A recent survey of 2,000 parents of school-aged children revealed significant concerns around their child’s mental health and desired supports. Seventy percent of respondents felt their child is experiencing more burnout than they are and six in 10 parents have noticed their child coming home […]
Year: 2023
California must incentivize and support further efforts to expand TK programming
In an effort to expand transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-old children in California by 2025–26, local educational agencies have focused their efforts on developing facilities and ensuring suitable staffing, but state leaders must turn their attention to promoting high-quality teaching and learning if universal TK […]
Extreme weather events’ impact on students with disabilities
The National Council on Disability on May 4 released the report, The Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on People with Disabilities, which includes an overview of past emergencies and recommendations to support mitigation efforts aimed at lessening the effects of catastrophic natural disasters on the more […]
Panel says LEAs need emergency plans in place as cyberattacks increase in public schools
Cybersecurity is in flux across the public sector, with traditional processes and tools proving inadequate for today’s global threats. Some school districts and county offices of education are at particular risk since they currently lack the internal resources, capacity or expertise to mount an effective […]
Legal update: State officials weigh in on removal of library books and instructional materials from school settings
On June 1, 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond issued a joint letter related to book bans and the legal standards that guide decisions related to limiting instructional materials and resources available in school libraries. […]
CSBA-sponsored bills pass first house deadline
CSBA-sponsored legislation made it through the most recent legislative gauntlet as the Senate and Assembly raced to finish their work last week before the June 2 deadline to pass bills out of their house of origin. The house of origin deadline marks the halfway point […]
Students must be familiar with AI to be future ready, experts say
How schools can equip students with conceptual knowledge about artificial intelligence (AI) was discussed by experts and education leaders during a May 24 webinar hosted by the California Department of Education. AI literacy will be important in order to help young people contribute to an […]
President signs debt ceiling legislation
By Erika Hoffman On June 3, President Joe Biden signed into law House Resolution 3746, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which suspends the U.S. government’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling until 2025, thereby averting a default on the country’s debts. The House passed the legislation […]
California leads the way in electric school buses
More California schools are switching to electric-powered school buses than any other state, according to a new report from CALSTART, a nonprofit consortium that advocates for efficient and clean high-tech transportation. A combination of federal, state and local funding opportunities has led to a significant […]
Governor, AG and SPI weigh in on book bans with a joint letter
On June 1, 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond sent a joint letter to California superintendents and school principals under the heading, “Educational Rights and Requests to Remove Instructional Materials Statewide.” The joint letter advised county and […]