California School Boards Association
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
BOARDS OF EDUCATION ARE ENTRUSTED BY THEIR COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE THAT A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION IS PROVIDED TO EACH STUDENT. CSBA PROMOTES SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS BY DEFINING AND DRIVING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION AGENDA AND STRENGTHENING SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE AT THE DISTRICT AND COUNTY LEVELS.
- Income
- $26.3 million
- Spending
- $22.8 million
- Employees
- 152
- Volunteers
- 32
- Highest pay
- $534,399, ceo/executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $5.3 million spent. POLICY AND GOVERNANCE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES PROVIDE SUPPORT TO SCHOOL BOARDS, COUNTY BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND ADMINISTRATORS BY ASSISTING THEM WITH DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT, AND MAINTENANCE OF LOCAL POLICIES AND BOARD MEETING AGENDAS AND MATERIALS USING CSBA'S GAMUT SOFTWARE APPLICATION PLATFORM, PRIMARILY THROUGH THREE MODULES AND RELATED SERVICES.THE GAMUT POLICY MODULE GIVES EASY ACCESS TO CSBA SAMPLE POLICIES, REGULATIONS AND BYLAWS, PERTINENT LAWS, AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT ARE UPDATED QUARTERLY. THE GAMUT POLICY PLUS MODULE PROVIDES AN ONLINE HOSTING PLATFORM FOR BOARD POLICIES WITH DIRECT UPDATING, EDITING, AND POSTING CAPABILITIES. THE GAMUT MEETINGS MODULE IS A PAPERLESS BOARD MEETING SERVICE WHICH ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR HARD COPIES OF AGENDAS AND RELATED BACKGROUND MATERIAL. THIS SERVICE SAVES THE DISTRICT STAFF TIME AND REDUCES COSTS. GAMUT MEETINGS IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO OTHER USERS, SUCH AS NONPROFITS AND COUNTIES. POLICY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS ARE DESIGNED TO BRING TOGETHER THE EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE OF A CSBA CONSULTANT WITH DISTRICT OR COUNTY OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS AND/OR BOARD MEMBERS TO PRODUCE AN UPDATED DISTRICT OR COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION POLICY MANUAL THAT COMPLIES WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW, AND MEETS LOCAL NEEDS. POLICY MANUAL REVIEWS PROVIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COUNTY OFFICES OF EDUCATION WITH A REPORT COMPARING THEIR ADOPTED POLICIES WITH THE CURRENT CSBA SAMPLE POLICIES. THE REPORT SUMMARIZES REVISIONS TO THE CSBA SAMPLE POLICIES THAT MAY HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATED IN THE DISTRICT'S POLICY MANUAL.
- $4.5 million spent. ASSOCIATION EDUCATION: CSBA PROVIDES TRAINING, SUPPORT, AND RESOURCES TO GOVERNING BOARDS, INCLUDING SUPERINTENDENTS, TO MAXIMIZE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN CARRYING OUT THEIR CRITICAL LEADERSHIP FUNCTIONS. THE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED TO CSBA MEMBERS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AREAS: TRAINING FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS; EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP; BOARD ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES; STUDENT BOARD MEMBER TRAINING; STATE AND NATIONAL TRENDS IN EDUCATION; LEGALLY REQUIRED ETHICS TRAINING; AND EDUCATION POLICY AND RESEARCH REGARDING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. THESE TRAININGS ARE DELIVERED THROUGH CONFERENCES, CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS, WORKSHOPS, AND INSTITUTES, AND TARGET THE BOARD MEMBER, SUPERINTENDENT, AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AUDIENCES. CSBA'S ANNUAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE DRAWS NEARLY 4,000 PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING ATTENDEES, PRESENTERS, THOUGHT LEADERS, BUSINESS PARTNERS, AND EXHIBITORS. GOVERNANCE CONSULTING SERVICES PROVIDES DIRECT SUPPORT TO GOVERNANCE TEAMS BY OFFERING CUSTOMIZED WORKSHOPS ON EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE, BOARD SELF-EVALUATION, AND SUPERINTENDENT EVALUATION. SINCE THE PANDEMIC LIMITED FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONS, TRAINING SERVICES HAVE EVOLVED TO INCLUDE VIRTUAL OPTIONS.
- $5.1 million spent. GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS: ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE AND U.S. CONGRESS AND OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES. THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES STAFF SUPPORT TO CSBA'S LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE TO TAKE ACTIVE POSITIONS ON PENDING LEGISLATION AND PROMOTE THE ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION FAVORABLE TO THE INTERESTS OF STUDENTS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COUNTY OFFICES OF EDUCATION. GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS ENGAGES IN NEGOTIATIONS ON THE STATE BUDGET TO MAXIMIZE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR K-12 PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PRIORITIZE THE USE OF THOSE RESOURCES.
