County leaders, managers, and staff from across the state
gathered in downtown Sacramento last week to unpack the
complexities of 1991 Realignment and 2011 Realignment. The 97
attendees represented more than 30 counties and nearly filled the
14th floor of Esquire Tower, one of the newest and
tallest buildings near the Capitol.
The two-day course was lead by three realignment experts
with extensive real-world experience:
Day 1 focused on the core dynamics that continue to shape
and reshape local and state responsibilities and funding streams
for realignment programs. This included a presentation from CSAC
Chief Policy Officer Jacqueline Wong-Hernandez on the
connections between longstanding realignment issues and emerging
shifts in the California Legislature.
On Day 2, the faculty facilitated a deeper dive. Participants
used online spreadsheets, interactive exercises, and a range of
comparative examples to better understand how realignment funding
works and why each component of realignment has the particular
shape that it does. One result was that the instructors managed
to help bridge a knowledge gap between participants with
financial expertise and those with program expertise.
The course’s wide-ranging activities encouraged both groups to
understand each other’s perspective, identify connections, and
find ways of collaborating.
The CSAC Institute plans to host Realignment 101 twice
in 2024. If interested in participating in our
next Realignment 101, please regularly visit
CSACinstitute.org to check for updated schedules.
