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⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 5 findings
F1
Presently serving elected school board members were uncertain whether Brown Act/Ethics training was a requirement as a board member. In fulfilling its duties and roles, the County Superintendent's office has not surveyed presently- serving elected school board members regarding this issue, and does not have knowledge of the contents of the testimony given to the Grand Jury in the preparation of the Report, and is therefore not equipped to opine on this finding, or make broad generalizations regarding the unique and varied board members serving across Fresno County. Accordingly, the County Superintendent must disagree with the finding. The Honorable Houry A. Sanderson June 25, 2025
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools should provide no later than September 1, 2025, a courtesy notification to the governing boards of all Fresno County school districts to indicate the following: 1) AB 2158 mandates two hours of public service ethics laws training every two years for all elected school board members. 2) All elected school board members must complete AB 1234 training by December 31, 2025 unless their term of office ends before January 1, 2026. 3) That records pertaining to AB 1234 training of The Honorable Houry A. Sanderson June 25, 2025 elected school board members are public records, and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. (F1 - F4) The County Superintendent's office has already implemented this recommendation by transmitting a courtesy notification to all governing boards of all Fresno County school districts including the recommended information, in addition to extra relevant details and resources. Please find a copy of that memorandum enclosed.
F2
Presently serving elected school board members were unaware of the consequences which could arise from violating the Brown Act. In fulfilling its duties and roles, the County Superintendent's office has not surveyed presently- serving elected school board members regarding this issue, and does not have knowledge of the contents of the testimony given to the Grand Jury in the preparation of the Report, and is therefore not equipped to opine on this finding, or make broad generalizations regarding the unique and varied board members serving across Fresno County. Accordingly, the County Superintendent must disagree with the finding.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools should provide no later than September 1, 2025, a courtesy notification to the governing boards of all Fresno County school districts to indicate the following: 1) AB 2158 mandates two hours of public service ethics laws training every two years for all elected school board members. 2) All elected school board members must complete AB 1234 training by December 31, 2025 unless their term of office ends before January 1, 2026. 3) That records pertaining to AB 1234 training of The Honorable Houry A. Sanderson June 25, 2025 elected school board members are public records, and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. (F1 - F4) The County Superintendent's office has already implemented this recommendation by transmitting a courtesy notification to all governing boards of all Fresno County school districts including the recommended information, in addition to extra relevant details and resources. Please find a copy of that memorandum enclosed.
F3
Brown Act training is among the core content topics required in any curriculum to satisfy AB 1234 training requirements. Agree.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools should provide no later than September 1, 2025, a courtesy notification to the governing boards of all Fresno County school districts to indicate the following: 1) AB 2158 mandates two hours of public service ethics laws training every two years for all elected school board members. 2) All elected school board members must complete AB 1234 training by December 31, 2025 unless their term of office ends before January 1, 2026. 3) That records pertaining to AB 1234 training of The Honorable Houry A. Sanderson June 25, 2025 elected school board members are public records, and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. (F1 - F4) The County Superintendent's office has already implemented this recommendation by transmitting a courtesy notification to all governing boards of all Fresno County school districts including the recommended information, in addition to extra relevant details and resources. Please find a copy of that memorandum enclosed.
F4
As per requirements of AB 2158, local school districts are responsible to provide an AB 1234 training curriculum to the elected school board members that includes all core content topics identified in Fair Political Practices Commission Regulation 18371. Disagree partially, as to what school districts are specifically required to "provide." Pursuant to Government Code, section 53235, subd. (f), "A local agency shall provide information on training available to meet the requirements of this article to its local officials at least once annually." While school districts should use every reasonable effort to inform and encourage its board members to complete the state-mandated training - and are required to provide information on training available - the school district itself is not required to become a provider of the mandated training course or curricula. Within Fresno County, presently serving elected school board members were
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools should provide no later than September 1, 2025, a courtesy notification to the governing boards of all Fresno County school districts to indicate the following: 1) AB 2158 mandates two hours of public service ethics laws training every two years for all elected school board members. 2) All elected school board members must complete AB 1234 training by December 31, 2025 unless their term of office ends before January 1, 2026. 3) That records pertaining to AB 1234 training of The Honorable Houry A. Sanderson June 25, 2025 elected school board members are public records, and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. (F1 - F4) The County Superintendent's office has already implemented this recommendation by transmitting a courtesy notification to all governing boards of all Fresno County school districts including the recommended information, in addition to extra relevant details and resources. Please find a copy of that memorandum enclosed.
