Response to training events is up

CSBA’s Continuing Education Department recently wrapped up its busy winter training season, which gave local school district and county office of education board members and administrators around the state an increasing number of opportunities to hone their governance expertise.

Buoyed by record-setting attendance at CSBA’s Annual Education Conference and Trade Show in San Francisco last December, Continuing Education rang in the new year by taking the 2007 Forecast conference online in January as the renamed Forecast Webcast, transmitting live audio, video and graphics to nine county offices of education. Since then, the department has wrapped up several series of presentations:

The Institute for New and First-term Board Members was presented at seven locations this year, up from six in 2006. Participation in the two-day session nearly doubled, from 124 registrants last year to 232 in 2007.

The Brown Act: Everything You Need to Know was offered as a stand-alone training event scheduled in conjunction with the Institute for New and First-term Board Members. This resulted in seven Brown Act presentations altogether, up from just three in 2006. Driven by popular demand, the increased presentations paid off in greatly increased participation—from just 75 registrants the previous year to 208 in the most recent series.

The Board Presidents Workshop drew 172 registrants, up from just 84 previously. It was offered at three sites around the state, one more than last year.

The pace will pick up again in May, with Board Self-evaluation and Superintendent Evaluation training coming to San Diego and Costa Mesa, along with Continuing Education’s popular new offerings for executive assistants. Additional presentations on a variety of topics are scheduled throughout the year.