As schools grapple with teacher shortages exacerbated by poor retention rates, the Golden Bell award-winning Fresno Rural Teacher Residency Program can act as an example of what works when it comes to training and retaining educators in often difficult-to-staff areas. Under the Office of the […]
Author: Alisha Kirby
California announces plan to tap into new pool of teacher recruits
A new statewide partnership to support California’s teacher recruitment efforts was announced by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond in a Jan. 26 virtual event that featured California education leaders including CSBA Immediate Past President Dr. Susan Heredia. The California Department of Education will […]
New tools available to support community school development and sustainability
Comprehensive community schools are needed now more than ever, according to experts who spoke during a Jan. 12 webinar hosted by the Center for Universal Education to launch the Community Schools Forward Task Force’s essential community school resources. In light of the immediate and lingering […]
State Board sets the stage for future action on TK, assessments and more
Informational items focused on early learning, assessments and school climate were the crux of the State Board of Education’s Jan. 19–20 meeting agenda. In addition, what is usually a routine action of assigning a number to an SBE-approved charter school petition might have been complicated […]
New funding guidance to diversify the educator workforce
A Funding Guide to More Diverse Schools in California 2022–23, released by the Center for the Transformation of Schools at the University of California, Los Angeles, highlights allocations and grants available to individual teachers as well as local educational agencies. The guide provides application requirements, […]
Some dress code policies create equity issues, report finds
While the adoption of school dress code policies is often citied as a means of addressing health and safety concerns, certain dress codes may create a less equitable and safe environment for some students, especially girls, Black students and LGBT youth, according to an Oct. […]
New research recommends anxiety screenings for youth
Children ages 8 to 18 should undergo screenings for anxiety, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended in an October statement published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Anxiety disorder was common among youth prior to pandemic, which recent data suggests exacerbated the […]
National data shines light on challenges surrounding staffing shortages
Schools across the country continue to face challenges related to teacher vacancies, supply chain issues and more — particularly those in low-income areas serving more minority students, according to data released Dec. 6 by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). […]
Survey finds most adults support teaching controversial topics in high school
Lawmakers across 37 states introduced nearly 150 bills in 2022 designed to limit educators’ latitude to address racism, inequity, bias, structural injustices, and gender and sexuality issues in school. At least 20 states enacted laws or executive orders to prevent civic learning and discussion of […]
Recruitment and retention top of mind for large, urban districts
Only about half of the 100 largest urban districts in the U.S. intend to bolster staff recruitment efforts through training local talent, offering bonuses or creating more flexible job roles, according to an ongoing review of district spending plans conducted by the Center on Reinventing […]









