WEST COVINA, CA – Eileen Miranda Jimenez, Dr. Rose Lopez, and Juanita Cruz, trustees of the West Covina Unified School District, have demonstrated exceptional commitment to professional development in the service of students through their recent completion of the California School Boards Association’s (CSBA) Masters in Governance program.

This accomplishment signifies mastery of the roles and responsibilities of school boards, and a strong understanding of the knowledge and skills needed to build and support an effective governance structure that helps produce better outcomes for students.

“Completion of the Masters in Governance certificate demonstrates a trustee’s commitment to lifelong learning in support of California students,” CSBA President Suzanne Kitchens said. “Graduates of the program can feel confident they have the knowledge and skills needed to lead local educational agencies in the 21st century. I offer my congratulations to the 2021 graduates, who showed extreme dedication in a year with so many competing priorities.

Since its inception in 1998, more than 3,000 board members and superintendents have participated in the highly acclaimed certification program. To receive the Masters in Governance certificate, candidates must complete 35 hours of intensive training on the role of governance team in setting the direction of the district, student learning and achievement, school finance, human resources, policy and judicial review, collective bargaining, and community relations and advocacy.

For more information about CSBA’s Masters in Governance program, please contact Chief Information Officer Troy Flint at tflint@csba.org.

CSBA is a nonprofit education association representing nearly 1,000 K-12 school districts and county offices of education throughout California.