California County Boards of Education is a statewide organization representing and serving the unique needs of California's 58 county boards of education. As the voice for county boards of education at the state and federal level, CCBE impacts policies and legislation affecting all public schools.
Our Vision
California County Boards of Education (CCBE) is a dynamic network of members maximizing educational opportunities for all. CCBE is essential to our state's K-12 education leadership, providing a voice for County Boards at the state and federal levels.
Our Mission
Through advocacy, training, mentoring, marketing, and communication, CCBE serves and represents County Boards in the education community, strengthening and promoting local governance and enabling County Boards to help every student succeed.
In pursuit of its Mission, CCBE:
- Inspires its members to be knowledgeable leaders, extraordinary governance practitioners, and passionate champions for all students
- Provides high-quality products and services
- Initiates and impacts policies and legislation affecting County Boards and County Offices of Education (COEs)
- Partners with the California School Boards Association (CSBA), the California County Superintendents, and other education organizations to raise public awareness regarding key education issues
- Defines and drives the public education policy agenda as it affects County Boards and COEs
- Promotes collaboration among County Boards and Superintendents to ensure that COEs are operated efficiently and effectively
Our Core Beliefs and Values
CCBE's policy positions are based on the following set of core beliefs and values.
STUDENTS
- All students can learn and succeed when they have access to a high-quality education program that challenges them to succeed
- All students must be provided with a safe physical environment that enhances learning
- The needs of the whole student must be addressed
- Students in COE-operated court and community schools and special education programs confront unusual obstacles to learning and deserve specialized assistance and support
SCHOOLS
- Schools must be held accountable for their performance and effectively serve every student irrespective of their social, ethnic, language, or economic background, gender, or special needs
- Achievement gaps must be closed
- School staff must be adequately prepared, supported, and held accountably
- Schools must provide a safe, supportive and positive environment
- Every School (and every school district) deserves the support and assistance of an effective COE to ensure that the students are well served
STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
- COEs must have adequate, predictable, and fair funding and must be permitted to retain and expend for educational purposes all revenues collected from local taxpayers for those purposes
- State and federal accountability measures must be fair and meaningful
While addressing all these critical issues, policy discussions and educational improvement must stay focused on meeting the needs of students. The ultimate goal must be to prepare all students for college and career, consistent with state-adopted standards, and for the challenges they will face in the 21st century. Moreover, the essential roles of COEs in attaining that goal must be recognized, including the COEs' ability to efficiently deliver cost-effective programs and services in such areas as professional development and in-service training for teachers and administrators, teacher preparation and induction, technology, and centralized purchasing.
CCBE is a section of the California School Boards Association (CSBA) and works collaboratively with the California County Superintendent. CCBE members are also CSBA members, and CCBE's president sits on the CSBA Board of Directors. CCBE is governed by an executive committee and a board of directors that includes the executive committee, county board members who serve on CSBA's Delegate Assembly and Board of Directors, and committee and task force chairs. Learn more about CCBE leadership and committees.
County boards of education are an essential component of the intermediate education structure. Learn more about county boards of education and their function.
Our History
In 1958, the California County Boards of Education was recognized by CSBA as a "section" of CSBA following a major statutory and constitutional revision of county offices of education. To recognize county board members' new status and role, CCBE became the entity that provided statewide representation for county board members within the CSBA governance structure. CCBE is an independent organization that adopts rules and regulations for its own government within the framework of CSBA. View the list of CCBE past presidents since 1959.