2023 CALL FOR PROPOSALS IS NOW CLOSED!
Applicants will be notified whether their proposal has been accepted for inclusion in the conference program in mid-July. If you haven’t heard from us by then, please email us at aec@csba.org.
Workshops
- Workshops must be approved by the school district or county office of education being represented. Should CSBA hear from a school district or county office of education that a submission was not approved, the proposal will not be accepted for consideration.
- Proposals must include at least one board member, superintendent, or other staff of a current (2022-23 and 2023-24) CSBA member school district or county office of education on the panel; no exceptions will be made. Local educational agencies (LEA) who are not members of CSBA are not eligible to participate.
- CSBA does not accept workshop proposals for sessions intended to sell a product or service.
- Workshops will be scheduled in 65-minute time blocks and may be scheduled at any time during conference dates at the discretion of CSBA.
- Workshops are limited to five (5) panel members, including the moderator; no exceptions will be made. Multi-district panels are encouraged.
- Panelists should represent the diversity of our state, districts and counties of varying sizes, and varied points of view.
- The submitter, moderator and presenters will be notified in mid-July whether a proposal has been selected for inclusion in the conference program.
- Panels must be finalized by August 31, 2023. Presenters will receive a complimentary, non-transferable, one-day pass for the day of their presentation. If they wish to attend the entire conference, they must register at the full conference rate. Registration opens on Tuesday, June 6.
- Accepted session presenter(s) are responsible for their own travel and related conference expenses and for following all conference guidelines and deadlines.
Table Talks
- Table talk proposals must be approved by the school districts or county offices of education being represented. Should CSBA hear from a school district or county office of education that a submission was not approved, the proposal will not be accepted for consideration.
- Proposals must include at least one board member, superintendent, or other staff from a current (2022-23 and 2023-24) CSBA member school district or county office of education on the panel; no exceptions will be made. Local educational agencies (LEA), who are not members of CSBA, are not eligible to participate.
- Only one presenter per table talk allowed. If others wish to participate, they must pay the conference registration rate. CSBA will only publish one presenter per table talk.
- CSBA does not accept table talk proposals for sessions intended to sell a product or service.
- Table talks will be hosted on the trade show floor, or any area that CSBA deems appropriate at the host cities convention center. Table talks may be scheduled at any time during the trade show floor hours on Thursday or Friday (the trade show floor is closed on Saturday) at the discretion of CSBA.
- Table talks are up to 45-minutes in length and begins with the presenter making a 10–15-minute informational presentation regarding an educational program or practice to a small group of people. The subject is then opened for discussion.
- Table talks are designed as open forum discussions among a small group of participants and are not to be utilized as sole captive audience or sales presentation.
- The table talk presenter serves as a facilitator and keep the discussion on track relative to the topic. The presenter also monitors the time allowing for input from all participants.
- Due to facility limitations, the use of audio-visual equipment is not permitted.
- Presenters will be notified in mid-July whether a proposal has been selected for inclusion in the conference program.
- Presenters must be finalized by August 31, 2023. Presenters will receive a complimentary, non-transferable, one-day pass for the day of their presentation. If they wish to attend the entire conference, they must register at the full conference rate. Registration opens on Tuesday, June 6.
- An accepted table talk presenter is responsible for their own travel and related conference expenses and for following all conference guidelines and deadlines.
The conference planning committee is seeking proposals reflective of the current environment in which California’s schools operate. Proposals should provide relevant resources to advance the best interests of students and public education.
Workshops and table talk sessions help board members, superintendents, and other district and county office personnel learn about successful programs and how they can be replicated in other parts of California.
The following criteria will be equally weighed by the conference planning committee members as they read and evaluate each proposal:
- Is the perspective of board members, the school governance team, and its policy role clearly present?
- Does the proposal reflect the interests of new, mid-career, or veteran education leaders from urban, suburban, small, or rural districts, or county offices of education?
- Is the proposal aligned with the conference strands?
- Does the proposal address the budget implications, cost savings, or value added?
- Is the proposed topic timely, relevant, and unique?
- The proposal is clearly informed by current literature.
- The concepts in the proposal are clear and the proposal is understandable and well-organized.
- The proposal includes a practical component that participants can readily apply in practice, governance, or service.
Workshop Sessions
- Workshops will be scheduled in 65-minute time blocks and may be scheduled at any time during conference dates at the discretion of CSBA.
- Workshops are limited to 5 panel members, including the moderator; no exceptions will be made. Multi-district panels are encouraged.
Table Talk Sessions
- Only one presenter per table talk allowed. If others wish to participate, they must pay the conference registration rate. CSBA will only publish one presenter per table talk.
- Table talks are up to 45-minutes in length and begins with the presenter making a 10–15-minute informational presentation regarding an educational program or practice to a small group of people. The subject is then opened for discussion.
- The table talk presenter serves as a facilitator and keep the discussion on track relative to the topic. The presenter also monitors the time allowing for input from all participants.
- Table talks are designed as open forum discussions among a small group of participants and are not to be utilized as sole, captive audience or sales presentations.
- Due to facility limitations, the use of audio-visual equipment is not permitted for table talks.
2023 Conference Strands
The Equitable Access to All strand explores the relationships between funding for schools, student achievement and preparation of students for college and career. This strand exemplifies how decision making through an equity lens can effectively respond to the diverse needs of students so that all students have access to a broad, rigorous and equitable course of study.
