Spring 2025
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.
Using data and evidence-based practices to close achievement gaps
by Kimberly Sellery
Supporting districts and the state’s most vulnerable students
by Heather Kemp
California’s longest-serving trustees impart their wisdom as public education faces headwinds
by Alisha Kirby
D’Andre Weaver, vice president and chief powerful learning officer, Digital Promise
CEO’s note
by Vernon M. Billy
he old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” can apply to politics just as well as medicine. Yet, frequently, our elected state officials seem to wait until a social ill has reached epidemic proportions before addressing it in a decisive manner. This is evident even when organizations such as CSBA have cautioned them about the potential dangers of a particular piece of legislation, but action is deferred until an issue has devolved into a full-blown crisis. This approach often leads to negative consequences.
To fully understand the story, we need to turn back the clock to 2019, when Assembly Bill 218 was introduced to extend the statute of limitations for filing claims of childhood sexual assault to 40 years of age. The bill also allowed for claims made on or after a person’s 40th birthday if the local educational agency “knew or had reason to know, or was otherwise on notice, of any misconduct that created a risk of childhood sexual assault by an employee or volunteer, or if the school district or county superintendent failed to take reasonable steps or to implement reasonable safeguards to avoid acts of childhood sexual assault.” Additionally, the legislation provided for treble damages in the event of a “cover up” and opened a three-year window for victims of any age to sue on previously expired claims that had not been “litigated to finality,” a phrase that is not defined and may include previously settled cases.
CSBA 2025 Board of Directors
- Tyler Nelson
Region 1, Ukiah USD - Bruce Ross
Region 2, Redding ESD - Vacant
Region 3 - Renee Nash
Region 4, Eureka Union SD - Vacant
Region 5 - Jackie Wong
Region 6, Washington USD - 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 - Vacant
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 - Michael Teasdale
Director-at-Large County, Ventura COE - Alma Carina Castro
Director-at-Large Hispanic, Lynwood USD
legal insights
by Ethan Retan
Significant federal developments regarding immigration enforcement
he new year opened with a flurry of immigration-related orders and policies from the Trump Administration. Even as things are still unsettled, the following summary is intended to help cover the most significant developments in immigration, as well as the legal framework that governs them.
It is crucial to view the Administration’s actions on immigration through the lens of the existing legal framework, both at the federal and the state level. Doing so can help local educational agencies better understand how the current changes may affect them and how to plan for and adjust to future changes.
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
Dr. Bettye Lusk, Monterey Peninsula USD
President-elect
Dr. Debra Schade, Solana Beach SD
Vice President
Sabrena Rodriguez, Ventura USD
Immediate Past President
Albert Gonzalez, Santa Clara USD
CEO & Executive Director
Vernon M. Billy
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.
Santa Barbara County Office program gives students a head start
“Our program combines career-focused experiences with the paycheck families need,” said Partners in Education Executive Director Chelsea Duffy. “It also allows SBCEO to extend case management services to qualified students, connecting them to other community resources.”
ith the release of test scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), given every two years, and the annual California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), it is clear that students in California are not progressing as quickly as they should be.
NAEP assesses students across the country in mathematics, reading and science, among other subjects. The results highlight how students are progressing over time. The 2024 NAEP included results for fourth- and eighth-grade students in math and reading. In 2024, California students in fourth grade scored 233 points on math versus 230 in 2022 — a modest increase. In comparison, the national average fourth-grade math score was 237 in 2024. Eighth-grade students in California scored one point lower in 2024 than 2022, 269 versus 270 respectively. The national average eighth-grade math score was 272 in 2024. Overall, since 2015, California students in fourth and eighth grades have made glacial progress on math assessments, an alarming indicator that now is the time to act aggressively on changing these outcomes.
I was on the school site council in 2003 and when there was a vacancy on the school board, I was asked if I wanted to join. I said yes and in December 2003 I was appointed to the board not really knowing what I was getting myself into. Once I was on the board, I was inspired to see how a school district works. I knew that I was going to make a difference in the education of these students, including my son, who was enrolled in the school at that time.
