebrating with others.
A majority of the seniors who took the stage to graduate from Fontana Unified School District in May had taken part in College Application Submit Day festivities at their campuses in the fall — events that offer them support and inspiration as they prepare for the journey that comes after K-12.

The initiative, launched at Fontana High School in 2016, has expanded access to higher education for local students and teaches important life skills while providing a memorable, celebratory moment for families. The district estimates that more than 10,000 students have participated over the years.

Read Full Article
Monika Moulin headshot
Merrill Grant headshot

BoardWise

By Monika Moulin and Merrill Grant
BoardWise is a forum for board members and superintendents across the state to share questions about governance and board-superintendent relations. This issue’s question is answered by CSBA Governance Consultants Monika Moulin, a dedicated community leader and former Yosemite Unified School District board member, and Merrill Grant, a former superintendent of five diverse school districts.

Have a pressing governance question? Send it to boardwise@csba.org and it may be featured in this column.

Dear BoardWise:
We have just hired a new superintendent. Where should the board focus its work?
Abstract collage of hands holding a sphere filled with colorful, diverse people illustrations.
Monika: One of the most loved Olympic Track and Field events is the relay race, and that moment when one runner must pass the baton to their teammate is critical. Many of us have heard the gasps from spectators when a handoff fails and the baton hits the ground. Upon hiring a new superintendent, boards might be feeling the anxiety that accompanies the symbolic passing of the baton. How then do boards ensure this transition is smooth and productive? A few key practices can help. They are not complicated, but they do require time and intentionality.

Start by building a trust-based relationship between the board and superintendent. This is every bit as important as setting strategic goals. It’s easy to be tempted to dive into the work — especially when there is a lot of work to do — but giving time and energy to this critically important relationship will send a signal to the entire school community that the new governance team is starting strong.

Read Full Article
Close the State Accountability Gap
Michael Sheehy
Close the State Accountability Gap
csba at issue
By Michael Sheehy
Rethinking teacher staffing
What the research actually says
W

hen it comes to assigning teachers to classrooms, district leaders tend to trust their gut. Protect your strongest teachers from burnout. Reward effectiveness with easier rosters. Put your best people where the stakes are highest. These instincts aren’t unreasonable — but research suggests those are often the wrong choices.

Teacher staffing decisions shape student outcomes in ways that compound over time. Getting them right requires moving beyond informal norms and examining what the evidence shows about common practices, from where to place novice teachers to whether keeping students with the same teacher across years produces improved outcomes.
Novice teachers need better assignments, not harder ones
It’s common practice to hand new teachers the most challenging classrooms. It’s also a mistake.

Research consistently shows that novice teachers are disproportionately assigned students with lower prior achievement, higher rates of disciplinary incidents and greater academic needs. A 2019 analysis of Los Angeles Unified School District data found this pattern was widespread and consequential. Even after accounting for the tendency to assign struggling students to newer teachers, more demanding classroom conditions still slowed teacher development. The effect was equivalent to the learning gap between a first-year teacher and a third- or fourth-year one.

Read Full Article
Birth of a Vision
CSBA’s campaign for state accountability in California’s education system
Birth of a Vision
CSBA’s campaign for state accountability in California’s education system
If good intentions alone resulted in progress, California’s education system would be the nation’s crown jewel. In recent years, funding — while still unimpressive given California’s massive economy, high-costs and challenging student population — has climbed from abysmal depths to somewhere near the national average. The education landscape is now cluttered with experiments, one-time grants, pet projects and new mandates developed by policymakers in Sacramento. These initiatives are well-intentioned and motivated by a desire to improve the quality of California schools. Yet, academic growth is underwhelming and achievement gaps remain stubbornly large.

The prevailing response to this development has been to point the finger at local educational agencies, even though they are awash in mandates, audits, dashboards and reporting requirements imposed by the state. Yet, no comparable accountability measures exist to determine whether state-level programs and requirements are working as intended and whether its investments are being optimized to help local schools support student success.

Read Full Article
Demystifying Data
Conceptual illustration of a hand holding a magnifying glass over a data report with charts, a light bulb, and a checkmark speech bubble.
Understanding an important tool to drive student achievement
by Heather Kemp
The ultimate goal of local educational agencies is to drive student achievement, shaping generations of young Californians who are ready to thrive in the world once they graduate from the TK-12 system. But how are boards of education supposed to know what strategies are or aren’t working to make this vision a reality in the communities they serve?
For school district and county office of education trustees, the ability to access and utilize data are invaluable skills. Knowledge of what data is available, where to find it, and how to analyze it and apply the information gained to decisions around budgets and staffing is more important than ever as LEAs face funding shortfalls while still trying to help students recover academically and personally from the pandemic. When seen as a North Star, being able to point to data can aid in explaining difficult decisions to stakeholders.

In addition to providing insights into more recent challenges, data can shine light on persistent issues like achievement gaps and the kinds of programs that can successfully address them.

Programs throughout the state, including Porterville Unified School District’s data model that serves as a framework for equitable student growth and Livermore Valley Joint USD’s Math Data Protocol, are examples of how LEAs can harness metrics and make a difference in the outcomes of learners. Both districts won 2025 CSBA Golden Bell Awards in the Using Data to Support Student Success category for their efforts.

Read Full Article
Drowning in Documentation
How the reporting burden takes focus away from students and CSBA’s advocacy to lighten the load
By Kimberly Sellery

Reporting and accountability are a way of life for those in governing positions and are necessary components of measuring outcomes and communicating them to the public. Yet, when requirements are excessive or implemented without thoughtful consideration, reporting systems can become counterproductive and interfere with what should be the main focus of the public education system: supporting the academic and social-emotional needs of students.

