Results of lead tests released in May by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) show one in four California child care centers have alarming levels of lead in drinking water, putting children at risk for serious long-term complications that could impact their education and health outcomes. […]
Year: 2023
Nature-based learning beneficial for young children
Nature is an ideal learning environment that can benefit young people in a multitude of ways, according to the report Nurturing All Children in Nature: Ideal Learning in the Natural World, released by the Trust for Learning in April. Research has shown that nature-based learning […]
Legal update: ELA to file amicus brief in support of trustees in Garnier v. O’Connor-Ratcliff
In CSBA’s winter 2022 magazine, the Legal Team provided a summary of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Garnier v. O’Connor-Ratcliff, which held that the decision of two school board members to block some constituents from accessing private social media accounts used by […]
Testing result disparities spark intense discussion in Commission on Teacher Credentialing meeting
In the June 15-16 meeting of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the commission approved the transmittal of the second annual report to the Legislature on implementation on Senate Bill 488, which eliminates the Reading Competence Instruction Assessment (RICA), and had an impassioned discussion on […]
CCEE staff recaps resources available to LEAs; What to expect in the new fiscal year
The governing board of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) met virtually on June 15 to receive updates from each of its three centers on endeavors with school districts and county offices of education. Executive Director Matthew Navo reported on the agency’s goals for […]
Community buy-in necessary for learning recovery efforts to work
Where children lived during the pandemic mattered more to their academic progress than their family background, income or internet speed, according to The Education Recovery Scorecard, released in May by the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University (CEPR) and Stanford University’s Educational Opportunity […]
Mt. Diablo USD working to reduce chronic absenteeism amongst foster youth
An East Bay school district’s efforts to improve attendance and academic outcomes for one of its most vulnerable student groups — foster youth — was discussed during the recent California Department of Education webinar, “Reducing Chronic Absenteeism for Foster Youth: MTSS Case Study.” As local […]
Legislature releases 2023–24 budget bills
In preparation for the June 15 deadline to pass a budget bill, leadership in the Senate and Assembly have announced an agreement on the 2023–24 budget. Each house has put its initial budget legislation into print as Assembly Bill 101 and Senate Bill 101. The […]
Court upholds Political Reform Act amendments under SB 1439
Senate Bill 1439 became effective on Jan. 1, 2023. The bill amended the Political Reform Act (PRA), approved by the voters in 1974, by eliminating an exception to the prohibition on “pay-to play” campaign contribution that applied to local elected officials. Because the exception was […]
Schools can be affirming, safe places for LGBTQ youth amid book ban disputes
Public, sometimes vitriolic, debate surrounding student access to books that positively portray lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning (LGBTQ) characters can have negative impacts on children’s mental health and well-being, even if they don’t attend schools in districts where these conversations are taking place. “Even […]