2026 Small School Administrators Summit

July 25-27, 2026 | Hyatt Regency Newport Beach

Register now for the 2026 Small School Administrators Summit! Open to leaders from small, rural, and charter schools, so bring your whole team. This is a hands-on conference focused on practical results. You will leave with key tools to help you prepare for the upcoming school year:

We want to provide an update on 2026–2027 SSDA membership. Beginning in early May, we will send a form to county offices to confirm membership levels and whether they intend to cover districts within their county. Invoices will be issued on July 1, 2026, and all dues must be paid by September 1, 2026. A $1,000 late fee will apply after that date.

Congratulations to SSDA member small school districts and their schools recognized as 2026 California Distinguished Schools!

Below is the list of schools and a map of SSDA’s regions across California, including the districts and schools that have been recognized.

These schools are recognized through California’s school recognition program, which honors campuses that stand out for exemplary student outcomes.

Learn more here!

There are several upcoming opportunities to support your district’s facilities planning and leadership development:

Siskiyou COE’s Route to Parks Initiative Expands Access and Opportunity

For students in Siskiyou County, a school day might mean stepping into a classroom. Or it might mean standing beside a waterfall, exploring a watershed, or visiting a state park for the first time. 

Through the California Route to Parks grant, Siskiyou County Office of Education (COE) is making those moments possible by bringing hands-on science learning into the outdoors. The effort is reaching small and rural schools across the county, many of which face real barriers to offering field-based experiences. 

Stacia Anderson, outdoor science education specialist at Siskiyou COE, began the work by going directly to the community. “I went to board meetings, PTA meetings, staff meetings, and student meetings. I basically met with anyone who would talk to me and asked how I could get their input,” she explained.  

What emerged was a clear priority around access and equity. In a region where distance, funding, and transportation all create challenges, the program was intentionally designed to reach students who might otherwise miss out. “We targeted the students who would most likely have the least access. A lot of these schools don’t have transportation or the funding to do these kinds of trips,” Anderson said.  

In November 2025, we highlighted Dunham Elementary School District’s second annual Ag Days. They have now hosted their third annual event.

In a LinkedIn post, Superintendent and Principal Ani Larson of Dunham School District shared, "Just finished our 3rd Annual Ag Days, and what an incredible experience it was! So grateful for our amazing community families, local farms, organizations, and volunteers who came together to make this day so special for our students. From hands-on learning to meaningful connections, this is what makes a small rural school so powerful. This event truly reflects who we are at Dunham: connected, collaborative, and rooted in real-world learning. I mean, who doesn't want to hug a pig!" 

Check out the article from our November 2025 newsletter by clicking the button below to learn more about their annual Ag Days.

In Lucerne Valley Unified School District, second graders began by creating monster drawings to express their emotions. Those ideas were then brought to life by middle and high school students, who transformed them into ceramic art pieces.

Great things are happening in our small school districts. Seeing students collaborate across grade levels is inspiring, and it is made possible by the creativity and connections within small school communities.

The “Monster Collaboration” ceramic pieces will be displayed alongside the original second-grade artwork at Lucerne Valley Middle High School’s annual Music and Art Show, taking place May 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Sgt. Brian Walker Memorial Gymnasium.

Read the full story by Rene Ray De La Cruz here.

The school year may still be going strong, but the end will be here before we know it. We’d love to showcase how you’re wrapping things up. If you have end-of-year events or celebrations to share, send them to gwen@ssda.org.

Our annual summer conference has evolved into the 2026 Small School Administrators Summit, now open to all small school administrators! Join us July 25–27, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach. 

Each school year, from September through May, we host one-hour roundtables for superintendents, charter school leaders, CBOs/fiscal staff, and executive assistants. These sessions give member districts and county offices the chance to connect with one another, while expert speakers share insights on topics relevant to small and rural school districts. The graphic above shows the remaining sessions for this school year.

Participation is exclusive to members. If your district is not yet a member and you would like to join, please email staff@ssda.org.

SSDA is proud to offer an upgraded, member-centered Board Policy Program designed specifically for small and rural California school districts. This service provides clear, compliant, and regularly updated board policies aligned with current state and federal law.

If you would like to join the SSDA Board Policy Program list, please register here. Enrollment is handled one at a time, in the order in which requests are received. Learn more on our website. 

Contacts for the Board Policy Program: 

Karen Mix, Karen@ssda.org & Laissa Caraveo, Laissa@ssda.org

Secure Prop 2 funding quickly and efficiently using Edapt’s AI-powered tool, now available through SSDA. This innovative solution makes drafting a Five-Year Facilities Master Plan fast, affordable, and simple.

Here's how it works: 

Learn more by watching the video below!

Below are excellent STEAM resources designed to support small and rural school districts throughout California.

Empower Your Students: Join us for 2026 CSPDWeek in Long Beach!

We are thrilled to invite California K-12 public school educators to the 2026 CSPDWeek! Whether you teach Elementary or Secondary, Science, Math, English, or Computer Science, this immersive, community-driven program is designed to help you grow professionally through interactive, in-person workshops.

From July 20–24, 2026, educators will gather in Long Beach to build the systemic capacity for equitable and sustainable computer science education across California. No prior CS experience is required—our workshops are tailored to help educators at every level teach computer science with confidence.

Why Join Us?

Supportive Community: Connect with CS education experts and a statewide peer network.

