County boards of education are the governing body for California’s 58 county offices of education (COEs), which provide services directly to their counties’ most vulnerable student populations through county office-run juvenile court schools and county community schools. County boards govern these schools while the day-to-day operations are handled by the county superintendent. Other county board duties include charter school petition approvals, denials and oversight, interdistrict transfer and expulsion appeal hearings, purchase and leasing of real property, and approval of the COE budget, annual audit and Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).

County boards of education are critical to student success, particularly the success of high-need students who are served by county office schools. CSBA recognizes the special role county boards play in education at the local level and is committed to providing the information, resources and advocacy you need to perform your governance duties at the highest level.

CSBA will continue to expand the number of offerings designed for county board members because we recognize that the county board experience is unique and requires custom support and services.

Upcoming events/trainings 

Coast2Coast – Washington, D.C., April 8-10, 2024

Join the California School Boards Association (CSBA) and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) for the third annual Coast2Coast Federal Advocacy Trip to Washington, D.C., where attendees will shine a light on the issues affecting the state's nearly 6 million K-12 students. California governance team members — district and county board members and superintendents — are urged to attend this three-day annual event held in our nation's Capital. Register here.

CSBA County Board Member Services Conference – Monterey, Sept. 13-15, 2024

Save the date: The upcoming CSBA County Board Member Services Conference will be Sept. 13-15, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel And Spa. More details coming soon!

Sample county board policies

CSBA offers a series of sample board policies for use by county offices of education and through GAMUT Policy. The samples reflect recent legislation, court decisions and educational trends, and are easy to customize to specific local needs.

GAMUT Policy provides easy access to CSBA sample policies, regulations and bylaws, pertinent laws and other resources. Updated continuously throughout the year, GAMUT includes sample board bylaws and policy samples for county offices of education, the entire Education Code, Title 5, other relevant state and federal code sections, California Department of Education advisories, and a “keyword” index. Learn more.

For more information regarding pricing, subscriptions, or to request a free demo, please call (800) 266-3382 or email gamut@csba.org.

CSBA spotlight on county offices

• President's message: 58 COEs, 940 school districts, one united association
• SDCOE’s suicide intervention toolkit helps schools support students and get them back on track
• Tailoring student leadership opportunities
• Shasta COE’s journey to inclusive Native American education
• California schools will take additional steps to protect students from fentanyl under new law
• Humboldt COE is expanding its global partnership program
• Sacramento COE leaders detail plans to expand mental health access in every school
• Report details how one county’s juvenile justice program effectively engages students
• That’s a wrap! Inclusion film camp in Solano County
• Butte County Office of Education makes inroads on diverse teacher pipelines
• Legislative update: Gov. Newsom signs five CSBA-sponsored bills
• The importance of mental health and wellness
• County offices of education are succeeding in expanding access to environmental learning
• Humboldt COE launches new network, providing rural families with high-speed internet
• CSBA bills for COEs, small school districts and cybersecurity receive boost from Legislative Action Week
• Superior Court rules State Board of Education abused its authority in overturning local charter denials
• Bringing Justice Home: As state-run juvenile justice centers close, county offices are ready to support students with compassion and community resources