California School News Weekly Update: October 16, 2026

This Weekly Update provides members with the latest news from the association as well as important education-related developments. CSBA was recently the subject of a malicious cyberattack resulting in outages to some internal systems, including the primary CSBA website, training registration and email marketing systems. […]

Larkspur-Corte Madera SD takes a holistic approach to edtech bolstered by staff, student and family engagement

The start to the 2026–27 school year in Larkspur-Corte Madera School District (LCMSD) looked a bit different than prior years. The first two weeks were device free in the K-8 district, which serves about 1,200 students in the Bay Area. Each grade level received six lessons focused on digital citizenship and wellness created by Common Sense Media. Educators focused on creating a positive classroom climate and culture, setting expectations for technology use and how to work and engage with one another.

New research shows continued achievement gaps for youth experiencing homelessness, offers recommendations to support stronger outcomes

New research from the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools documents persistent disparities in academic achievement, graduation, attendance and school discipline, as well as substantial racial and geographic disparities among children who experience homelessness.

Webinar highlights how improving family engagement among students experiencing homelessness can improve attendance

Research has long shown that strong family engagement at schools can improve student achievement and help combat chronic absence, but for the more than 1.5 million students experiencing homelessness, it’s even more crucial to helping children reach graduation.

New research looks at use of academic criteria in reclassifying English learners

Should academic criteria be used in the process of reclassifying multilingual/English learners (ML-ELs) as English proficient? The answer is not straightforward, according to research released Sept. 18 by the Brookings Institution. The study examined what happens to secondary school ML-ELs when a state brings academic content knowledge into the reclassification process.

Experts call for stronger procurement of AI and better measurement of how it impacts student learning

Most artificial intelligence (AI) tools in K-12 classrooms are still judged by adoption, engagement and how much time they save educators, rather than the impact they have on teaching and learning, according to a Sept. 16 panel discussion hosted by Brisk Teaching, a platform that provides educators with AI-driven tools.

Study examines breakdowns in communication between schools and the public, offers suggestions for improvement

The experience a parent or community member has when they call the main office, complete a registration form, ask a transportation question, navigate a website or portal, raise a concern, request language access or any number of other interactions shapes the way they feel about their school or district.

Survey results show bipartisan, widespread support for regulation of AI in classrooms

In a time of extreme fragmentation, the majority of Americans, regardless of political affiliation, agree on one thing, according to survey data from The Century Foundation: They want stronger governmental regulation on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other technology in K-12 schools.

Study highlights roadblocks to bilingual education for older students and suggestions to address them

New research from the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) found that bilingual education programs are heavily concentrated in elementary grades, leaving many older multilingual learners without a strong path to building proficiency and mastering grade-level content.