F5
receptive to developing an onboarding checklist to assist in identifying when state- mandated training requirements are completed by newly elected board members. In fulfilling its duties and roles, the County Superintendent's office has not surveyed presently- serving elected school board members regarding this issue, and does not have knowledge of the contents of the testimony given to the Grand Jury in the preparation of the Report, and is therefore not equipped to opine on this finding, or make broad generalizations regarding the unique and varied board members serving across Fresno County. Accordingly, the County Superintendent must disagree with the finding.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools should provide no later than September 1, 2025, a courtesy notification advocating that Fresno County school districts each develop and implement an onboarding checklist for newly elected board members to identify and monitor state-mandated training requirements. (F5) The County Superintendent's office has already implemented this recommendation by transmitting a courtesy notification to all governing boards of all Fresno County school districts including the recommended information, in addition to extra relevant details and resources. Please find a copy of that memorandum enclosed. The County Superintendent's office again thanks the Grand Jury for raising the issues of Brown Act compliance among school districts within Fresno County and the state-mandated ethics training requirements applicable to school board members, and providing this opportunity to highlight the work of the County Superintendent's office in this area. Sincerely, Meoph Michele Cantwell-Copher Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Enclosure Courtesy Notification Regarding State-Mandated Ethics Training and Onboarding New Board Members 4925-3190-6893, v. Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michele Cantwell-Copher, Superintendent MEMORANDUM To: Members of the Board of Trustees c/o District Superintendents All Fresno County School Districts From: Benjamin C. Rosenbaum, Legal Counsel Date: June 25, 2025 Courtesy Notification Regarding State-Mandated Ethics Training and Re: Onboarding New Board Members This memorandum is sent on behalf of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Michele Copher, On May 9, 2025, the Fresno County Grand Jury released its Report No. 1, "The Brown Is it being taken seriously by Fresno County school districts?" available at: Act. https://www.fresno.courts.ca.gov/system/files/general/report-1-brown-act-it-being-taken- seriously-fresno-county-school-districts.pdf In the Report the Grand Jury examined issues related to compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act among school districts within Fresno County, as well as state-mandated ethics training requirements applicable to school board members. The Report recommended that this office provide courtesy notification to the governing boards of all school districts within the County regarding these issues and the onboarding of new board members, and this office is providing this memorandum to implement those recommendations. Please remember that pursuant to Government Code, sections 53234 through 53235.2: (1) it is mandated that each school board member "shall receive at least two hours of training in general ethics principles and ethics laws relevant to the official's public service every two years"; (2) each school board member "who, as of January 1, 2025, is a member of the governing board of a school district, . . . except for officials whose term of office ends before January 1, 2026, shall receive the training required . . . before January 1, 2026"; (3) your district is required to "provide information on training available to meet the requirements" to each board member at least once annually; and (4) your district is required to maintain records indicating the date of each member's training and the entity that provided the training for at least five years, and the records are public records subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. Fresno County Office of Education 1111 Van Ness Avenue • Fresno, California 93721 (559) 265-3000 · www.fcoe.org Re: Courtesy Notification Regarding State-Mandated Ethics Training and Onboarding New Board Members June 25, 2025 The Fair Political Practices Commission maintains and makes available a free on-demand online course to satisfy the requirements of this state-mandated training, which is available at: https://localethics.fppc.ca.gov/login.aspx mandated training must satisfy the Government Code requirements and be developed in consultation with the Fair Political Practices Commission and the Attorney General regarding its sufficiency and accuracy. Following the Grand Jury's recommendation, it also is worth considering developing and implementing an onboarding checklist for new school board members to identify and monitor state-mandated training requirements, in addition to topics your board feels may be beneficial for new members. My office will continue to highlight and offer updates on related legal developments and learning opportunities for board members and district staff. If you have any questions regarding the training requirements or ethics laws applicable to your board, please consult with your legal counsel. 4909-4829-4477, v. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF THE PARC
No Responses Found 1
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Fresno County County Superintendent of Schools
Elected County Office
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