Supporting literacy: What a new survey shows, and one LEA’s efforts to get ahead of the curve

RAND American Teacher Panel findings released Aug. 29 show 40 percent of grade 3-8 teachers hold misconceptions about how students develop word-reading skills, and almost 75 percent say that they need access to more resources to identify and support students with reading difficulties. The San […]

Diversifying STEM fields one student at a time

A diverse workforce in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) not only provides more potential for innovation by leveraging different backgrounds, experiences and points of view, but students who enter these fields are likely to experience higher median earnings and lower rates of unemployment compared […]

State Board of Education discusses changes to LCAP instructions and innovating systems

The California State Board of Education’s Sept. 11 meeting discussed several items related to the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) template instructions and guidance on digital learning integration and math. It also continued the conversation from the board’s July study session about state policies […]

Congressional committee details the range of benefits school meal programs provide

Investing in school meal programs not only supports children’s well-being and combats food insecurity for the estimated 3.3 million households in which children face food insecurity nationwide, it also boosts the economy, according to a report released in August by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic […]

Cross-sector collaboration needed to improve, expand AI-use in schools

Schools lag in preparing teachers and students for the impact of the unprecedented technological shift that’s been ushered in by artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new report from the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE). In April 2024, CRPE convened more than 60 state […]

Report spotlights need to continue social-emotional services even after federal pandemic funding ends

With Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds that have been essential to local educational agencies’ efforts to support students’ mental health and academic needs running dry, a report by EdTrust calls on state leaders to take stock of what worked and prioritize using […]

New toolkit details how LEAs can align preschool/TK with California English Learner Roadmap

Californians Together released a toolkit on Aug. 7 to support coherent and aligned implementation of the California English Learner Roadmap for preschool and transitional kindergarten students. The California Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and the principles of the English Learner Roadmap work together […]