Chronic absenteeism, stakeholder engagement practices shared at PACE conference

Two timely and important issues facing districts and school boards, chronic absenteeism and stakeholder engagement, shared the spotlight at this year’s Policy Analysis for California Education annual conference. The Feb. 1 event in downtown Sacramento, with a theme of “Putting Evidence into Action to Advance […]

Toolkit offers guidance and resources for English learner, immigrant parents

The U.S. Department of Education has released a new guide to help schools better support English learner students, immigrant students and their families. Dubbed The English Learner Family Toolkit, the publication should be of particular interest in California, home to more than 1.3 million English […]

‘Silent Recession’: Rising costs and rising challenges confront California school districts

California’s public schools are still struggling to meet basic needs even as the state’s economy has rebounded from the Great Recession, analysis finds. Against the backdrop of a strike in the Los Angeles Unified School District and a looming financial crisis in districts statewide, the […]

Statement on the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Budget Proposal

“We are encouraged by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first budget, particularly his commitment to the Local Control Funding Formula, school construction, services for young children and families, and recognition of the challenges facing school districts in the form of rising costs for pensions and special education. […]

Brief illustrates alarming health and well-being data for LGB youths in California

Lesbian, gay and bisexual youths in California experience negative behaviors and consequences at about twice the rate of their straight peers, according to a new Kidsdata issue brief. Those behaviors and outcomes for LGB youths include higher alcohol and drug use, more common feelings of […]

Attorney General echoes CSBA’s call for greater charter school transparency

On Dec. 26, when Californians were more focused on holiday celebrations than legal matters, the state’s Attorney General published a report with enormous implications for charter schools and their authorizers. The 23-page opinion assessed issues of transparency, accountability and conflict of interest and concluded that […]

Federal commission releases school safety report; sparks debate about student discipline

Recommendation to roll back Obama-era guidance largely moot in light of California state law A wide-ranging report has intensified the debate over appropriate methods of discipline in a time of increasing concern about student safety. On Tuesday, Dec. 18, the Federal Commission on School Safety […]