2027 advocacy priorities
Six areas of focus for small districts
The SSDA Board adopted these focus areas to guide the committee’s advocacy. They describe goals the committee is pursuing — not enacted law.
About these focus areas
01Public Records Act reformProtect meaningful public access while addressing the growing administrative burden of records requests.
Why it matters
Small districts have limited staff to respond to increasingly complex requests while keeping schools running.
What we’re advocating for
- Pursue a school-focused reform proposal with ACSA and California County Superintendents.
- Engage journalism and civil rights organizations to preserve transparency and access.
- Seek practical responses to burdensome, harassing, AI-driven, and financially motivated requests.
02Facility Hardship Program reliefGive small districts more time to complete qualifying school facility projects.
Why it matters
Approval and permitting timelines can extend beyond a small district’s control, putting project funding at risk.
What we’re advocating for
- Seek a one-time, one-year extension for qualifying small districts that demonstrate meaningful progress.
- Ask the State Allocation Board to direct the Office of Public School Construction to develop a parallel regulatory amendment.
- Pursue legislation if the regulatory approach is declined.
03Safe drinking water for every schoolPrioritize funding and coordinated assistance for schools without safe drinking water.
Why it matters
Districts operating their own water systems face repair, testing, maintenance, and permitting demands that can overwhelm limited resources.
What we’re advocating for
- Seek dedicated state funding for emergency repair, replacement, and compliance upgrades, prioritizing schools without drinkable water.
- Seek ongoing support for operations and maintenance of district-owned water systems.
- Establish a coordinated state framework and a single point of contact across the State Water Board, California Department of Public Health, and California Department of Education.
04Paid pregnancy disability leave fundingAlign funding with the actual cost of providing paid pregnancy disability leave.
Why it matters
Small districts can experience substantial costs from even a small number of employee leaves. An equitable funding structure should reflect actual needs.
What we’re advocating for
- Seek an actual-cost reimbursement program within Proposition 98, separate from the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).
- Retain the LCFF base augmentation while improving reimbursement design.
- Cover documented substitute salary and benefit costs tied to leave actually taken, with all local educational agency types eligible.
05A shorter LCAP. Less duplication.Right-size accountability so district staff can focus more time and resources on students.
Why it matters
Lengthy planning templates and overlapping reports create a disproportionate workload for small district leadership teams.
What we’re advocating for
- Restructure the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) into a shorter, resource-focused document, potentially with an option designed for small districts.
- Seek replacement of the School Accountability Report Card (SARC) with the California School Dashboard after the state’s duplication review.
- Work with the next Governor’s administration and State Board of Education, and consider 2027 legislation informed by the referenced WestEd work.
06AI and digital leadership fundingEquip small districts to lead responsible, effective use of AI and digital tools.
Why it matters
Small districts often lack dedicated technology leadership while facing new responsibilities for staff training, tool review, student data protection, and digital infrastructure.
What we’re advocating for
- Seek dedicated state investment in AI and digital leadership for all local educational agencies, with special attention to small districts.
- Support district capacity to adopt policies, evaluate tools, protect student information, and train staff.
- Explore co-sponsorship opportunities for 2027.
Published
SSDA 2026 Advocacy Platform
The SSDA Board adopted this platform on Saturday, September 26, 2026. SSDA’s 2026 Advocacy Platform sets out SSDA’s advocacy positions by issue area, from state budget and school finance to facilities, transportation, and technology.
Download the platform (PDF)The six focus areas above are not a substitute for the full platform.
Board-approved additions
Additional 2026–27 platform items
The SSDA Board approved these additional items on Saturday, September 26, 2026. They are not listed in the published platform PDF above.
SPED reform
Additional efforts to address tort reform and the costs of settlements.
Instructional minutes for TK
Address instructional-minute requirements for transitional kindergarten.
Administrator/teacher ratios
Adjust administrator-to-teacher ratio requirements.
Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP)
Address instructional-minute requirements, quality programs versus quantity, and ways to retain funding when districts do not meet the mandated daily time requirement.
Raising the base
Address base costs, limit new programs, and push back against competitive grants.
Dual enrollment
Address community colleges not cooperating and create a relationship with Calbright College.