Pride Month spotlight: The impacts of financial insecurity on youth mental health

Forty-four percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals age 13-17 reported being food insecure in the past month and 51 percent reported experiencing houselessness at some point in their life, according to findings from The Trevor Project’s April research brief “The Impact of Houselessness and Food Insecurity on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People.”

Ensuring reading difficulties screeners are equitable for multilingual learners

By June 30, local educational agencies across the state will need to adopt one of four approved reading difficulties screeners for implementation in 2025–26. A May report from Californians Together and Teach Plus, Considerations and Suggestions When Adopting a Reading Difficulties Screener for Multilingual Learners, includes guiding questions for LEA leaders for adoption and implementation and other resources.

California can look to Texas to improve opportunities for English learner students

Though California and Texas serve similarly sized populations of English learners (ELs) in K-12, the states have their own educational approaches that lead to substantially different outcomes in how students grow both linguistically and academically, according to data.

Majority of Gen Z adults value democracy, survey finds

Through a nationally representative survey of 1,286 individuals aged 18-29 that took place following the presidential election in November, the report How Does Gen Z Really Feel About Democracy? Insights from Three Profiles of Youth and Democracy found that most young people (about 63 percent) have a “passive appreciation” of democracy.

CSBA webinar: Legal experts offer considerations for AI implementation in schools

Representatives from CSBA partner law firms offered members insights on how to prepare for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) on campuses and protect students and staff from its potential pitfalls during the April 30 webinar, “Legal Considerations: Using AI tools in educational settings.”