School Management

Related California Organizations
Related National Organizations

The people and groups who set education policies, establish regulations, and manage school operations are many in number and diverse in perspective. Yet all of them serve—and are ultimately accountable to—the parents and other taxpayers that make it possible for public education to exist.

The federal government’s role is growing
The federal government exercises limited control over K–12 education through funding for categorical programs, some of which are required by federal law or court decisions.

But after Congress passed the “No Child Left Behind” legislation (which was signed into law in January 2002), federal influence over state policy and local school operations increased. For more information, go to our section on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

State government has a great deal of power in California
The state government in California largely has control over education funding, giving it more power over education than is true in most other states. The governor prepares and submits the annual budget, which must then be approved by the Legislature. Laws that influence every facet of school operations are written by our state Assembly and Senate, although the governor may propose new laws and ask legislators to "carry" bills through the Legislature. The governor approves or vetoes bills submitted by the Legislature. In addition, the State Board of Education (SBE) and Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) influence policy.

The SBE, appointed by the governor with the approval of the state Senate, is the governing body for the California Department of Education (CDE). The SBE is responsible for approving curriculum frameworks, textbooks, statewide assessments, and standards for student performance. It acts as a court of appeals for various local decisions and approves regulations drafted by the SPI to implement new laws.

Voters elect the SPI, who administers the day-to-day operation of the CDE under the policies of the SBE. The CDE’s work includes administering and enforcing state education laws; advising school districts on legal, financial, and program matters; and collecting, analyzing, and disseminating financial, demographic, and other data about public education.

The Office of the Secretary of Education is responsible for advising and making policy recommendations to the governor on education issues.

Elected school boards are the primary local governance organizations
California law mandates that every district have a publicly elected governing board, which is responsible for governing and managing local schools within the limits of state and federal law. Together with the school district administration, the school board is responsible for many fiscal, personnel, instructional, and student-related policies, such as adopting the budget and negotiating with employee unions. The board hires and fires the superintendent.

Superintendents and principals are crucial to school reform efforts
Superintendents serve as the chief executive officers for their school districts. As the only employee directly hired by the elected school board, superintendents provide a crucial link between the community and the district’s schools. As managers, superintendents oversee their district’s implementation of policies and laws, and ensure the proper use of resources and state and federal funds. They also prepare budgets and handle union contract negotiations. As leaders, superintendents help drive instructional and curricular improvement in their districts, in response to the requirements of the state and the needs of the larger community.

Principals are both school leaders and middle managers. They also function as the school’s face to the community. As managers, principals evaluate teachers and other staff, and oversee the safety and maintenance of school facilities. They also ensure that school staff implement district policies and advocate for their schools within the district infrastructure. Principals are also instructional leaders when they set high academic standards for improving student achievement, and provide teachers with resources and support to use assessment data to inform and improve instruction.

County offices of education differ in the roles they play
All county offices of education (COEs) are operated by a superintendent and board, but the method for selecting the members of the governance team varies by county. COEs also differ in the role they play and the services they offer based partly on local practice and partly on the size of the county and its school districts. They generally play a bigger role in smaller districts. COE services can include implementing some mandated statewide programs such as court schools for juvenile offenders, providing some Special Education programs, and reviewing school district budgets. COEs also provide oversight to ensure that facilities, teachers, and instructional materials in low-performing schools meet state-determined standards.

Employee unions represent teachers and staff in most districts
The California Government Code gives teachers and most other school employees the right to be represented by a union and to engage in collective bargaining on matters related to working conditions and compensation. In all but a few school districts, teachers and most other nonmanagement employees belong to a union and engage in collective bargaining with the school district. In a few school districts, administrators also join unions. With more than 80% of school district expenditures for employee compensation, the collective bargaining process can play a big role going through negotiations related to salaries, benefits, and working conditions such as the school calendar and teacher assignments.

Related California Organizations

California Teachers Association (CTA)
www.cta.org
CTA is an advocacy organization for California teachers and is affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA).

1750 Murchison Dr.
P.O. Box 921
Burlingame, CA 94010
650/697-1400
Fax: 650/552-5002

California Department of Education (CDE)
www.cde.ca.gov
The CDE collects and distributes data and information on California public schools, acts as an advisor to school districts and county offices of education, and monitors state and federal education programs. The State Superintendent for Public Instruction, a non-partisan elected position currently held by Jack O'Connell, is the Chief Executive Officer of the CDE.

1430 N Street
PO Box 944272
Sacramento, CA 95814
916/319-0791

California Federation of Teachers (CFT)
www.cft.org
CFT is an advocacy organization for California education workers and is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. Members work at every level of public (and private) education in the state, pre-K–University.

One Kaiser Plaza, Suite 1440
Oakland, CA 94612
510/832-8812
Fax: 510/832-5044

California School Employees Association (CSEA)
www.csea.com
CSEA is an advocacy organization for classified, non-teacher, school employees in California.

2045 Lundy Ave.
San Jose, CA 95131
800/632-2128
408/473-1000

California School Boards Association (CSBA)
www.csba.org
The California School Boards Association (CSBA) is an advocacy organization representing school board members from nearly 1,000 school districts and county offices of education statewide.

3100 Beacon Blvd.
West Sacramento, CA 95691
916/371-4691
800/266-3382
Fax: 916/371-3407

Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)
www.acsa.org
ACSA is an advocacy organization for school administrators in California.

