CLSBA Unity 2026: Full Schedule

10:00am PDT

Human-Centered AI: Building Ethical and Equitable AI Systems in Public Education

Friday August 28, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Sunnyvale School District will share how it developed a human-centered framework for Artificial Intelligence that prioritizes equity, professional judgment, student safety, and instructional excellence. Participants will learn how the district created AI guidance, established guardrails, engaged stakeholders, and developed phased implementation plans aligned to district values and strategic priorities.

Speakers

Gudiel R. Crosthwaite, Ph.D

Superintendent, Sunnyvale School District

Dr. Gudiel R. Crosthwaite has dedicated over 30 years to public education, championing equity, mentorship, and student success. He began his career in 1994 as a classroom teacher and has since served in leadership roles at every level—elementary, middle, and high school.In 2025... Read More →

Friday August 28, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Guadlupe

Breakout Workshop

11:00am PDT

From Collaboration to Collective Cognition: Leadership Practices That Drive Student Achievement

Friday August 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Guadlupe

Schools collaborate constantly, yet achievement gaps often persist. This session challenges leaders to move beyond surface-level collaboration toward generative collaboration that produces deeper thinking, equitable decision-making, and measurable impact on student learning. Grounded in cultural proficiency and cognitive coaching practices, participants will examine how leadership teams can redesign systems, redistribute voice, and strengthen community-centered leadership practices that improve outcomes for all students. Practical tools and real-world applications will support leaders in building sustainable cultures of inquiry and achievement.

Speakers

Roberto Núñez, Ed.D

Director, Monterey COE

Friday August 28, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Guadlupe

Breakout Workshop

1:45pm PDT

From Access to Outcomes: Transforming Systems to Ensure Every Student Thrives

Friday August 28, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm PDT

Guadlupe

Sunnyvale School District will share how it used a districtwide systems analysis to identify barriers to student success and build a more coherent, equity-centered improvement strategy. Participants will learn how district and board leadership aligned around student outcomes, instructional coherence, access to rigorous coursework, and stronger Tier 1 systems to better serve historically underserved students.

Speakers

Isabel Jubes-Flamerich

President, California Association of Latino Leaders in Education (CALLE)

Isabel Jubes-Flamerich is an education leader, elected school board trustee, architect, designer, and longtime advocate for educational equity, sustainability, and student success. Originally from Venezuela, Isabel brings her experience as an immigrant, parent, educator, and community... Read More →

Peggy Shen Brewster

Board President, Sunnyvale School District

Gudiel R. Crosthwaite, Ph.D

Superintendent, Sunnyvale School District

Friday August 28, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm PDT
Guadlupe

Breakout Workshop

9:00am PDT

The Multilingual Advantage: From Student Success to Economic Opportunity

Saturday August 29, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT

Guadlupe

At a time when bilingual education is increasingly politicized, school and district leaders play a critical role in protecting opportunities for multilingual learners and advancing policies that recognize language as an asset, not a barrier. In this interactive session, SEAL and UNITE-LA will highlight why investing in multilingual learners, dual immersion programs and biliteracy pathways—from early childhood through TK–12, postsecondary and into the workforce—is essential to maintaining California’s economic edge.

Participants will explore instructional practices, leadership strategies and district stories that improve outcomes for English Learners and all students. UNITE-LA will share new research focused on employers’ perspectives on bilingual talent, while SEAL will provide practical examples leaders can adapt locally. Participants will hear how districts, employers and bilingual communities are responding to changing educational and workforce demands and how leaders can build systems and partnerships that strengthen pathways to college, career and economic mobility.

Speakers

Patty Chavez

Head Development & External Relations Officer, SEAL

AJ Lucas

Associate Director, UNITE-LA

Ulises Gonzalez Reyes

Associate Director, SEAL (Sobrato Early Academic Language)

SEAL is a nonprofit with a powerful research- and evidence-based approach to advancing the educational outcomes of multilingual learners. For more than 15 years, we've work across the state of California, partnering with preschools and elementary schools, districts, county offices... Read More →

Saturday August 29, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT
Guadlupe

Breakout Workshop

10:00am PDT

Beyond the Classroom: How Community Partnerships and Student-Centered Systems Are Transforming Outcomes for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Saturday August 29, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Guadlupe

Students experiencing homelessness face barriers that extend far beyond academics. In Santa Clara County, the number of students identified under the McKinney-Vento Act has increased significantly in recent years, requiring school systems to rethink how they support student success, attendance, belonging, and stability.

This session will highlight how Morgan Hill and Sunnyvale School Districts developed integrated support systems for students and families experiencing housing instability through strategic partnerships, targeted transportation services, outreach coordinators, food assistance programs, emergency planning support, and community collaboration.

Participants will learn how district leaders moved beyond compliance to create a coordinated system of care designed to remove barriers, increase engagement, improve attendance, and strengthen trust with families. Presenters will share lessons learned, challenges encountered, and early outcomes from this ongoing work.

Speakers

Jessie Swift

Director of Student Services, Morgan Hill USD

Dr. Carmen Garcia

Superintendent, Morgan Hill USD

Dr. Carmen García was born in Tepatitlán, Jalisco, México, and grew up in Southern California where she took full advantage of her K-12 education. Subsequently, she attended the University of San Diego where she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History... Read More →

John Horner

Board President, Morgan Hill USD

Gudiel R. Crosthwaite, Ph.D

Superintendent, Sunnyvale School District

Paul Slayton

Director of Student Services, Sunnyvale School District

Virginia Varela-Campos

President of the Orchard School District

Saturday August 29, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Guadlupe

Breakout Workshop

11:00am PDT

From Learning Recession to Learning Recovery: Lessons from Districts Beating the Odds

Saturday August 29, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Guadlupe

Speakers

Dr. Cheryl James-Ward

Professor, San Diego State University

Dr. Sara Noguchi

Retired Superintendent, Modesto City Schools

LEAD Award Recipients

Dr. Steve Martinez

LEAD Legacy Recipient: Superintendent Emeritus, Twin Rivers Unified School District

Saturday August 29, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Guadlupe

Breakout Workshop

1:45pm PDT

Negotiating Authoritarianism in Higher Education: Centering the Latinx/Chicanx Student in Legislation and Advocacy

Saturday August 29, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm PDT

Guadlupe

The California Faculty Association is the nation's largest faculty union. This workshop addresses legislative challenges facing CSU faculty and students. Through a racial-justice lens, the session highlights top legislative priorities for higher-education faculty, students, and staff. We will examine the potential impact of selected proposed California legislation on the educational success of Latinx students. This interactive workshop offers practical strategies for advocacy and mobilization, emphasizing academic freedom, intersectional issues facing Black and Latinx/Chicanx students, and Ethnic Studies teacher preparation. By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify current legislative challenges affecting CSU students and faculty, recognize advocacy strategies aligned with CFA legislative priorities, and understand how these strategies support Latinx student success, academic freedom, and Ethnic Studies (K-university).

Speakers

Dr. Theresa Montano

Trustee, Los Angeles COE

Saturday August 29, 2026 1:45pm - 2:30pm PDT
Guadlupe

Breakout Workshop

10:00am PDT

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1:45pm PDT

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11:00am PDT

1:45pm PDT

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