State Board Report: Growth model, other long-term projects receive final approval

The State Board of Education’s virtual May 12–13 meeting overlapped with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement that he was proposing $93.7 billion in Proposition 98 funding for 2021–22, with increases in spending on early learning, wraparound services, community schools, nutrition programs and extended learning opportunities in […]

SBE approves Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum and pursuit of federal COVID student assessment waivers and flexibilities

The State Board of Education met virtually March 16–18 to discuss a number of big-ticket items that drew passionate debate from the public regarding the final adoption of the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, waivers from federal assessment requirements and more. Board President Linda Darling-Hammond noted […]

State Board Report: January meeting moves forward state literacy plan and ESSA amendments

Now almost a year since COVID-19 took hold in the United States, local, state and federal policymakers continue to grapple with how to ensure students receive equitable learning opportunities in a distance learning setting. Those challenges are beginning to stretch into school reopening planning, and […]

Education leaders emphasize progress, adopt shorter statewide exams for next year

State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond opened the board’s November meeting by acknowledging the challenges that the state’s students, teachers, families and administrators are facing while outlining the progress they have made in reopening schools. Darling-Hammond outlined the impact that a public health crisis, […]

State Board: Leaders address immensely challenging times; criteria approved for Seal of Civic Engagement

State education leaders opened Thursday, Sept. 10’s State Board of Education meeting by pledging their support for K–12 schools and communities across the state and recognizing the heroic work of local educational agencies in a monumentally challenging school year. While the scramble continues to close […]

State Board meeting focuses on tools to help LEAs plan for uncertain school year

With great uncertainty still clouding the 2020–21 school year, the State Board of Education focused much of its attention at its July 8–9 virtual meeting on the tools available to local educational agencies to prepare for the in-flux return of students and staff to the […]

State Board Report: May virtual meeting focuses on new realities, future projects and plans amid COVID-19

At its first meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic completely changed the shape of California’s public school system, the State Board of Education on May 7 virtually addressed how the crisis will shift its own policy work, priorities and timelines. Much of the discussion focused on […]

Dashboard updates stir strong State Board debate; coronavirus impacts discussed

A regular annual update to the State Board of Education at its March 11–12 meeting about the California School Dashboard raised serious questions and concerns from board members about several proposals. While only an information item, the board informed California Department of Education staff that […]

New LCAP template adopted, host of other topics discussed at State Board meeting

The streamlined new Local Control and Accountability Plan template should be easier both for local educational agencies to complete and use and for stakeholders to understand, California Department of Education and State Board of Education officials said upon the adoption of the new document at […]

State Board focuses on System of Support’s local impacts, ESSA compliance issues

The Nov. 6 State Board of Education meeting featured presentations from two county offices of education involved in the State System of Support that explored how the connection between the work of lead agencies, COEs and local educational agencies can lead to positive outcomes for […]