1029 J Street, Suite 500
Sacramento, CA 95814
916/444-3216
800/890-0325
Fax: 916/444-3739

California Department of Finance (DOF)
www.dof.ca.gov
www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/DEMOGRAP/druhpar.htm
The Department of Finance serves as the governor's chief financial advisor and publishes California's state budget. The DOF's Demographics Research Unit is also the single official source of demographic data for State planning and budgeting.

915 L Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
916/445-3878

California State Board of Education (SBE)
www.cde.ca.gov/be
The State Board of Education (SBE) is the governing body that oversees the implementation of laws passed by the Legislature affecting public schools in California. Members are appointed by the Governor, and approved by the Senate, for four-year terms.

1430 N Street, Suite #5111
Sacramento, CA 95814
916/319-0827
Fax: 916/319-0175

Small School Districts' Association (SSDA)
www.ssda.org
SSDA is an advocacy and support organization for small school districts in California.

1130 K Street, Suite 260
Sacramento, CA 95814
916/444-9335
Fax: 916/441-4851

California Office of the Secretary of Education (OSE)
www.ose.ca.gov
The Governor's appointed Secretary of Education, currently David Long, advises and makes policy recommendations to the Governor on education issues.

Office of the Secretary of Education
1121 L Street, Suite 600
Sacramento, CA 95814
916/323-0611
Fax: 916/323-3753

Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO)
www.lao.ca.gov
The Office of the Legislative Analyst (LAO) is a nonpartisan office within the state government that gives fiscal and policy advice to the California Legislature. The LAO provides analyses of proposed and adopted state budgets and also offers the public information about state initiatives and ballot propositions. The LAO also provides Cal Facts online, which consists of charts and tables which address questions frequently asked of their office on such topics as public and education finance, and program trends in the state.

925 L St., Suite 1000
Sacramento, CA 95814
916/445-4656
Fax: 916/324-4281

Related National Organizations

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
www.aft.org
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is a national labor union affiliated with the AFL-CIO. Its membership includes teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel, higher education faculty and staff, public employees, nurses, and other health care professionals.

555 New Jersey Ave., N.W.
Washington, , DC 20001
202/879-4400
E-mail: online@aft.org

American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
www.aasa.org
AASA is a professional organization for educational leaders throughout the nation.

801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22203-1730
703/528-0700
Fax: 703/841-1543
E-mail: info@aasa.org

Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
www.ccsso.org
CCSSO is a nationwide nonprofit organization composed of the heads of the departments of education within the states and extra jurisdictions. CCSSO provides publications and services on preschool–12th grade education issues.

One Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20001
202/336-7000
Fax: 202/408-8072

Education Commission of the States (ECS)
www.ecs.org
ECS is a national, bipartisan, nonprofit organization of state officials that helps governors, legislators, state education officials, and others develop and carry out policies that promote improved student learning at all levels.

700 Broadway, #1200
Denver, CO 80203
303/299-3600
Fax: 303/296-8332
E-mail: ecs@ecs.org

National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)
www.naesp.org
NAESP is a national professional association of preschool–8th grade principals that provides support, technical assistance, and research to school leaders throughout the nation.

1615 Duke St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
800/386-2377
703/684-3345
E-mail: naesp@naesp.org

National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)
www.nassp.org
NASSP is a national professional association that serves education leaders, including administrators, teachers, students, and community members in middle-level schools and high schools.

1904 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1537
703/860-0200
Fax: 703/476-5432

National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
www.ncsl.org
www.ncsl.org/programs/educ/edu.htm
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is a bipartisan organization serving lawmakers and legislative staffers in the 50 states. Among other services, NCSL provides information and referrals, assists lawmakers in writing legislation, conducts training programs and seminars, and lobbies in Washington, DC, on behalf of the states.

The NCSL website has an extensive body of information and analysis of public policy, including coverage of the range of education issues.

444 N. Capitol Street, NW, Suite 515
Washington, DC 20001
202/624-5400
Fax: 202/737-1069

National Education Association (NEA)
www.nea.org
NEA is the oldest and largest teachers union in the nation, with nearly 3 million members working at all levels of education, pre-K–University. NEA and its affiliates lobby legislators for resources for schools, campaign for professional standards for the teaching profession, and promote academic freedom and the rights of school employees.

1201 16th St., NW
Washington, DC 20036
202/833-4000
Fax: 202/822-7974

National Governors Association (NGA)
www.nga.org
The National Governors Association is a bipartisan national organization of, by, and for the nation's governors. NGA serves governors and their senior staff members by representing states on Capitol Hill and before the administration on key federal issues, developing policy reports on innovative programs, and offering technical assistance. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations and best practices in education, welfare, health, the environment, technology, and other areas of public interest.

Hall of States
444 N. Capitol St., Suite 267
Washington, DC 20001
202/624-5300

National Institute for School Leadership (NISL)
www.ncee.org/nisl/index.jsp?setProtocol=true
A program of the National Center on Education and the Economy, NISL prepares principals to provide effective leadership in schools focused on standards-based reforms.

555 13th Street, NW
Suite 500 West
Washington, DC 20004
202/783-3668
Fax: 202/783-3672
E-mail: nislinfo@ncee.org

National School Boards Association (NSBA)
www.nsba.org
www.nsba.org/keywork
NSBA's mission, working with and through all of its State Members, is to foster excellence and equity in public education through school board leadership. The Key Work of School Boards is a feature of the NSBA web site that provides school board members with tools and information for improving their leadership in raising student achievement.

1680 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703/838-6722
Fax: 703/683-7590
E-mail: info@nsba.org