- $5.1 million spent. THE EDUCATION LEGAL ALLIANCE (ELA) TAKES ON LEGAL ISSUES OF STATEWIDE IMPACT ON BEHALF OF ITS MEMBERS, SUPPORTS MEMBERS IN LEGAL CHALLENGES, AND TRACKS CASE LAW PERTINENT TO EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA. IT FILES AMICUS BRIEFS AND LAWSUITS THAT SUPPORT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COUNTY OFFICES OF EDUCATION ON MATTERS OF STATEWIDE IMPORTANCE AND PROVIDES FUNDING TO SCHOOL DISTRICT AND COUNTY OFFICES OF EDUCATION FOR LITIGATION ON MATTERS OF STATEWIDE IMPORTANCE. DISTRICTS AND COUNTY OFFICES OF EDUCATION, ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS, CONTRIBUTE ANNUALLY AN AMOUNT THAT IS BASED ON A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR CSBA DUES. AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF NOTED SCHOOL LAW ATTORNEYS REVIEWS CASES AND LEGAL ISSUES AND, ALONG WITH THE GENERAL COUNSEL, ADVISES A STEERING COMMITTEE ON THE POTENTIAL STATEWIDE IMPACT OF A CASE, AS WELL AS THE LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS IN THE COURTS. THE STEERING COMMITTEE, COMPRISED OF PROMINENT SCHOOL OR COUNTY BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENTS, AND EDUCATION AND POLITICAL EXPERTS, MAKES THE FINAL DECISION ABOUT FUNDING VARIOUS LEGAL PROJECTS AND CASES, UNLESS THE DECISION HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND IS THEREFORE SENT TO THE CSBA BOARD FOR APPROVAL.THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS THE REALIZATION OF CSBA'S VISION AND MISSION BY INCREASING UNDERSTANDING OF AND SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD ROLE IN STRENGTHENING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES. THE DEPARTMENT ENGAGES MEMBERS, THE PUBLIC, POLICYMAKERS, KEY INFLUENCERS, AND THE MEDIA THROUGH A RANGE OF COMMUNICATION CHANNELS. THESE CHANNELS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: DAILY AND WEEKLY DIGESTS OF EDUCATION NEWS STORIES; WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTERS; REGULAR BLOG POSTS; THE MONTHLY CALIFORNIA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER; THE QUARTERLY CALIFORNIA SCHOOL MAGAZINE; REGULAR UPDATES TO MULTIPLE WEBSITES INCLUDING CSBA.ORG AND AEC.CSBA.ORG; NEWS ADVISORIES AND PRESS RELEASES, MARKETING COLLATERAL, SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS, THE CSBA YEAR-IN-REVIEW, AND REGULAR COMMUNICATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SUCH AS FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND YOUTUBE. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO ARRANGES PRESS EVENTS, FIELDS MEDIA INQUIRIES AND OTHER PUBLIC QUESTIONS, AND PROVIDES EXECUTIVE SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF SPEECHWRITING AND MESSAGING. THROUGH ITS MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS, CSBA REACHES MORE THAN 5,000 SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEES AND THEIR SUPERINTENDENTS IN MORE THAN 1,000 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COUNTY OFFICES OF EDUCATION, AND REGIONAL OCCUPATIONAL CENTERS/PROGRAMS. EXTERNALLY, CSBA'S STATEMENTS AND POSITIONS REGULARLY APPEAR IN MAINSTREAM NEWS PUBLICATIONS ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND FREQUENTLY IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION POLICY DEVELOPMENT: PROVIDES ANALYSIS OF MAJOR EDUCATION ISSUES AND PROVIDES INFORMATION ON THOSE ISSUES TO CSBA'S LEADERSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO RESPONDS TO REQUESTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR STATISTICS AND OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT TK-12 EDUCATION POLICY IN CALIFORNIA.THE BUSINESS AFFILIATES PROGRAM: CSBA'S CONSOLIDATED MARKETING EFFORTS STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUES FOR THE ASSOCIATION. THE "PACKAGE" CONCEPT OF BENEFITS, DISCOUNTS, AND RECOGNITION OFFERS SUBSTANTIAL APPEAL FOR POTENTIAL CSBA SPONSORS, DONORS, EXHIBITORS, AND ADVERTISERS.TOTAL FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4D, OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(4) social welfare organization as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1944.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.