I grew up in this town and went to school here. I was in classrooms that had multiple grades in each classroom. Being a small, rural school with an enrollment of 70 students K-8, I understand from personal experience how hard it is to teach and learn in multi-grade classrooms. After graduating from high school and college, I started to work in agriculture, which allowed me to work in the area where I grew up. My son was enrolled in the school I went to because I knew that it was a great school to be in.
The role of public education is not easy. Public education is the foundation of society and we need to protect it so it doesn’t fail our students. These students are our future, and we need to educate them to the best of their ability. These students will one day be making a difference in education for their future.
My parents. My parents came from Mexico and spoke little English. They worked many hours daily to see that I got the education I needed to succeed in life. My dad was also involved in the community. He helped at the church. One thing my dad would tell me is that, “Nothing is free in life, you need to work to have what you want in life.” I keep those words with me all the time. At work and as the board president, I know that I need to do everything I can to get the students motivated so they succeed in life. There have been a lot of adults I have looked up to including the teachers I had going to a rural school. Being that the school is so small, they are like your second parents. Each teacher I had as I moved on through the years at the school would inspire me to keep going.
Being a rural school, teachers and staff need to travel a long distance to be able to instruct our students. At our school, we have had teachers travel for an hour or more one way to get to work. Having such low enrollment means we cannot pay them enough to have a teacher in each grade. Staff must do different things to keep the school running. Each staff member plays multiple roles just to keep everything going.
Would you like to participate in an upcoming Member Profile? Contact editor@csba.org.
I was on the school site council in 2003 and when there was a vacancy on the school board, I was asked if I wanted to join. I said yes and in December 2003 I was appointed to the board not really knowing what I was getting myself into. Once I was on the board, I was inspired to see how a school district works. I knew that I was going to make a difference in the education of these students, including my son, who was enrolled in the school at that time.
I grew up in this town and went to school here. I was in classrooms that had multiple grades in each classroom. Being a small, rural school with an enrollment of 70 students K-8, I understand from personal experience how hard it is to teach and learn in multi-grade classrooms. After graduating from high school and college, I started to work in agriculture, which allowed me to work in the area where I grew up. My son was enrolled in the school I went to because I knew that it was a great school to be in.
The role of public education is not easy. Public education is the foundation of society and we need to protect it so it doesn’t fail our students. These students are our future, and we need to educate them to the best of their ability. These students will one day be making a difference in education for their future.
My parents. My parents came from Mexico and spoke little English. They worked many hours daily to see that I got the education I needed to succeed in life. My dad was also involved in the community. He helped at the church. One thing my dad would tell me is that, “Nothing is free in life, you need to work to have what you want in life.” I keep those words with me all the time. At work and as the board president, I know that I need to do everything I can to get the students motivated so they succeed in life. There have been a lot of adults I have looked up to including the teachers I had going to a rural school. Being that the school is so small, they are like your second parents. Each teacher I had as I moved on through the years at the school would inspire me to keep going.
Being a rural school, teachers and staff need to travel a long distance to be able to instruct our students. At our school, we have had teachers travel for an hour or more one way to get to work. Having such low enrollment means we cannot pay them enough to have a teacher in each grade. Staff must do different things to keep the school running. Each staff member plays multiple roles just to keep everything going.
Would you like to participate in an upcoming Member Profile? Contact editor@csba.org.
class act
Best practices in action
According to Principal Angela Freeman and culinary arts instructor Mohini Singh, the program began when the campus opened in 2002, but transitioned to a “true industry style” career technical education (CTE) curriculum in 2018.
“Cooking comes from the heart. It inspires students, it brings smiles of joy in the classroom,” Singh said. “The goal of the program is to teach students the skills necessary for employment while making them feel a sense of confidence and belonging in the kitchen that they can take and share with their loved ones.”
By Monika Moulin, Luan Burman Rivera and Jefferson Crain
chool boards are responsible for ensuring their local educational agencies operate effectively, ethically and in compliance with the law. To achieve this, regular review and updates to LEA policies are crucial.
Each year, a multitude of new laws that impact public schools are signed by the Governor, and school boards have the responsibility to update and adopt policies based on new legal requirements, as well as in response to changing community and school needs. Staying current on state-mandated legal requirements is crucial in minimizing the risk of negative outcomes from lawsuits, legal challenges and violations that could have serious consequences for the LEA.
