Celebrate
Classified School Employee Week
May 17–23, 2020
California officially recognizes the important contributions of classified school employees each May during Classified School Employee Week This year, CSEA will honor classified employees with a week of online celebrations May 17-23. Each evening, the CSEA Board of Directors will be hosting events to salute the important contributions of classified employees and join together for fun, interactive online activities. All members are invited to participate and join in in the fun. Advance registration is required.
Below are photos from CSEW 2019. From left to right, Hanford High 461, Perris Valley 469 and Baldwin Park 28.
Photo courtesy of Hanford High 461
Photo by Brynnae Gibbs
Photo courtesy of Baldwin Park 28
History of CSEW
Since CSEA’s founding in 1927, members have strived to make their communities aware of classified employees’ contributions to public education.
Gov. Ronald Reagan first proclaimed Classified School Employee Week in 1969, stating that "The classified employee is proud of his status and the integral part he plays in the total field of education throughout the State of California."
In 1984, CSEA members passed a resolution to establish an official recognition week, and a year later it was adopted as a state-sponsored resolution. Then, in 1986, Senate Bill 1552 (Campbell) permanently solidified Classified School Employee Week (CSEW) as an annual week of statewide recognition.
Bill sponsor Senator William Campbell said, “I urge all citizens to work closely to take time out and to think about school days and recall the efforts of the bus drivers, secretaries, custodians and all the other classified staff they met and knew. As much as any other group of employees, the classified school staff is a valued and integral part of our public school system and their work is vital to our children’s success.”
The ensuing recognition led to newspaper articles and resolutions by local school districts. There were picnics, award ceremonies and other events. Over the years, the CSEW tradition has continued with celebrations held every third week of May.