CSBA helps you through tough fiscal times
In 2008, public education in California has been confronted by a “perfect storm.” An unprecedented statewide fiscal crisis, coupled with increasing levels of state and federal accountability, has left school districts and county offices of education with little choice but to do more with less. But you’re not facing the crisis alone.
The California School Boards Association has taken extraordinary steps to support and serve our members during this crisis. Through innovation, new programs and enhancement of existing programs and services, CSBA is poised to help you meet the challenges of this difficult year, as we weather the fiscal storm together.
Representation and advocacy
Schools: An investment we can't afford to cut
Earlier this year, CSBA implemented Schools: An investment we can’t afford to cut, a statewide media, advocacy and grassroots campaign to fight Governor Schwarzenegger’s devastating proposed budget cuts to education.
As part of this campaign, CSBA members received an advocacy kit, which included a sample board resolution, talking points, news release, letters to the editor and op-ed, and tips for local spokespersons on how to stage a town hall meeting. This information and other resources and advocacy materials may be found on CSBA’s Web site.
With your help, the ongoing campaign has been successful. We have succeeded in persuading the Assembly and Senate legislative budget committees to substantially increase school funding from the level proposed by the governor. The fight is not yet over and CSBA will continue to aggressively advocate on your behalf.
It’s more critical than ever that school districts and county offices of education are reimbursed for state mandates. In three separate cases, CSBA’s Education Legal Alliance is fighting in court for restoration of mandate reimbursement for the School Accountability Report Card (SARC); Brown Act compliance; and the mandate reimbursement process.
Learn More California
Especially now, it’s important for you to inform your community about the realities and challenges of local school budgeting. CSBA’s
Learn More California project and training can help you implement a community engagement strategy to increase confidence in public schools and your fiscal priorities; inform your community about the constraints the state places on education dollars; and empower your community members with a good understanding about how resources and reform can support the vision for your local schools.
While we get through the budget crisis together, CSBA’s determined team of legislative advocates, policy experts and legal experts continues to work on long-term education issues, including adequate school funding, closing the achievement gap, healthy kids and effective school governance.
Enhancing and reducing the cost of continuing education
As a member benefit, CSBA has provided many no-cost learning opportunities this past year to help educate and inform our members, including:
• Charter Schools Online Course
• Preschool Podcasts
• Forecast Webcast
• Playground Safety Workshop
• Roadmap to Policy Updates Webinar
• Healthy Schools Foster Effective Learning Environments Webinar
• Creating Healthy Schools - The Role of the Board Webinar
• Back-to-School Webcast (Coming this September)
Continuing education is critical so you can serve as an effective school governance leader. Look for more no-cost and low-cost learning opportunities from CSBA in the future. And be sure to check out the 2008 CSBA Annual Education Conference and Trade Show. In recognition of the current fiscal situations in districts and county offices around the state, the conference registration rate was held to the same rate as last year.
Services
CSBA offers an array of programs, products and services that can make the difference for our members during these difficult financial times.
Cash Reserve/TRANs
CSBA's Cash Reserve program can help supplement your general fund cash reserves and act as a cushion for temporary cash flow needs. Proposals contained in the governor’s May Revision may increase district/county office borrowing needs even further than expected. Accordingly, CSBA is prepared to help you meet this unexpected need.
This spring, we helped many districts and county offices apply for a TRAN (tax and revenue anticipation note). While this year’s deadline to apply for a TRAN has already passed, there may be another opportunity this fall to apply for assistance through CSBA’s Cash Reserve program.
Government Purchasing Alliance
Make your money go farther with the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance. Receive volume discounts on selected office supplies, furniture, equipment and other products you need for your schools. The Government Purchasing Alliance allows CSBA members to buy items at deep discounts based on competitively bid contracts by a lead local agency. There is NO cost to participate in this money-saving program.
GAMUT™ Online and Manual Maintenance
CSBA’s policy services programs help members keep their policy manuals current—which is essential during a year when more than 750 bills were signed into law, 120 directly affecting education. From our Policies in Review booklet to GAMUT™ Online and Manual Maintenance, we help you save staff time by keeping your policy manual up-to-date, with more than 800 legally referenced sample policies, regulations and exhibits.
GASB 45 Solutions
You don’t have to struggle with handling GASB 45 compliance. CSBA’s GASB 45 program is a one-stop solution for complying with the new accounting requirements for post-retirement health benefits. Our GASB 45 Solutions program offers actuarial analyses, accounting advice and a trust fund to begin funding costs.
Mandate Prep and SiteServ
Recognizing the importance of mandate reimbursement to the fiscal well-being of districts and county offices, CSBA has partnered with School Innovations & Advocacy to provide assistance. Mandate Prep provides comprehensive and personalized service to ensure claims are fully compliant and filed on time for rightful reimbursement. Also available is SiteServ, a mandate program that directly assists local school sites
Information
CSBA provides you the latest information on critical public education issues, including daily news story updates from CSBA and around the state and nation on our Web site, through our weekly e-blasts and as-needed dedicated budget blasts, in California School News (our monthly newsletter) and in California Schools (our quarterly magazine).
We will actively continue to provide useful tools and hands-on information to help you communicate with the public, parents and the media.
Member services and support
Make the most of your membership! Let us know how we can help you. Contact CSBA toll-free at (800) 266-3382 and our knowledgeable staff will assist you. You may also e-mail us at csba@csba.org. Thank you for your commitment to CSBA. Your ongoing support makes it possible for us to continue providing the widest range of support and services available for school districts and county offices of education that serve California’s more than six million schoolchildren.