Promising policies in advancing language proficiency among newcomer students

Most newcomer students enter school with very low or beginning English language proficiency (ELP), but their language skills can develop rapidly under the right conditions, according to the first in a new series of briefs by Policy Analysis for California Education. While California does not […]

California districts support African American student achievement in K-12 and beyond

February is Black History Month, but local educational agencies and organizations from around the state are taking steps to support African American students’ success year-round.   The barriers and systemic racism facing African American students throughout their educational journeys, such as lack of access to […]

New tools available to support community school development and sustainability

Comprehensive community schools are needed now more than ever, according to experts who spoke during a Jan. 12 webinar hosted by the Center for Universal Education to launch the Community Schools Forward Task Force’s essential community school resources. In light of the immediate and lingering […]

Supporting unduplicated students with increased transportation funding

By Jeremy Anderson and Angela Asch Access to reliable home-to-school transportation for students improves attendance and cuts rates of chronic absenteeism, particularly for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Recent research from the University of Pennsylvania highlights evidence-based strategies to combat chronic absenteeism and found that […]

School finance reforms prove valuable for improving student achievement

Spoiler alert: financial investments in K-12 education matter greatly when it comes to ensuring equitable access and opportunities for students and improving academic achievement. A recent Learning Policy Institute webinar “Money Matters: Evidence Supporting Greater Investment in Public Education” covered the history of school finance […]

UC makes strides supporting Native American students; slow to progress in returning cultural artifacts

Beginning this fall, the University of California system is waiving tuition and fees for Native American students who are state residents and members of federally recognized tribes. The UC Native American Opportunity Plan aims to “advance critical efforts to expand student diversity and make the […]

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 […]

Report details how one county’s juvenile justice program effectively engages students

Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Road to Success Academies (RTSA), a comprehensive educational model for juvenile court schools that serve young people detained for extended periods of time, is successfully reigniting student engagement, according to a new study. Centering Care and Engagement: Understanding Implementation […]