Incentives: Participants can opt in to receive a stipend for full and active participation.

Funding: This program is proudly funded by the CDE’s 2023 Educator Workforce Investment Grant: CS.

This event will include the following workshops:

- Grades K-12 Educators: Equity-Minded Instruction for Computer Science

- Grades 3-5 Educators: Leveraging Micro:bits for Inclusive and Interdisciplinary Learning

- Grades 6-8 Educators: CS Integration for Science and Math with Micro:bits

- Grades 9-12 Educators: Bootstrap Artificial Intelligence

- Grades 9-12 Educators: AP CS A with CSAwesome

Ready to dive in? > Learn more and register at www.seasonsofcs.org

Join us for an interactive, engaging, and collaborative event designed to:

- Strengthen your approach to math, science, and computer science.

- Connect learning with CA Math Standards and CA Foundations.

- Empower educators and families with joyful, hands-on strategies.

Walk away with practical strategies, classroom-ready activities, and a renewed passion for teaching math and science

April is the most consequential month of the year for California's State Budget picture, and this year the stakes are particularly high. Since April 1, the State Controller's Office (SCO) has been publishing a Daily Revenue Tracker for personal income tax (PIT), and it has the full attention of the Governor's Administration, the Department of Finance (DOF), and everyone involved in the state budget process.

The tracker is measuring progress toward the $20.66 billion PIT revenue projection in the Governor's January Budget proposal. As of April 14, the state had collected roughly $7 billion for the month. Historically, April 16 and 17 are the two largest single days of tax revenue recognition. At the time of this writing, we do not yet have data for those days. However, strong collections through month's end would be consistent with a broader trend: revenues have been running well above projections for most of fiscal year 2025-26.

Where the Projections Stand

In late February, the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) projected that 2025-26 revenues would come in $8.1 billion above the January Budget baseline. This is a significant surge driven largely by enthusiasm around artificial intelligence and the associated stock market boom. However, the LAO cautioned that this growth is not sustainable and projected that the 2025-26 surplus would be partially offset by lower-than-expected revenues in 2026-27.

Other analysts are more optimistic. The Assembly Speaker's lead budget advisor has noted that income tax revenues are already running $7.5 billion above January Budget projections through the end of March and has suggested an upward revision of $10 to $30 billion across 2025-26 and 2026-27 is plausible. Of course, the major caveat being that the outcome depends heavily on what happens during the remainder of April.

That optimism is tempered by considerable uncertainty. The ongoing conflict in Iran and Lebanon has introduced new economic variables: rising gas prices, supply chain disruptions, and inflationary pressures that could affect revenues more gradually and persistently than stock market fluctuations alone.

Are you looking for your next opportunity in education or trying to find the perfect candidate for your small school district?

The SSDA Job Board is your go-to hub for job postings across California’s small and rural school districts!

Explore job openings below or post a position here: https://www.ssda.org/page/jobs

Middle School (Grades 6–8) / Alternative Education Principal/Intern - Modoc Joint Unified School District

Under the direction of the Superintendent, the Middle School / Alternative Education Principal serves as the instructional and operational leader for the district’s middle school (grades 6–8) and alternative education programs, including High Desert Community Day School and Warner High Continuation High School. This position requires a collaborative, hands-on leader who supports high-quality instruction, positive school climate, and compliance in a small, rural district setting.

Work Year: 210 Days

Salary Range:  $103,934.40 - $133,610.40 + $2,000 for Masters Degree; Intern starts at $93,544.50. District benefit contribution is capped at $1,230.04 per month.

Apply Here: https://edjoin.org/Home/JobPosting/2197393

Application Deadline: April 30, 2026

Superintendent/Principal - Le Grand Union Elementary School District

The Le Grand Union Elementary School District Board of Trustees is seeking a collaborative leader who can build on district strengths while developing a vision for the district's future. Students at LGEUSD have access to a robust computer science curriculum equipping them with 21st-century skills, the only elementary competitive robotics program in Merced County, eSports, competitive sports, Junior Medical Academy, small class sizes, designated STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Art & Math) instruction, afterschool programming, community childcare and SO MUCH more...Individuals with a strong educational leadership background and excellent communication skills are invited to apply. 

Education Leadership Services (ELS) has been contracted by the district to assist with the recruitment for this position. For instructions on how to apply, and information about the position and timeline, please visit the ELS website and select the listing for this position. 

For general information, contact:

José L. González, Search Consultant

jgonzalez@els4u.org

(209)535-3259

Salary: Competitive and negotiable, based on education and experience; 350 ADA.

Le Grand Union Elementary School District Application

Application Deadline: May 10, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. PST

The Superintendent/Principal position begins July 1, 2026.

Superintendent/Principal - Sundale Union Elementary School District

The Board of Trustees seeks a collaborative, student-focused, and visionary leader to serve as Superintendent. The Superintendent will lead a dedicated staff, engage an involved community, and build upon the District’s tradition of excellence while preparing students for future success. The ideal candidate will have a strong appreciation for agriculture, performing and fine arts, college and career awareness, and sports programs. Learn more about the position here.

Salary Range: Competitive salary (based on experience and qualifications with a minimum of $165,000)

Application Process - Submit the following to superintendent@sundaleschool.com

- District Application

- Current resume

- Three to five letters of recommendation

- Copy of administrative credential

Application Deadline: May 11, 2026

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