CSBA

In 2025–26, 11,982 books were banned in public schools, according to PEN America’s latest spotlight on national findings about the subject.

“This is the highest number of recorded bans in a single year since PEN America began tracking book bans in 2021,” according to the organization. Learn more: blog.csba.org/book-bans26/

A new feature-length documentary premiered Oct. 6 in Sacramento that takes viewers inside rural schools, sharing the stories of students, educators and families, and shining a spotlight on the challenges rural schools face and the resilience of their communities. Learn more: blog.csba.org/rural-schools-…

ICYMI: CSBA’s full analysis of the 2026 California School Dashboard updates and the results of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress is available at ow.ly/Y6uW51055sQ!

With 80 percent of high school students attending campuses with some form of a cellphone ban in place, a new brief covers national research conducted by Hopelab and @DataProgress in summer 2026 on teens’ perspectives. Details:
blog.csba.org/cellphone-stud…

On Nov. 2, CSBA President Dr. Debra Schade paid a visit to Oceanside USD to learn more about the supports the district is providing for military-connected students with special education needs and their families through specialized instruction, services, resources and community partnerships.

Oceanside USD has a unique role in serving military-connected students. The district operates three schools on Camp Pendleton Marine Base, while military families living off base attend Oceanside USD schools based on their residential attendance areas. The district’s role is particularly significant as a West Coast destination for Marine families seeking educational services for children with special needs.