In a small conference room above a restaurant a few blocks from the State Capitol, a group of high school students sit in a circle to discuss education and advocacy. After each student speaks, the group snaps in response. The snaps are a way to […]
National PDK poll: Public wants schools to focus on career prep, personal skills
While Americans still view traditional academic coursework as valuable, not everyone agrees that academic preparation should be the only priority of public schools, according to the 2017 Phi Delta Kappan (PDK) Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools. Eighty-two percent of the adults […]
Cyber thieves target school districts
Schools and districts are being advised to safeguard against cyberattacks. The latest threat is from cyber bandits threatening to release student records if schools do not pay a ransom to retrieve their records. In some cases threats of violence have also been used. According to […]
Member Profile: Emily Murase
Each issue of California Schools Magazine features a short interview with a CSBA member. Below is an unabridged transcript of the Member Profile featured in the Fall 2017 issue — an interview with Emily Murase, Ph.D., a board member in the San Francisco Unified School District. […]
CSBA video and governance brief resources on CAASPP scores
In September, the California Department of Education released the results of the 2016–17 Smarter Balanced English language arts/literacy and mathematics assessments. Compared to the previous year’s results, scores remained relatively flat across all grade levels and student groups, while troubling achievement gaps persist. To help […]
Celebrating Filipino-Americans in California
As Filipino-American History Month draws to a close, state schools and educators are encouraged to raise awareness of Filipino-American history. Filipinos are the largest Asian-American group in California and the second largest in the United States. About 1.3 percent or roughly 18,500 students in California’s […]
New dyslexia guidelines available online
The California Department of Education recently released the new “California Dyslexia Guidelines” online to help educators and parents recognize the signs of dyslexia and ensure that dyslexic students receive an equitable education. The new guidelines are a result of Assembly Bill 1369, a law which […]
Instructional Quality Commission approves LGBT-Inclusive Textbooks
At its Sept. 28 meeting, the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC), an advisory body to the State Board of Education that makes recommendations about curriculum and instruction, approved 10 of 12 K-8 social studies textbook series containing material about the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and […]
Natural disaster resources for schools and districts
This week’s wildfires in Northern California and Southern California have left school districts and students in a state of emergency. These devastating fires have destroyed neighborhoods, forced many schools to remain closed, displaced families and students and are an ongoing concern. In response, state and local […]
Latino Students in California: A Snapshot
Latinos are an important part of California’s cultural fabric and are central to the state’s future and economic prosperity. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, we are taking a look at some key demographic and achievement […]