Board members are encouraged to read and become familiar with Board Bylaw (BB) 9310 – Board Policies, which contains the policy adoption process along with other important information. The policy development process, as outlined in BB 9310, states:
csba at issue
“Major roof leaks, broken air conditioners … Each year the board budgets money for deferred maintenance, [but then] unplanned and catastrophic problems crop up at the worst times. When these happen, the district must draw from its ever-shrinking reserves.”
That’s a common lament among local educational agency officials, in California and across the U.S., where the average public school facility is 50 years old. Studies find nearly half of all U.S. schools require major upgrades to building components and systems, including roofs and heating and air conditioning equipment, and nearly one-third regularly keep students and teachers in “temporary” structures that were never made for long-term use. California isn’t immune to these challenges; a recent analysis by the Public Policy Institute of California found that 25 percent attended schools with damaged floors, walls, or ceilings; and 14 percent went to schools with malfunctioning electrical systems. Fifteen percent of students attended schools that had at least one deficiency that’s considered extreme, such as gas leaks, power failures or structural damage.
he same pattern can be found in achievement gaps between students from low- and higher-income backgrounds, with lower-income students performing notably worse. These results are true nationwide and are affecting the college, career and life-fulfilling potential for generations of students.
The critical role of county offices of education
Supporting districts and the state’s most vulnerable students
California’s 58 county offices of education (COEs) have long played an essential role in public education, but their work has become increasingly important in carrying out state directives and meeting local needs as schools juggle competing demands and scarce resources.
In recent years, CSBA has doubled down on its commitment to providing COE leaders the advocacy tools, sample policy documents, legal guidance, research, training, events and networking opportunities necessary to successfully take on obligations new and old.
and their boards are tasked with duties such as providing technical assistance, professional development and financial oversight to school districts and helping to maintain compliance with state and federal regulations. They also manage instructional programming for vulnerable student groups, including juvenile court and alternative schools.
Call for Entries 2025 now open — apply now!
Closes at midnight on June 27, 2025
CSBA believes in recognizing the extraordinary work school districts and county offices of education engage in across California, on an individual and district level. That’s why we are proud to announce the opening of this year’s Golden Awards.
Visit the Golden Awards website to apply.
Visit awards.csba.org
for more information and program deadlines.
ith public education experiencing upheaval and disarray, having someone at the helm with experience navigating troubled waters can become a lifeline for students, staff and communities who rely on schools to be a place of stability.
istrict and county office of education governance teams have seen higher turnover rates in recent years with many trustees retiring, opting not to run for re-election or losing elections to new candidates, throughout the state. However, trustees boasting 20, 30 and even 40 years of experience continue to provide local educational agencies with wisdom that can be key in challenging times.
“There is a lot of value in historic knowledge and longevity on a board, even if it’s just helping the new board members that come on learn their role and the importance of what they need to be doing at the table,” said Susan Markarian, former CSBA President and a Pacific Union Elementary School District trustee since 1985.
a conversation with…
a conversation with…
It is also important that school leaders think about current and emerging technology from an evidence-based pedagogical lens. There has been a lot of research around what works for teaching and learning, what works in schools, what works in classrooms across the country, and we think that leaders should be thinking about the integration of technology and evidence-based practices to create more powerful learning experiences.
ad index
- Atikinson, Andelson Loya, Ruud & Romo14
- Buyboard34
- California Statewide Electrical JATC12
- Capturing Kids’ Hearts10
- Carson Dellosa Education20
- CSBA Annual Education Conference and Trade Show4
- CSBA County Board ConferenceIC
- CSBA Education Legal Alliance29
- CSBA GAMUT39
- CSBA Golden Awards33
- CSBA Legal Services1
- Dannis Woliver Kelley2
- Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost21
- Invisicade25
- Isom Advisors26
- IXL Learning16
- Jones Hall18
- Keenan & Associates48
- Leadership Associates50
- Lincoln Learning51
- Lozano SmithBC
- Mobility Blueprint35
- National DemographicsIBC
- Northern California Carpenters Regional Council47
- Orbach45
- Pars46
- Piper Sandler27
- SELF36
- Smithsonian38
- Southwest Mountain States Regional Carpenters37
- Spot.ai44
- Varsity Tutors28
- Buyboard34
Thanks for reading our Spring 2025 issue!