Small school districts face unique challenges such as limited resources with small teams and large expectations. They also hold a powerful advantage: deep community connection and the ability to make a big impact. The California School Boards Association recognizes these realities and has curated resources supporting small district leaders and helping them navigate specific issues.
Research Materials for Small School Districts
AI Resources
Resources related to Instructional Materials
- Summary: Defining High-Quality Instructional Materials for Mathematics to Meet the Needs of English Learners
- Guiding Questions: The California Mathematics Framework: Technology Integration in Math Curriculum Adoption
- Brief: High-Quality Professional Development to Support Instructional Materials Adoption Aligned with the New Math Framework
- Brief: Instructional Materials Adoptions: State and local governing board processes, roles, and responsibilities
- Brief: Instructional Materials Adoptions: Local governing board responsibilities
- Fact sheet: State Roles, Responsibilities, and Process for Instructional Materials Adoption
- Brief: The California Mathematics Framework: Curriculum Adoption, Technology Integration and Instructional Decision-making
- Archived webinar: Laying the Foundation for a Successful Instructional Materials Adoption: School Board Strategies | Presentation Slides | May 30, 2024
- Archived webinar: Before the Adoption: Creating the conditions for a high-quality mathematics program | Presentation Slides | Oct. 16, 2024
- Archived Annual Education Conference (AEC) session recording: Navigating the Instructional Materials Adoptions Process for Math and More | Dec. 5, 2024
- Archived webinar: High-Quality Professional Development for Mathematics Instruction | Presentation Slides | Jan. 22, 2025
- Archived Annual Education Conference (AEC) session recording: Support for Building High Quality Mathematics Programs | Dec 3, 2025
Workforce Housing Resources
Policy Guidance
Advocacy Resources
Resources developed from the Small School District Advisory Workgroup
Small School District Advisory Workgroup
CSBA’s Small School District Advisory Workgroup aims to address issues that impact local education agencies with fewer than 2,500 average daily attendance. Members of the Small School District Advisory Workgroup work with the CSBA Research and Educational Policy Development (REPD) staff and other departments to identify policy, fiscal and operational challenges unique to small school districts on various topics.
The Small School District Advisory Workgroup provides input on how CSBA can support small school districts with relevant information including research, governance resources, and advocacy. Advisory Workgroup members contribute through participation in meetings, brief surveys, and other CSBA-hosted events designed to advance issues of concern to small school districts.
Products and Services
Legal Services
The California School Boards Association Legal Services program offers affordable, subscription-based legal support tailored for school districts. Members get access to experienced attorneys for everyday education law needs such as contracts, HR issues, the Brown Act, and Public Records Act requests. This includes an extensive online Resource Library with negotiation tools. Designed with small districts in mind, the program helps save time and money, with low annual costs and included attorney hours to get started.
Annual subscriptions are only 10% of your CSBA dues. For most small districts under 2,500 ADA, that works out to be around just $1,000 per year, with many districts paying less than $500. In addition, all new subscribers receive $600 of attorney time free of charge in the first year. Learn more at legalservices.csba.org.
Policy Services
GAMUT is the definitive resource for California school governance, bringing together the most comprehensive collection of sample board policies, administrative regulations, bylaws, and legal references in one place. No more digging, guessing, or falling behind while balancing bigger priorities. Gain instant, 24/7 access to a complete Sample Policy Manual and real-time email alerts when policies change so updates never go unnoticed. When the work is complex and the stakes are high, this is the resource that keeps governance sharp, current, and confidently managed with competitive pricing for districts with ADA under 2,500. Learn more about GAMUT and it's speciality modules at www.csba.org/GAMUT.