Lawmakers across 37 states introduced nearly 150 bills in 2022 designed to limit educators’ latitude to address racism, inequity, bias, structural injustices, and gender and sexuality issues in school. At least 20 states enacted laws or executive orders to prevent civic learning and discussion of […]
Author: Alisha Kirby
Recruitment and retention top of mind for large, urban districts
Only about half of the 100 largest urban districts in the U.S. intend to bolster staff recruitment efforts through training local talent, offering bonuses or creating more flexible job roles, according to an ongoing review of district spending plans conducted by the Center on Reinventing […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Low-income youth need expanded access to Medicaid services
The state Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) must do more to ensure children in the California Medical Assistance Program (Medi‑Cal) receive preventive health services, according to a Sept. 13 report from the California State Auditor’s office. Schools can play a significant role in accomplishing this. […]
SBE wraps up 2022 by looking ahead on LCAPs, assessments and student need
The State Board of Education’s Nov. 2–3 meeting shined a spotlight on student voice, saw the adoption of changes to the California Spanish Assessment and California School Dashboard principles, as well as new resources to help teachers access and utilize disaggregated English learner student group […]
California’s Yurok tribe is revitalizing language in and out of the classroom
More than 150 years of targeted eradication of Native Americans in the U.S. and suppression of their languages and culture through federal boarding schools and other means forced many young people to abandon their ancestral ties. Spanning parts of Del Norte and Humboldt counties, the […]
Humboldt COE launches new network, providing rural families with high-speed internet
A new high-speed digital internet system was launched Oct. 4 in Fairhaven as part of a statewide effort to reduce California’s digital divide — especially in rural areas where broadband access has long been unavailable. The network in Fairhaven, located about 2 miles southwest of […]