When CSBA researchers began to dig into the issue and look for a comprehensive source of information for all reporting requirements, they discovered the state had no such list. So, CSBA set out to reveal the landscape of requirements that school leaders must adhere to. At the same time, the Research and Education Policy Development (REPD) Department interviewed personnel from local educational agencies varying in size and location to share their perspectives on how reporting requirements affect their ability to do the core functions of their jobs.

Read Full Article
Stylized illustration of a person in a suit drowning in a sea of paperwork with hands raised in distress against a blue background.
Drowning in Documentation
How the reporting burden takes focus away from students and CSBA’s advocacy to lighten the load
By Kimberly Sellery

Reporting and accountability are a way of life for those in governing positions and are necessary components of measuring outcomes and communicating them to the public. Yet, when requirements are excessive or implemented without thoughtful consideration, reporting systems can become counterproductive and interfere with what should be the main focus of the public education system: supporting the academic and social-emotional needs of students.

When CSBA researchers began to dig into the issue and look for a comprehensive source of information for all reporting requirements, they discovered the state had no such list. So, CSBA set out to reveal the landscape of requirements that school leaders must adhere to. At the same time, the Research and Education Policy Development (REPD) Department interviewed personnel from local educational agencies varying in size and location to share their perspectives on how reporting requirements affect their ability to do the core functions of their jobs.

Read Full Article
Close the State Accountability Gap
Close the State Accountability Gap

a conversation with…

Assemblymember Darshana Patel
Assemblymember Darshana Patel headshot
Dr. Darshana R. Patel was elected in November 2024 to represent the 76th Assembly District in northern San Diego County. A research scientist, former Poway Unified School District board president and dedicated community leader, Patel’s experiences as the daughter of immigrants and steward of a school district inform her state governance lens. During her time as a member of CSBA, she was a Delegate and member of several committees, including the areas of legislation and policy.

a conversation with…

Assemblymember Darshana Patel
Dr. Darshana R. Patel was elected in November 2024 to represent the 76th Assembly District in northern San Diego County. A research scientist, former Poway Unified School District board president and dedicated community leader, Patel’s experiences as the daughter of immigrants and steward of a school district inform her state governance lens. During her time as a member of CSBA, she was a Delegate and member of several committees, including the areas of legislation and policy.
Assemblymember Darshana Patel headshot
Paper collage illustration of Earth surrounded by colorful watercolor sunburst rays.
Looking back on your time as a school board member and board president of Poway USD, what accomplishments are you most proud of, and what impact did it have on students or the broader community?
There are a few accomplishments I am proud of. The main one was making sure our budgets matched our values and our vision for our students and their outcomes. We really focused our budgetary priorities on things that would make a difference for the students and what they were asking for. We were able to put more money into career technical education programs and expand pathways. We built a middle college to help our students that would slip through the cracks normally find a pathway to opportunities; we got feedback such as “I never thought I could be a student body president,” “I never thought I could form a band or write a musical.” These students were able to find their own joy and unlock their potential through middle college.
Read Full Article
Blue-toned close-up of construction excavator tracks and arm at a construction site with a school building in the background.
Blue-toned aerial view of a school campus with rooftop solar panels, walkways, and yellow school buses lined up.
Newly improved Certificates of Participation Program
helps LEAs secure funding for capital improvements
Better pricing, streamlined forms and a quicker turnaround for sign-offs!
  • Fast, efficient financing
  • Interest rate refinancing
  • Fixed and variable interest rate options
  • Flexible prepayment provisions
  • Ownership of the asset
Learn More
CSBA logo
Certificates of
Participation Program

ad index

Get Legal Advice from Trusted CSBA attorneys
Focusing on education law and issues related to districts and county offices of education.
Meet the Legal Services team:
Bob Tuerck
Bob Tuerck, Chief Legal Counsel

Bob joined CSBA as a Senior Policy Consultant in September 2014 and served as the Assistant Executive Director of Policy and Governance Technology Services, overseeing CSBA’s sample policies and GAMUT programs from 2017–21. Bob now has the privilege of serving as Chief Legal Counsel for CSBA’s Legal Services program, providing legal advice and representation to CSBA member school districts and county offices on education issues.

Alex Worthy
Alex Worthy, Senior Legal Services Attorney

Alex provides legal advice and representation to school districts and county offices of education in all areas of education law. Alex is a certified mediator and an academic workplace investigator specializing in discrimination, harassment and Title IX matters. She handles a variety of employment law issues, including consultation on progressive discipline, performance evaluations, non-renewals and employee-leave benefits.

Bob Tuerck

Bob Tuerck, Chief Legal Counsel

Bob joined CSBA as a Senior Policy Consultant in September 2014 and served as the Assistant Executive Director of Policy and Governance Technology Services, overseeing CSBA’s sample policies and GAMUT programs from 2017–21. Bob now has the privilege of serving as Chief Legal Counsel for CSBA’s Legal Services program, providing legal advice and representation to CSBA member school districts and county offices on education issues.

Alex Worthy

Alex Worthy, Senior Legal Services Attorney

Alex provides legal advice and representation to school districts and county offices of education in all areas of education law. Alex is a certified mediator and an academic workplace investigator specializing in discrimination, harassment and Title IX matters. She handles a variety of employment law issues, including consultation on progressive discipline, performance evaluations, non-renewals and employee-leave benefits.

CSBA Legal Services logo
Learn More
visit legalservices.csba.org
email legalservices@csba.org
California Schools Logo
Thanks for reading our Special Issue 2026 issue!
Return to Cover