Where children lived during the pandemic mattered more to their academic progress than their family background, income or internet speed, according to The Education Recovery Scorecard, released in May by the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University (CEPR) and Stanford University’s Educational Opportunity […]
Mt. Diablo USD working to reduce chronic absenteeism amongst foster youth
An East Bay school district’s efforts to improve attendance and academic outcomes for one of its most vulnerable student groups — foster youth — was discussed during the recent California Department of Education webinar, “Reducing Chronic Absenteeism for Foster Youth: MTSS Case Study.” As local […]
Legislature releases 2023–24 budget bills
In preparation for the June 15 deadline to pass a budget bill, leadership in the Senate and Assembly have announced an agreement on the 2023–24 budget. Each house has put its initial budget legislation into print as Assembly Bill 101 and Senate Bill 101. The […]
Court upholds Political Reform Act amendments under SB 1439
Senate Bill 1439 became effective on Jan. 1, 2023. The bill amended the Political Reform Act (PRA), approved by the voters in 1974, by eliminating an exception to the prohibition on “pay-to play” campaign contribution that applied to local elected officials. Because the exception was […]
Schools can be affirming, safe places for LGBTQ youth amid book ban disputes
Public, sometimes vitriolic, debate surrounding student access to books that positively portray lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning (LGBTQ) characters can have negative impacts on children’s mental health and well-being, even if they don’t attend schools in districts where these conversations are taking place. “Even […]
Students are struggling with burnout, stress, anger and depression, parent survey finds
A recent survey of 2,000 parents of school-aged children revealed significant concerns around their child’s mental health and desired supports. Seventy percent of respondents felt their child is experiencing more burnout than they are and six in 10 parents have noticed their child coming home […]
California must incentivize and support further efforts to expand TK programming
In an effort to expand transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-old children in California by 2025–26, local educational agencies have focused their efforts on developing facilities and ensuring suitable staffing, but state leaders must turn their attention to promoting high-quality teaching and learning if universal TK […]
Extreme weather events’ impact on students with disabilities
The National Council on Disability on May 4 released the report, The Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on People with Disabilities, which includes an overview of past emergencies and recommendations to support mitigation efforts aimed at lessening the effects of catastrophic natural disasters on the more […]
Panel says LEAs need emergency plans in place as cyberattacks increase in public schools
Cybersecurity is in flux across the public sector, with traditional processes and tools proving inadequate for today’s global threats. Some school districts and county offices of education are at particular risk since they currently lack the internal resources, capacity or expertise to mount an effective […]
Legal update: State officials weigh in on removal of library books and instructional materials from school settings
On June 1, 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond issued a joint letter related to book bans and the legal standards that guide decisions related to limiting instructional materials and resources available in school libraries. […]