The records of the California State Board of Education consist of 110 cubic feet, 358 bound volumes, and audiocassettes of records covering the period 1866 through 2004. The official Board meeting minutes make up the bulk of this record group and range from 1866-2004.

The State Board of Education is the governing and policy-making body of the Department of Education. First created in 1852 (Stats. 1852, ch. 52) the Board initially consisted of the Governor, the Surveyor General, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction who also served as its secretary and executive officer. In 1866, the Board was enlarged (Stats. 1865-66, ch. 342) to include the Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Principal of the State Normal School, the Superintendents of Common Schools of San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Clara, and San Joaquin Counties, and two professional teachers nominated by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Superintendents of Common Schools of Alameda and Sonoma Counties were added in 1870. A constitutional amendment in 1884 set up a new Board consisting of the Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Principals of the State Normal Schools (Const. 1879, Art. IX, sec. 7, amended 1884). The President of the University of California and a professor of pedagogy were added to the Board in 1894.

110 cubic feet, 358 volumes and 530 audiotapes

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.

Collection is open for research.