California’s largest school districts have made significant inroads in providing culturally diverse, plant-based school meals to students, according to a recent report from Friends of the Earth, a nonprofit that advocates for environmentally sustainable practices. Plant-Based Trends in California’s School Lunches shows that availability of […]
Author: Alisha Kirby
Advocates express concern over pesticide levels in air surrounding schools in agriculture communities
On Oct. 14, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) released its annual Air Monitoring Report declaring that no air samples taken at monitoring sites — all located on or near a school site — in 2023 detected pesticides at or above health-protective screening levels […]
Early childhood data needed to improve services, access and outcomes
Participation in high-quality early care and education programs is crucial in setting children up for success in K-12 and beyond. But challenges including families receiving limited information about services; service providers being overburdened by data submission requirements; and policymakers knowing little about these services and […]
Study finds mixed results from banning suspensions in early grades
A new working paper published by the Annenberg Institute at Brown University examines the statewide ban Maryland placed on exclusionary discipline practices for K-2 students, and notes the implications the findings have for the many state and local bans implemented across the country. While the […]
Expert panel details strategies to help LEAs support undocumented students
Californians Together hosted a Nov. 7 webinar featuring lawyers and school practitioners discussing undocumented youth, partnership models for local educational agencies and legal service providers, and what’s next for federal and state policy. “In supporting our immigrant students and communities, we are facing extraordinary uncertainty […]
School Boards in Action: 5 Questions with Madonna M. Gerrell, Palm Springs USD
Madonna M. Gerrell, board president, Palm Springs Unified School District How long have you been on the school board and why are you passionate about your work? For the past eight years, I have actively served as a member of the Palm Springs Unified School […]
Bringing Native history closer to the source
Irene Kearns recalls what it was like to learn California history that didn’t align with what she’s learned from her parents as a child — including the field trips to Gold Rush territory and local missions — only to turn around and be expected to […]
State Board delays changes to student assessment reports, finalizes LCAP template
During its final meeting of 2024, the California State Board of Education (SBE) pushed back updates to student assessment reporting, adopted revisions to the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) template, and heard ideas from student leaders throughout the state to improve their outcomes and […]
Survey shows school shooter drills do not make teachers feel safe or prepared for a real incident
One in six teachers nationwide works in a district impacted by gun violence since the 2019–20 school year, according to a Rand Corp. report released Sept. 18. Additionally, teachers were more concerned about being victims of gun violence in the 2023–24 school year than in […]
New report details reasons for charter school closures, recommendations for improvement
More than a quarter of charter schools close within the first five years of operation, according to a recent report by the National Center for Charter School Accountability that examined charter school closures from 1998 to 2022. By year 20, the rate reaches 55 percent. […]