Each year, the ELA issues a report of its activities for the preceding 12 months. This year, the ELA has continued to provide a unique but essential statewide perspective in response to and resolution of issues and questions raised by several ongoing cases, as well as a wide range of impactful new litigation. In California School Boards Association’s Education Legal Alliance v. California State Board of Education (SBE) for instance, the ELA filed and obtained a writ of mandate against the SBE. The court found that SBE ignored the authority of the governing boards of Napa Valley Unified School District and Napa County Office of Education to deny a charter petition and substituted its judgment for the judgment of those local boards in violation of the charter authorization appeal process set out in Assembly Bill 1505 (2019). Also, in O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier, the ELA filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of appellant school board members’ appeal. Our brief urged the Supreme Court to overturn the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that a board members’ use of their private social media to communicate with the public on matters related to their public office, constitutes state action and is subject to First Amendment restrictions, even when the social media accounts are not supported, funded, directed or used with the involvement of the school district the board members represent.

With its focus on issues that have a statewide impact on schools and governance teams, the ELA stands in a unique position to pursue and defend the interests of public education. Our efforts to support our members are never static, and we continue to explore new ways to provide legal support and advocacy for member districts and COEs. Your continued support is greatly appreciated and I hope you will continue to support the ELA in its ongoing fight to represent the statewide interests of boards and students.