To be a CCSA member, you must 1) pay dues; 2) represent a California School Boards Association (CSBA) member or be an individual in a non-attorney position and hold an active license to practice law at any CSBA or CCLC member district; and 3) avoid representing a party whose interests are adverse to a California public school district.
Some of the many ways that CCSA enhances the professional life of its members include:
- Collegiality: CCSA promotes and fosters one of the most collegial bars in California. A member-run organization, CCSA relies primarily on the expertise and goodwill of its members to function. CCSA operates on the premise that we are individually most successful when we all shine. CCSA members enjoy sharing their expertise and being affiliated with a bar that values integrity and collaboration.
- Quality CLE-Approved Programs: CCSA programs ensure that participants receive information and materials that are current, designed for lawyers, and tailored to the practice of school law. Each of our workshops provides a combination of plenary sessions on matters of general interest to school attorneys, and break-out sessions that cover areas of specialized expertise such as special education, charter schools, facilities and labor relations. Participants are asked to submit evaluations and suggestions which are utilized in planning future conferences.
- Easy and Economical MCLE Compliance: CCSA makes CLE/MCLE compliance easy and economical through programs that are also directly relevant to school law attorneys. Through four full-day workshops per year, CCSA offers CLE hours you need including workshops providing the required MCLE compliance—Ethics, Substance Abuse and/or Elimination of Bias in the legal profession if possible. Our September and May workshops are available virtually and accessible online. We hold our annual two-day meeting each December, in conjunction with CSBA’s Annual Education Conference —which usually alternates between southern and northern California. To see where the next Annual Education Conference will be held, please visit http://aec.csba.org/future-dates/.
- MCLE Videos On-Demand: CCSA maintains an on-demand catalog of session recordings from past CCSA conferences. Recordings are available for CCSA members to purchase at $30 per recording. The catalog is regularly updated for CCSA members.
- Access to Layoff Decisions and Teacher Dismissal and MIRS Decisions: CCSA members have member only access to CCSA’s library of OAH layoff decisions. CCSA also now offers its members a new resource – access to OAH teacher dismissal and MIRS decisions in a searchable database.
- Optional COSA Membership Add-On: As of May 18, 2022, the CCSA Board of Directors reached agreement with the Council of School Attorneys (COSA) to maintain affiliated status between CCSA and COSA. This means that all CCSA members who desire to also be members of COSA may do so at the lower COSA affiliated membership rate. In order to benefit from the lower COSA affiliated rate, you must be a CCSA member. CCSA Regular Members continue to have the option of adding on COSA membership for an additional $270 to their CCSA membership, and CCSA In-House Members can add on COSA membership for an additional $200. (CCSA and COSA In-House Memberships are only available to attorneys who are employees of a public school district, COE, or community college district).
- Listserv: CCSA membership enables you to access a state-wide listserv forum for consideration and discussion of the practical and professional issues faced by education law attorneys. Want to get some insight from others member attorneys in your area of practice on how they are dealing with a specific legal issue? Ask those who are on the listserv! CCSA members may subscribe to California specific listserv groups for Labor and Employment, Charter Schools, Facilities/Business, Governance, Special Education, and Student Issues.
- Networking: Attending CCSA workshops offers a great way to meet others in your fields of practice, or areas where you would like to develop. CCSA welcomes, and designs programs for, seasoned experts and those new to school law. It also offers a way to share your knowledge—both with your school law colleagues and your clients. CCSA sponsors a full day workshop each year at CSBA's Annual Education Preconference - Legal Symposium for Experienced Board Members. All active CCSA members are invited to submit proposals to present at the workshop.
2024-2025 Membership Fees
- CCSA Regular Membership — $180
- COSA Regular Membership (Optional add-on effective July 1, 2024) – $300
- CCSA In-House Membership — $150
- COSA In-House Membership (Optional add-on effective July 1, 2024) – $230
(CCSA and COSA In-House Memberships are only available to attorneys who are employees of a public school district or COE).
To join CCSA now, please download the Membership Form, fill it out completely and send it in. If paying by credit card, please do not email it. Either mail it in or fax it using our secure fax line (916) 669-3265.
CCSA Members Only
(CCSA members, you will need passwords to open the following documents. Please email CCSA for the password(s) of the document(s) you would like to access.)
Teacher Dismissals and MIRS Decisions
Please email CCSA for the password(s) of the document(s) you would like to access.