Longtime Solana Beach School District board member Dr. Debra Schade was recently selected to serve as California School Boards Association (CSBA) president, representing the more than 1,000 school districts and county offices of education and more than 5,000 school trustees in the state.
Schade has been on the Solana Beach board for 23 years and has held numerous leadership roles across her terms, currently she’s the board vice president. Last year she was the 2025 CSBA President-elect and previously held the role of vice president of the San Diego County School Boards Association.
“It is an honor to be elected CSBA president, and I appreciate my colleagues’ faith in me. As CSBA president, I’m committed to listening to our members and reminding us all that every decision we make shapes a child’s future,” said Schade in a news release. “This work may be hard, but it is filled with purpose and joy. Serving on a school board is not just governance — it is a promise to your community that you will help every student discover their potential.”
According to the press release, Schade attended public schools around the country and abroad, due to her father’s career as a naval officer and pilot. As a student, she experienced many different education systems which helped shape her philosophy around the importance of a high-quality education and consistent standards.
Schade attended Auburn University where she studied business administration. She continued her education earning a Master of Science degree in exercise science from the University of Arizona, completed coursework in the Doctor of Education (EdD) program at Point Loma Nazarene University, and received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in public health from the University of Alabama.
A Solana Beach resident for over 30 years, her three sons all went through the district schools.
Serving at the CSBA level, Schade is able to advocate for all students and work to close the achievement gap.
“Across the state, local educational agencies are working tirelessly to accelerate learning through professional development, mentorship, tutoring, family engagement and other targeted strategies. But the data tells us the truth: incremental progress is not enough. When only 36 percent of our students are proficient in math, it means 64 percent are being left behind. That is a call to action we cannot ignore,” Schade said in the news release. “That is why CSBA is urging the state to adopt a unified, focused state-level strategy to better support school districts and county offices of education in their work to close the achievement gap. We need aligned funding, legislation, accountability and high expectations, all working toward the same goal. The timing is urgent because our students cannot wait. Closing the achievement gap is not just an education issue. It is a community issue. When students rise, California rises.”
