In California, about 1,000 elected school boards, in concert with superintendents and other administrators, make decisions that shape the local schools, the programs for students, and the working environment for teachers and other employees.

They approve a budget and choose the programs that are uniquely fitted to the school district. But they do this within a system that is created and firmly overseen by the state Legislature and governor, from the details of the Education Code to how much local property tax money will go to local schools.

At the State Level

Funding for public education in California is almost entirely controlled by the state government. In addition:

• The governor and Legislature can make laws that influence every facet of school operations. 

• California’s Secretary of Education is appointed by the governor to advise the governor on education matters.

• The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) is elected by the voters and administers the day-to-day operations of the California Department of Education under the policies of the State Board of Education. The SPI also advocates for the public K–12 school system and drafts regulations to implement new laws. The State Board must approve these regulations.

• The State Board of Education (SBE) is appointed by the governor with the approval of the state Senate. It is the governing body for the California Department of Education. The SBE is responsible for approving curriculum frameworks, textbooks, statewide assessments, and standards for student performance. It acts as a court of appeals for local decisions (e.g., school district reorganization).

• The California Department of Education (CDE) administers and enforces state education laws; advises school districts on legal, financial, and program matters; and collects, analyzes, and disseminates financial, demographic, performance, and other data about public education, including data necessary to satisfy the requirements of NCLB.

At the Local Level

Every school district has a publicly elected board, which is responsible for governing and managing local schools within the limits of state and federal law. Together with school district administration, the School Board is responsible for many fiscal, personnel, and instructional policies, such as adopting the budget, hiring or firing the superintendent, and negotiating with employee unions.

As head of a school, the principal often works as both a manager and a leader. The principal is responsible for helping teachers improve student academic achievement, developing a positive school culture, and managing personnel and operations effectively. The role of the School Site Council and other parent groups varies based on district practice and programs at the school. Site councils in schools with selected state and federal categorical programs develop the Single Plan for Student Achievement for their schools. The plan addresses how the categorical funds will be used to improve academic performance.

Charter Schools
A charter school is a public school governed by a contract (“charter”) between the school’s operators and a chartering authority. Charter schools typically are more independent of their chartering authorities than “regular” public schools are of their districts and are free from many state regulations.
More about charter school history and policy >

At the County Level

All 58 county offices of education (COEs) in California are operated by a superintendent and board, but the methods for selecting the members of the governance team vary. In general, county offices provide business, administrative, and curriculum services to school districts; financial oversight of districts and charter schools; and support for and oversight of low-performing schools.

COEs also provide educational programs for certain students, such as classes for homeless students and pregnant minors. By law, some statewide programs, such as Juvenile Hall, are offered only by county offices. In other cases, both county offices and school districts provide similar services, such as Career Tech education and Special Education for students with disabilities.

COE services are affected by the type of districts within the county, the location and size of the county, and the special needs of students that are not met by districts within the county. Generally, county offices provide more services to smaller districts.

At the Federal Level

The federal government influences the governance of public schools primarily through requirements that the state must meet in order to receive funding for special purposes. The most notable of these are Special Education and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). (Some federal laws—such as accessibility requirements for disabled students and anti-discrimination statutes—also affect schools.)