Excessive amounts of lead found in water of California child care centers

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

Students are struggling with burnout, stress, anger and depression, parent survey finds

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

New report recommends state and federal spending changes to better support homeless youth

Identifying and supporting homeless youth can be as difficult as it is crucial to ensuring equitable outcomes among some of a local educational agency’s most vulnerable students. Approximately 1.3 million students in the United States were identified as experiencing some form of homelessness in 2019–20 […]