Back-to-School Webcast will be offered Sept. 24 

With schools struggling to stretch scarce dollars as they prepare California’s children for college or careers, CSBA’s 2009 Back-to-School Webcast will be more valuable than ever.

The complimentary Back-to-School Webcast will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Sept. 24. It can be viewed from the convenience of registrants’ computer desktops; participants are also encouraged to organize group viewing opportunities at county offices of education or other sites where they can discuss how the insights they glean will affect school governance in their community and beyond.

With three different—and successively worse—state spending plans enacted in the past 12 months, California’s budget is a surefire Back-to-School topic, according to CSBA Assistant Executive Director for Governmental Relations Rick Pratt, who will present the Webcast along with CSBA Executive Director Scott P. Plotkin and other senior staffers. The Webcast will also offer up-to-the-minute insights and analysis on the conditions imposed on federal education funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and whether California can even compete for $4.35 billion in ARRA “Race to the Top” grants, calls for reform of local governments’ relationship to the state and more.

“The exact issues we’ll cover can’t be determined at this time,” Pratt said, because developments continue at the state and federal levels. “The most definitive thing I can say right now is that the content will be fresh, hot ‘news you can use.’ ”

There’s no need to take CSBA’s word for the value of the Back-to-School Webcast. These comments from viewers of the 2008 Webcast are good indications of what 2009 viewers can expect:

• “All speakers [were] well-versed in their subject matter and hit the highlights without going into lengthy detail. Getting such good information without having to travel and spend money is an efficient use of everyone's time.”
• “I was able to work from my desk and follow the conference at the same time. The information was very helpful and current.”
• “It’s free!”

Related link:

A link to the complimentary online registration form, along with more information on the 2009 Back-to-School Webcast and other resources, is available @ www.csba.org/TrainingAndEvents/Events/BackToSchool.aspx