New brief highlights do’s and don’ts of family engagement during pandemic

Open, regular communication and the development of routines will help families feel more prepared to handle extended COVID-19 school closures or the potential that districts must once again close their doors, according to a new brief from the EdResearch for Recovery Project. The report, “Engaging […]

Large donation of facemasks to be distributed to students in high-need communities

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced on Oct. 22 that the California Department of Education received 500,000 cloth facemasks donated by General Motors for students in need across the state. In a press conference announcing the donation, Thurmond said that allocation of the […]

Federal audit of disaster recovery funds finds LEA issues exacerbated by COVID-19

A new audit report from the U.S Government Accountability Office addressed to Congress examines how federal disaster recovery funds are being used in districts that received them, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has complicated fund implementation and exacerbated issues connected to natural disasters. In a […]

New report examines ways to rethink education as schools reopen

As local educational agencies across the country face decisions about when and how to reopen schools for in-person learning, the Learning Policy Institute has released a new report that looks at methods to rethink schools in ways that align with evidence-based policies and practices. Restarting […]

Ongoing digital divide concerns, possible solutions highlight Assembly hearing

A joint Assembly committee hearing on Oct. 14 offered an array of perspectives on the digital divide, which has long plagued California but is now being considered with new urgency due to the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread distance learning. New Reality: Students’ Access to the […]

Updated CDC guidance provides testing protocol recommendations for schools, including shift in broad testing strategies

With COVID-19 tests becoming more widely available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated guidance Oct. 13 on what K-12 school administrators and public health officials should consider when testing students or staff. “Interim Considerations for Testing for K-12 School Administrators and Public […]

Report examines how well schools served English learners during spring closures

Californians Together released a report in September examining the quality of instruction provided to English learners in the state’s schools during the spring when schools were suddenly shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization reviewed 79 school districts’ COVID-19 Operation Written Reports to help […]