Your board’s destination for high-quality governance content, networking, and training.
Join board members from across the state in sunny Palm Springs this fall!
Governance at CSDC
Why Do Board Members Attend?
Scheduled just after schools reopen in the fall, the CSDC Conference is attended by continuing board members looking to make a strong start and by new board members accelerating their learning. See how attending works within Brown Act parameters and join us at this year’s conference!
HIGH-QUALITY CONTENT
This year’s program features 30+ hours of breakouts and 3 half-day workshops of critical importance to charter board members.
NETWORKING
Grow your network with board members from across the state and explore new partnerships and resources in the Exhibit Hall.
ETHICS TRAINING
Attend CSDC’s AB 2158 Ethics Training Workshop and complete the mandatory ethics training requirement—but register soon! Seats are limited.
3 Governance Workshops
Select One—At No Additional Cost!
- Option 1
- Option 2
- Option 3
CSDC's AB 2158 Ethics Training
Jennifer McQuarrie
CSDC Advisor & Guest Instructor and Attorney, Law Office of Jennifer McQuarrie
Beginning January 1, 2026, charter school board members are required to participate in ethics training required by the Government Code. The training focuses on ethics laws, including laws relating to personal financial gain by public servants, laws relating to claiming perquisites of office, government transparency laws and laws relating to fair processes. The training is required every two years. This session covers this legally required training…View Details
Revamp Evaluation to Build a Stronger Board-Director Partnership
Irene Salter
Leadership Coach, Writer, and Trainer, Inquiring Minds
A thriving charter school depends on a strong, trust-filled partnership between its board and executive director. Yet unclear roles, poor communication, and unspoken tension can quietly erode that relationship. This hands-on, minds-on session invites school leaders and board members to examine—and strengthen—their leadership partnership by through the lens of one of its most powerful facets: director evaluation…View Details
Find, Hire, and Keep Leaders: A "How To" Session for Boards and Executives
Christina Greenberg
Founder and CEO, Edgility
Serena Moy
Associate Partner, Edglility
Matt Taylor
Executive Director, California Montessori Project
Kennedy Hilario
CEO, ACE Charter Schools
Finding, hiring and keeping quality talent, especially in the leadership ranks, is one of the biggest challenges for charter school organizations today. This session will be led by Christina Greenberg, a talent expert with decades of experience recruiting, selecting and supporting leaders for school/nonprofit orgs and a longtime CA charter school board member. She will be joined by leaders she has placed and board members with whom she has worked with to provide real world case studies and tangible action steps that…View Details
30+ Hours of Governance Breakouts
This year’s Leadership, Governance & Legal strand features nearly 30 sessions totaling over 30 hours of programming relevant to charter school governing board members.
Featured Breakouts
Earn the Governance Training Certificate
The CSDC Conference provides a great opportunity for your board members to progress towards CSDC’s Governance Training Certificate.
The Governance Training Certificate is a flexible, yet comprehensive training for new and returning California charter school board members.
It can also provide specialized training for charter school board members who must satisfy certificate-based requirements required by some California charter school authorizers.
Here’s how your board members can earn this certificate through the conference:
STEP 1
Attend Conference Programming
Attend Conference Programming
From the “Leadership, Governance & Legal” strand, attend:
-
3 breakout sessions
This year's programming offers a wealth of breakouts spread across 6 breakout time slots. See the schedule overview and then click below to identify qualifying sessions:
View qualifying breakouts > -
1 workshop
View qualifying workshops >
Recommendation: Complete the ethics training requirement (below) at the conference with CSDC’s AB 2158 Ethics Training workshop!
STEP 2
Complete an Ethics Training
Complete an Ethics Training
- Do this either at the conference OR before/after the conference:
STEP 3
Complete a Brown Act Training
Complete a Brown Act Training
- Complete CSDC’s on-demand Brown Act Training modules and assessment. *
STEP 4
Submit for Your Certificate!
Submit for Your Certificate!
- Complete this brief form to let CSDC know you’ve fulfilled the requirements above!
* Please note:
- Deadline to complete: November 8, 2025
- Access to this content is an exclusive benefit of CSDC Membership. If your school is not a member, please contact CSDC for temporary access to this content.
Can’t Attend this Year?
If your board is unable to attend this year’s conference, CSDC offers customized training tailored to your board’s specific needs. As part of this customized training, your board may also earn the Governance Training Certificate.
FAQs
Do we have to be CSDC Members to attend?
No, the CSDC Conference is open to all in the sector, although CSDC Members receive steep discounts on conference registration as one of the many benefits of membership.
How does attending the conference work within the parameters of the Brown Act?
The Brown Act speaks directly to this in section 54952.2. and allows for a majority of board members to attend a conference together:
(2) The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at a conference or similar gathering open to the public that involves a discussion of issues of general interest to the public or to public agencies of the type represented by the legislative body, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves, other than as part of the scheduled program, business of a specified nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the local agency. Nothing in this paragraph is intended to allow members of the public free admission to a conference or similar gathering at which the organizers have required other participants or registrants to pay fees or charges as a condition of attendance.
CSDC suggests that you remind board members that they are still prohibited from discussing issues or topics that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the board. In other words, they should keep their conference chit chat to “news, sports, and weather” when two or more of them are in a conversation. We look forward to welcoming them to the conference this year!
Does CSDC support board members beyond the conference?
Yes! CSDC provides ongoing support to governing board members throughout the year. View “Support For Your California Charter School Governing Board” to learn more.
