Stability for schools and students across California was the main theme of ACSA’s Legislative Action Days, the annual advocacy event that drew school leaders to the state Capitol April 20-21 to meet face-to-face with their legislative representatives.

Each year, ACSA’s vice presidents of legislative action from all 19 regions gather groups of school leaders to discuss advocacy priorities during the legislative session and hear directly from lawmakers. This year, the top priority centered on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal to withhold $5.6 billion from Proposition 98, which would reduce vital resources schools need to serve students.

ACSA Senior Director of Governmental Relations Iván Carrillo encouraged attendees to tell their own stories about how reduced funding would affect their districts.

“Personal stories carry a lot of weight,” Carrillo said. “We often feel like a broken record, emphasizing that nothing moves folks more to action than their stories.”

Assembly Education Committee Chair Dr. Darshana Patel joined Carrillo for a “fireside chat” on the first day of Legislative Action Days. She reiterated Carrillo’s call for full public education funding.

“I know — being from an immigrant family ... we depend on public schools,” she said. “The system does way more than just teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. We do way more than that in public education, and we need to continue to have adequate resources.”

ACSA’s legislative advocates led briefings on other topics participants would bring to legislators’ attention, including support for Assembly Bill 2490. The bill promotes classroom continuity by allowing 60-day substitute assignments in both general and special education. The advocates also pushed for streamlined accountability through the elimination of duplicative and outdated reporting requirements for schools.

ACSA also awarded Assemblymember Alex Lee the Friend of Education Award for 2025, honoring his support for public school students. In his remarks, Lee pledged to keep advocating for students.

“It’s my vow to continue that fight for revenue, to bring it back to our communities,” he said. “There’s no better investment than in our kids.”

Region representatives held legislative meetings April 21 at the Swing Space, the building currently housing lawmakers’ offices. The Region 18 delegation, led by VPLA Dr. Ben Churchill of Poway USD, spoke with Assemblymember Laurie Davies about the importance of staffing flexibility as California schools continue to face an educator shortage.

Region 9 VPLA Dr. Dawn Hubble visited the office of Assemblymember David Tangipa with her group. She read an impact statement from Merced City School District — where she works as director of human resources — highlighting ACSA’s advocacy priorities.

Scott Borba, superintendent/principal of Le Grand Union Elementary School District, told Tangipa that withholding funds from Prop. 98 will hurt his small district.

“It’s becoming more difficult to protect these imperative programs that are working for our kids,” Borba said. “We have momentum going right now. I’d hate to see that go away.”