State leaders reimagining partnerships to support youth mental health

With youth mental health needs at an all-time high, it is critical that education, health and other necessary sectors come together to ensure children and young adults have access to resources and services, according to state health officials. The State Board of Education recently received […]

School Boards in Action: 5 Questions with Susan Macfarlane, Lodi USD

Susan Macfarlane, board president, Lodi Unified School District What does your district have planned for the 2022–23 school year to foster learning recovery and educational advancements? Lodi USD has employed a number of activities and program offerings to address learning recovery and education advancements, including […]

National PTA standards support engagement among underrepresented families

Research has long shown that family involvement in a child’s education can have significant positive impacts — particularly among students whose families face barrier to meaningful engagement, be it for linguistic, cultural or logistical reasons. In California, where local educational agencies are required to demonstrate […]

Districts can now begin efforts to build education workforce housing with less red tape

Survey after survey, study after study, lack of affordable housing close to the campuses in which they work continues to be one of the most cited reasons for why teachers and other school employees leave their positions or the education field entirely. This presents a […]

Schools play key role in supporting homeless students — if they can identify them

School districts are key to supporting homeless students and helping them overcome the challenges they face, however, this population is typically undercounted due to difficulties related to identification, according to the report Supporting students experiencing homelessness: District approaches to supports and funding, released by the […]

UC makes strides supporting Native American students; slow to progress in returning cultural artifacts

Beginning this fall, the University of California system is waiving tuition and fees for Native American students who are state residents and members of federally recognized tribes. The UC Native American Opportunity Plan aims to “advance critical efforts to expand student diversity and make the […]

Parent interest in COVID interventions suggests adjustments are needed

Throughout the 2021–22 school year, local educational agencies have developed interventions targeting students’ social-emotional, behavioral and mental health needs, but recent data show programs and resources may not be reaching the students and families most affected by the pandemic. Released in June by the Urban […]

School Boards in Action: Monterey Peninsula USD’s emergency short-term housing program with Motel 6

November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, but Monterey Peninsula Unified School District has been hard at work all year to support some of its most vulnerable students through a program that is the first of its kind in California, according to the district. Families […]

Schools play an important role in prevention and awareness of the fentanyl crisis

Headlines involving young people overdosing on opioids, sometimes while on school campuses, have become all too frequent. On Nov. 15, the California Department of Education hosted a webinar with guidance for schools regarding the opioid crisis. An example shared by CDE’s Deputy Superintendent of Operations […]