News Briefs | FYI
September 1, 2025
ACSA receives award from Latino youth leadership org
ACSA has been honored as Sponsor of the Year by the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project, the nation’s premier Latino youth leadership organization. For more than 40 years, CLYLP has prepared high school students to succeed in college, pursue career pathways, and become civically engaged leaders — guided by its four pillars: culture, community, college, and careers.
“For many years, ACSA has stood beside the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project as a valued partner, generously investing in our mission to empower the next generation of leaders,” said Dr. Luisa Ortega, CLYLP executive director. “Together, we are cultivating leaders who will shape the future of our state with vision, courage, and heart.”
“It’s an honor to stand alongside an organization that has transformed so many lives,” said Iván Carrillo, ACSA senior director of Policy and Governmental Relations. “CLYLP’s work embodies the very mission of ACSA — developing leaders who will shape the future of our schools, our communities, and our state.”
ACSA’s long-standing partnership with CLYLP reflects a deep alignment of values and a shared belief that education is a powerful pathway to leadership and social change. To learn more about CLYLP and opportunities for your students, visit www.clylp.org.
Students in the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project during the nonprofit’s annual gala on July 25, where ACSA was presented with the Sponsor of the Year award.
ACSA Legislative Associate Jose Vargas accepts the Sponsor of the Year award on behalf of ACSA.
ACSA Legislative Associate Jose Vargas accepts the Sponsor of the Year award on behalf of ACSA.
Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra with a student at the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project’s gala event July 25.
ACSA appoints Walker as liaison for AI Task Force
ACSA’s AI Task Force has appointed retired Irvine USD Superintendent Terry Walker as the Strategic Alliance Liaison for the task force.
This new role underscores ACSA’s commitment to advancing strategic collaboration in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. As the Strategic Alliance Liaison, Walker will serve as a key connector between ACSA and other organizations across education, technology, and public policy — building bridges that ensure AI efforts are informed, inclusive, and impactful.
“Terry brings a deep understanding of both educational leadership and systems innovation, making him uniquely positioned to lead this effort,” said Margarita Cuizon-Armelino, ACSA’s deputy executive director. “His ability to foster authentic partnerships will help us align our work with others across the state and beyond, ensuring that the benefits of AI are leveraged to serve California’s students and education leaders in meaningful ways.”
The AI Task Force was launched to guide ACSA’s efforts in shaping policy, supporting professional learning, and exploring how AI can elevate student outcomes and operational effectiveness. With Walker in this role, ACSA aims to build momentum and mobilize collective expertise, amplifying its service to members while championing thoughtful innovation.
Researchers find disparities in letters of recommendation
Researchers have found that letters of recommendation written for Black, Latinx and first-generation college students are generally shorter and contain fewer details related to academic promise, according to a study published in July by Research in Higher Education.
Researchers used natural language processing techniques to analyze more than 600,000 student applications and recommendation letters and how the content of the letters related to race and socio-economic status.
The study found that Black, Latinx and first-generation college students received fewer sentences overall, as well as fewer sentences on topics related to intellectual promise. Private school students had letters that were 20 percent longer than public school students on average, with more sentences related to personal qualities, character excellence and intellectual promise.
Among other findings, researchers also noted that Asian/Asian American students were found to have consistently fewer sentences about personal qualities and consistently more sentences about academics across all models.
“We cannot speak to the role these various differences and disparities may play in the ultimate evaluation of a student’s application portfolio. Regardless, findings add to our understanding of how privilege and inequity influence admissions through multiple pathways,” according to the published article.
The authors noted that for historically underrepresented students, letters of recommendation have the potential to contextualize students’ experiences overcoming adversity. They referenced previous research that has found letters of recommendation to be a double-edged sword: “perpetuat[ing] privilege for some, while having the potential to disrupt and contextualize inequity for others.”
The authors also acknowledged that letters can pose a significant burden to teacher/counselor workload, and that efforts to diversify high school counselors may influence the letters they write.
Ultimately, the authors recommend that more research be done to evaluate whether the presence or absence of letters of recommendation benefit different student groups.
Read the full article.
FYI
Nominate a colleague for Negotiator of the Year
ACSA is looking for nominations for the Negotiator of the Year Award. This recognition is awarded by the ACSA Human Resources Council to the person serving as chief negotiator for a school district or county office as a full-time employee of that district. If you would like to nominate an outstanding individual for this award, visit acsa.org/negotiatoraward for selection criteria and nomination instructions. Nominations are due Oct. 31, 2025.
SBE seeks applicants for advisory group
The SBE is currently seeking applicants to fill three positions on the California Practitioners Advisory Group to provide input to the SBE on ongoing efforts to establish a single, coherent local, state, and federal accountability system. Applicants must meet one of these practitioner categories: Specialized Instructional Support Personnel and Paraprofessionals; Principals and other School Leaders; or Superintendents or other Administrators. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Sept. 29. Find more information at www.cde.ca.gov/be/cc/ab/cpag-invitation.asp.
CDE hosting suicide awareness webinars
Every child is one caring adult away from changing their narrative. The CDE Office of School-based Health Programs is hosting “Together in Conversation. Together in Hope,” a suicide awareness webinar for K-12 school communities. Learn to recognize warning signs, engage in supportive, stigma-free conversations, and create a connected, caring environment. Webinars will be held throughout September. Register at tinyurl.com/CDETogether. If your school would like to host a training on site, reach out to OSBHP@cde.ca.gov.