by Dr. Lynn Silver Statewide and local efforts to support healthier schools and students have blossomed from Humboldt to Imperial Counties. These efforts are bearing fruit today. California school districts are approving and implementing increasingly innovative wellness policies and practices. To gauge progress on school […]
New mathematics placement law may take effect Jan. 1
by Gina Dalma Starting Jan. 1, 2016, school districts across the state could be called upon to develop and adopt a fair, objective and transparent mathematics placement policy for all students entering 9th grade. Under legislation currently awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature, districts would have until […]
Smarter Balanced Assessments: Keep results in perspective for students and their families
by Kathy Caric With the release of California’s new Common Core-aligned test results for students from the third through the eighth grades, and 11th graders, the following is a perspective from the front lines. The commentary originally appeared as a From the Field piece in […]
Close the achievement gap by reducing the attendance gap
by Hedy Chang September is attendance awareness month. To kick it off, CSBA invited Attendance Works Director Hedy Chang to address chronic absence and how school boards, superintendents and other education stakeholders can work together to help solve it. More students in California, just over […]
Leadership Matters in the Reserve Cap Policy Debate
by School Services of California, Inc. staff We have written quite a number of negative articles outlining the potentially disastrous financial effects of the reserve cap policy contained in Senate Bill 858 enacted in June 2014. We think that the education community is well informed […]
Minding the DROPS: Water conservation projects teach awareness at schools
by Renee Cashmere As a first and second grader in the Bay Area in 1976-77, an epic drought made impressions upon me that have lasted a lifetime. Even before the more recent drought began, I remembered the conservation rules all Californian’s were required to follow back then. […]
Physical Activity Key to Fitter, Smarter Kids
This is the fifth in a series of blog posts by the Council for a Strong America highlighting creative partnerships between communities, boards and school districts. By Gary W. Hall, Jr., Olympian. Today, we know that the number on the scale can be a matter […]
Extended Learning Time Key to Workforce-Ready Students
This is the fourth in a series of blog posts by the Council for a Strong America highlighting creative partnerships between communities, boards and school districts. By Teresa Goodwin, Regional Director of HPA, Inc. When I was in elementary school, I attended class year-round. My parents […]
Access to Water Key to Healthy Students, Safe Nation
This is the third in a series of blog posts by the Council for a Strong America highlighting creative partnerships between communities, boards and school districts. By Brigadier General David Brahms, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) It’s more than just a story on the evening news. […]
Classrooms or Crime?
This is the second in a series of blog posts by the Council for a Strong America highlighting creative partnerships between communities, boards and school districts. By Sheriff Adam Christianson Preventing kids from turning to a life of crime, that’s basically what it comes down […]