Topics could include: Core classes (English language arts, mathematics, science); innovative and successful programs that close achievement and opportunity gaps for all students, including educational and wellness challenges; equity issues in rural and/or small school district communities; implicit bias; and understanding the shifting needs of California students. Examples: college and career readiness; use of data to measure progress; special education funding challenges; broadband access in the community; Local Control Funding Formula; Multi-Tiered System of Supports; Extended learning opportunities; before and afterschool programs; positive behavior interventions and school discipline practices; access to universal pre-K; course access, including dual/concurrent enrollment and ethnic studies; Dual language programs; and state Seal of Biliteracy.
The Governance Strategy and Practice strand aims to equip school district and county board of education members with the leadership skills, qualities, strategies and techniques to become a high-functioning team and advocate for all students.
Topics could include: board member role in developing a positive school culture; shared governance; leadership and decision making in crisis; board self-evaluation; superintendent contracts, hiring and evaluations; conflict resolution; use of data in making decisions; policy and protocols to support good governance; goal setting and budget alignment; redistricting; leadership role of the board president; engaging the voice of student board members; how to be an advocate; understanding and following parliamentary procedure; Form 700 and conflict of interest; ethics and transparency; California Public Records Act; the Brown Act; orienting new trustees; charter school oversight; candidate orientation; trustee role in negotiations; accountability; advocating and understanding the complexities of K-12 funding and budgeting; pension planning; health care and labor negotiations; collective bargaining; declining enrollment and attendance issues; school closures; facilities, bonds and tax campaigns; small school district issues; transportation; facilities; grants; affordable teacher housing; special education funding.
The Mental Health, Wellness and Student Safety strand encompasses the conditions of learning that address how student wellness, school culture and campus security contribute to educating the whole student and creating a nurturing, safe and respectful environment.
Topics could include: addressing student needs; suicide prevention; anti-bullying/harassment programs; human trafficking awareness; fentanyl, drug/alcohol prevention and response; mental health and the impact on students, families, teachers and staff; supporting LGBTQ students; mental health services and community partnerships; access to mental health services; social and mental health resources for teachers and school board members, including stress and decision fatigue; board member role in promoting healthy school climate; programs that address student mental, nutritional and physical health; social-emotional curriculum including mindfulness as a discipline; wraparound services including before school, after school and summer programming; community schools; localized mental health services in underserved communities; trauma-informed services including adverse childhood experiences; school-based health clinics; issues related to legalization of marijuana; vaping; open dialogue with law enforcement and government agencies; role of school counselors; and wellness interventions.
The Student and Community Engagement strand addresses board members’ leadership role in enabling authentic engagement and strengthening collaborative relationships with students, stakeholders, community partners and decision-makers to generate support for public schools and student achievement.
Topics could include: engaging student voice; Local Control and Accountability Plan and authentic parent and stakeholder participation; community schools; connecting with faith-based communities to reach families; marketing and promoting schools; personal and collective accountability; building positive school culture; student-centered schools; strategic planning; cultural literacy; programs and strategies for welcoming and engaging families, including parent resource centers or multilingual parent/family liaisons; local and grassroots advocacy; community organizing; legislative advocacy; forming political partnerships; business, nonprofit, philanthropic and corporate partnerships including health and wellness providers and partnerships between county offices of education and school districts to support student success; programs and partnerships addressing climate resiliency or climate action plans and/or sustainability.
This strand addresses the importance of ensuring that all students have access to the digital technology, programs and resources needed to prepare them for the future and explores the challenges of cyberattacks, plagiarism, loss of privacy, social media bullying and the law. Workshops will provide board members an opportunity to learn about the latest information on security risks, research and trends for the K-12 education system.
Topics could include: professional development; one-to-one devices; funding; access to technology; student data and privacy; technology challenges and solutions; disabilities and devices; plagiarism; artificial intelligence (AI); cybersecurity; social media and digital communications; social media use by students, teachers and schools; privacy issues and use of cameras; student voice; extended learning; and accelerated learning.
Presenter Types
Through the proposal submission process, you will be asked to designate different roles for those involved with each proposal. Descriptions for each role are listed below. We recommend that you take time to become familiar with the descriptions.
This person will not be considered part of the panel unless also designated as a moderator or presenter. Only one submitter per proposal will be allowed.
The moderator oversees the session development, communicates with CSBA staff, coordinates pre-conference preparations, and acts as facilitator during the actual session on-site. The moderator will be the main point of contact for all conference related correspondence between presenters and CSBA staff up to and through the Annual Education Conference and Trade Show. Only one moderator per proposal will be allowed. The moderator may also be the submitter.
Please note that the designation of moderator and presenter are used internally to indicate points of contact. If your proposal is accepted, please note that CSBA sets each session with seating for up to 5 total presenters, including the moderator. The moderator will be published in all conference materials along with the other presenters. The names of the moderator and presenters are listed in the AEC app, without reference to role. If there is only one presenter on the panel, they will be listed as the moderator.
A workshop presenter is a panelist. If a proposal is accepted, CSBA sets each session for up to 5 total presenters, including the moderator. Presenters are encouraged to funnel all communication with CSBA through their session’s moderator.
Only one presenter per table talk allowed. The table talk presenter serves as a facilitator and keeps the discussion on track relative to the topic. The presenter also monitors the time, allowing for input from all participants.
In order to ensure the highest-quality workshops are selected for the conference and to manage the total number of submissions for review, Business Partner and Affiliate companies are limited to one (1) workshop proposal submission per conference strand, for a maximum of five (5) total workshop proposal submissions. Please prioritize the topics you are most qualified to speak about and associate those with one of this year’s conference strands. All workshop proposals from Business Partner and Affiliate companies will be reviewed and ranked along with all other submissions based on their merit, and only selected proposals will be invited to participate at AEC.