Frequently Asked Questions

County boards of education need a strong, independent voice to advocate for the critical needs of students, communities we serve. County offices and boards of education play uniquely vital roles, impacting every school, and student across California. Our responsibilities encompass supporting students and families facing significant challenges, including those in programs for students with severe physical and cognitive disabilities, early childhood education, foster and homeless youth, and court and community schools. Our responsibilities differ greatly from those of district boards of education. Sometimes our interests are not aligned with other educational associations, in these situations ACCBE gives our members voice looking solely through a lens of County Boards. With only 58 county boards and over 1,000 school districts boards, an organization solely dedicated to advocating on behalf of county boards and offices of education is essential to ensure our unique needs are represented. 

ACCBE is a California-registered nonprofit corporation, organized as a 501(c)(3). It is governed by a Board of Directors, initially comprising volunteers from county boards of education across the state: urban, suburban and rural. This board is committed to developing a permanent governance structure through the collaborative efforts of its members, designed to represent the needs of all. 

The ACCBE Board of Directors is seeking additional volunteers. If you support ACCBE’s mission and are interested in serving, please contact Board President Bina Lefkovitz. 

We appreciate your willingness to get involved! Please complete the interest form on our website. Committees are forming now. 

 The dues structure for ACCBE will be determined collaboratively. We are using the 2023-24 voluntary payments made to CCBE as a starting point. The ACCBE Board is gathering information and engaging in discussions to determine the dues level needed to support the advocacy and member benefits our community requires. Additional information will be provided soon. We are also seeking grants and sponsorships to help keep dues as low as possible.  

Yes, establishing ACCBE brings a unified, strong voice representing the unique interests of county boards on issues impacting County Offices of Education. ACCBE will advocate for the needs of students we serve, often those facing significant challenges, ensuring these needs are not overlooked in the legislative process. As a dedicated advocate for County Boards of Education, ACCBE will educate legislators and policy makers about what we do, who we serve and our needs. Plus join other educational organizations to champion public schools and adequate funding.  

Yes, all county boards of education, including those serving rural counties, will benefit from ACCBE membership. While rural county boards share foundational needs with other boards, they also face distinct challenges related to geography, population, and resources. ACCBE will ensure these needs are heard, advocating for local control and decision-making in implementing state-mandated programs. Rural county board members will also have access to ACCBE’s Peer-to-Peer Mentoring and the County Board Resource Library, offering resources like model programs, policies, handbooks, and tools to support effective governance. We will also collaborate with other associations that support rural education, such as the Small School District Association. 

Absolutely. While county boards of education and county superintendents have distinct duties, they must collaborate to align county office activities with programs, services, and the needs of students and educators. ACCBE and the California County Superintendents association can enhance advocacy efforts through this collaboration, identifying needs and promoting effective, innovative solutions. Supportive and collaborative conversations with county superintendents are already occurring throughout the state and we look forward to working with the California County Superintendents association. 

ACCBE will work in coalition with other educational associations in support of shared priorities, our member capacity building and public education overall. While each association has its specific focus, ACCBE plans to join coalitions with organizations like the California School Boards Association, Association of California School Administrators, California Association of School Business Officials, Small School District Association, and California Parent Teacher Association, Ed-Trust West and California Children Now.