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 […]
Author: Alisha Kirby
The role of socioeconomic factors in achievement gaps
Results from a new study from the Fordham Institute find truth in what educators have long said: Achievement gaps in school are impacted by factors outside of a local educational agency’s control, such as exposure to poverty or racial inequities. However, researchers concluded, there are […]
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 […]
Yolo COE powers up a sustainable grid
The Yolo County Office of Education ramped up its sustainable energy and school resiliency efforts on Aug. 23 and made history in the process by becoming the first county office of education in the country to operate its own independent microgrid. “As a Yolo County […]
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 […]
Summer meal participation declined when waivers ended
The loss of pandemic-era waivers led to a nationwide drop in children participating in the Summer Nutrition Programs, according to a report released Aug. 6 by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC). Nearly 171,000 fewer children benefited from meals served through the Summer Nutrition […]
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 […]









