School district interest is overwhelming the funds available for projects through the state’s new full-day kindergarten facilities program. Seventy districts filed 261 project applications totaling $324.3 million in the first filing round ending Jan. 31, staff told State Allocation Board members at their Feb. 27 […]
Legislative Update: SB 126 passes Assembly Education Committee, heads to floor
On Tuesday, Feb. 26, Senate Bill 126 (Leyva and O’Donnell), a charter school transparency bill, passed the Assembly Education Committee with a 5-1 vote and was sent to the Assembly Floor, where it is likely to be taken up for a vote this week. SB […]
Learning Policy Institute report outlines need for greater funding to bolster state reforms
Nearly six years after California’s K-12 educational system entered into the era of the “California Way,” with the Local Control Funding Formula at its foundation, a Learning Policy Institute report finds that greater funding is needed to fully realize the state’s goals. The institute’s report, […]
Budget battles hit schools as Oakland Unified teachers go on strike
Oakland Unified School District teachers walked out of their classes Thursday, Feb. 21. As part of the strike, the Oakland Education Association, a union representing teachers, is asking for a 12 percent raise over three years, smaller class sizes and the hiring of more counselors […]
Flushing lead from school pipes remains a work in progress
As School Nutrition Month kicks off in March, California is making progress on a key issue impacting daily nutrition at school — water. But there is still room for improvement and a need for more information, a recent report finds. The report, “Early Adopters: State Approaches […]
Charter school transparency bill passes Senate, on fast track to Gov. Newsom’s desk
UPDATE: Charter school transparency bill SB 126 passes Senate 34-2, sent to Assembly Senate Bill 126, a charter school transparency measure, passed the Senate Floor today (Thurs., Feb. 21) with a 34-2 vote after passing the Senate Education Committee in a unanimous 7-0 vote on […]
Report: K-12 cybersecurity incidents, risks growing across the country
K-12 local educational agencies nationwide experienced both more frequent and more significant cybersecurity incidents in 2018, according to a new report from The K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center. Data suggests the incidents did not discriminate by district type, location or size. There were 122 publicly reported […]
Dollars for scholars: Awards available for school district programs
With school districts statewide cutting budgets due to rising expenses, funding to pay for public school equipment and programs essential to a well-rounded education can often be in short supply. To help offset some of these expenses, the Scholar Dollars program is awarding more than […]
Governance team role, effectiveness cited as critical at CCEE meeting
The important role of governance teams and their ties to district success was highlighted at the Feb. 7 California Collaborative for Educational Excellence board meeting in downtown Sacramento. In addition to its main role working with the California Department of Education and county offices of […]
Hard-hit educators testify on wildfire response and recovery at state hearing
Educators from across California provided emotional testimony at a Feb. 6 hearing about the impact of recent wildfires on schools and communities. In what several speakers called the “new normal” due to climate change and a now year-round fire season, firestorms have caused unprecedented damage […]