U.S. school facilities need vastly increased state and federal funding

Despite local educational agency efforts to ramp up investments in school facilities, the U.S. now faces an annual $90 billion shortfall in school facility funding after years of massive, chronic underinvestment, according to a recent report from the 21st Century School Fund, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and the National Council on School Facilities.

New school safety resource aims to support California’s most marginalized young people

A new toolkit from the Children’s Partnership’s All In For Safe Schools — a California-based campaign bringing together TK-12 nonprofit leaders to support educators in creating safe, welcoming and inclusive learning environments — offers a comprehensive hub designed to help educators implement safe, inclusive practices, with clear “Know Your Rights” guidance.

Celebrating California Arts Education Month

California Arts Education Month, recognized each March, is a time to celebrate, promote and advocate for high-quality arts education. The 2025 Golden Bell Award-winning Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts provides pre-professional training in nine arts disciplines such as costume design, dance, various forms of music, media and theater tech to more than 700 students annually. By combining academic rigor with industry-based instruction, the magnet program prepares students for futures in the arts with A-G coursework, career technical education pathways, portfolios and real-world experience, all while fostering personal growth and well-being. 

New report outlines current early education and child care policy and spending by state

The National Women’s Law Center on Jan. 9 published the report, Progress and Setbacks: State Child Care and Early Education Updates 2025, which examined depleting federal support for the child care sector and how it has impacted state spending.

School climate’s impact on attendance

Attendance rates improve when a school develops meaningful family engagement, and when students feel safe and have positive relationships with peers and teachers. According to new research from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, these positive factors of school climate have become especially impactful since the pandemic.

New brief details best practices around supporting student mental health, and what practices to avoid

About 40 percent of high schoolers now report persistent sadness or hopelessness, which is why nearly all public schools currently provide some form of mental health support. However, despite the desire of local educational agencies to provide students the resources they need, many leaders report that limited staffing, unclear roles and crisis-driven demands make it difficult to deliver timely, effective care to every student who needs it.

CDE webinar spotlights important considerations for closing literacy gaps among Black students

The California Department of Education (CDE) hosted a webinar in January to equip local educational agency leaders, educators and other stakeholders with best practices and actionable strategies to improve literacy outcomes for Black students. With Black History Month in full swing, now is a perfect time for administrators and governance teams to revisit the discussion.

One school’s effort to get kids moving has improved student behavior and climate

The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) team and leadership at Avalon Elementary in the Val Verde Unified School District adopted a simple change to the school’s morning routine that has led to positive shifts in student behavior and campus culture.