California School Employees Association
Political OrganizationsCalifornia, United States201-500 Employees
The California School Employees Association is a labor union representing more than 250,000 school support staff across California, making it the largest classified school employees union in the United States. It covers a broad range of roles in public schools and community colleges, including security, food services, clerical work, maintenance and operations, transportation, academic support, paraeducator services, library and media assistance, and computer services. Based in San Jose, California, the organization operates as a member-governed union with nearly 800 local chapters statewide, governed by a Board of Directors and professional staff under an Executive Director; it traces its origins to 1927 when Oakland custodians formed the group, and it became an independently chartered AFL-CIO union in 2001. The association positions itself within the political organizations sector as a representative body that seeks to improve the lives of its members as well as students and communities through advocacy and collective actions. A recent development is a partnership with Santa Barbara Unified announced for August 1, 2024, with negotiations updates distributed to inform the community.