The results of a recent nationwide survey show that many teachers believe different social and demographic identities have an impact on children’s success in school, but far fewer feel comfortable discussing these in the classroom. Researchers from NORC at the University of Chicago and Sesame […]
Author: Alisha Kirby
New resources to help districts smooth transition from pre-K to kindergarten
Research has long linked student participation in high-quality pre-K programs to increased college attendance rates, higher levels of academic achievement, improved cognitive and social-emotional development and the ability to better adjust to different social environments. Participation in average or low-quality programs, meanwhile, has been shown […]
Small District Spotlight: Big Sur Unified School District
Eleven students were enrolled in the single K-12 school that comprises Big Sur Unified School District during the 2017–18 school year. The feeling that everyone is family is so ingrained that officials often have to remind students who have been there almost their entire lives […]
Districts can further increase young voter turnout by providing strong civics education
Teenage voting hit a historic high in the 2018 midterm elections, with voter turnout rates for 18- and 19-year-olds reaching 22 percent. High School Voter Education Weeks, officially designated as Sept. 17–29 this year, presents another opportunity for school and district leaders to spread awareness […]
California initiative breeds new generation of leaders to support English learners
There were close to 1.2 million English learners in California public schools during the 2018–19 school year, constituting more than 19 percent of total student enrollment. While the social and political landscapes are ever shifting around these children, advocates continue to push to ensure these […]
Report finds dearth of available housing for Bay Area teachers, calls for inspired solutions
Most teachers in San Francisco and San Mateo counties don’t make enough to pay for market-rate rent or purchase a home near their schools yet make too much to qualify for housing assistance programs, according to a new report by the Council of Community Housing […]
Report: Creating safe and engaging school environments can boost student attendance
Creating an engaging, supportive, welcoming and culturally responsive school environment can help to reduce absence rates — something on the minds of all school and district officials with Attendance Awareness Month in full swing. A new report from Attendance Works calls on school boards and […]
LPI report highlights districts closing opportunity gaps and their strategies
Many districts in California have struggled to adequately support underserved student groups through changes in curriculum, school funding and student assessments in the last five years, but a recent report from the Learning Policy Institute found more than one hundred districts bucking that trend. They […]
As another recession looms, states can strengthen education funding to soften the blow to schools
Financial experts have said time and time again that it is not a matter of if the United States will experience another recession, but when. And although it is extremely difficult to forecast when the economy will shift, or how policymakers at the local, state […]
E-cigarette maker Juul allegedly still marketing to teens
Two new lawsuits out of Illinois are targeting the San Francisco e-cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs Inc. for allegedly using deceptive marketing campaigns to target teens. News of the complaints broke just under a year after reports that the company had offered districts in California stipends […]