Members of the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) met on Sept. 17 to take action regarding the 2025 Mathematics Instructional Materials for K-8 and Personal Finance Curriculum Guide.
Napa Valley USD partnership encourages rural, small-town students to pursue top colleges
During the 2024–25 academic year, Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) expanded its students’ access to higher education through a partnership with the Small Town and Rural Students (STARS) College Network.
Legislature closes out the first year of the 2025–26 legislative session
Originally scheduled to end at midnight on Friday, Sept. 12, the Legislature waived the rules to allow it to continue deliberations into Sept. 13, not adjourning until mid-afternoon. This year featured a number of contentious education-related measures ranging from nonclassroom-based charter school reform to efforts […]
Legal update: Head Start among programs open to all regardless of immigration status after recent court ruling
On Sept. 10, a judge for the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island issued a preliminary injunction pausing the federal government’s attempt to restrict access to certain public programs based on immigration status. The injunction arises out of a legal challenge by 20 states, including […]
Study shows persistent absenteeism remains a challenge for schools
A RAND analysis of 2024–25 school year data from the American School District Panel and the American Youth Panel show rates of chronic absenteeism remain above pre-pandemic levels and are negatively impacting efforts to close achievement gaps exacerbated by COVID-19. “Persistent high levels of absenteeism […]
Supporting Hispanic students and families experiencing homelessness
National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, is a catalyst for school districts and county offices of education to reflect on local trends and practices and employ strategies to best support students and their families.
Back-to-school safety through a policy lens
School safety continues to be a priority for school districts and county offices of education and their governing board members, administrators, students, staff and families. While school safety encompasses a wide range of topics from child abuse prevention and reporting to earthquake emergency procedures to […]
State Board continues work on California assessment system
Assessment was top of mind during the California State Board of Education’s (SBE) Sept. 10–11 meeting, which included actions taken related to measuring student knowledge and outcomes in science and languages, as well as updates to Student Score Reports (SSRs) and the state’s assessment system […]
Report outlines the reality of future school closures
An August report from Bellwether suggests that although less than 1 percent of K-12 schools closed in the U.S. in the 2023–24 academic year, school closures may become less rare in the near future as local educational agencies grapple with declining enrollment, budget constraints and other issues.
Improving outcomes for students with disabilities begins with assessment
Despite decades of advocacy, students with disabilities often face significant gaps in educational outcomes. If local educational agencies aim to turn things around for this student group, WestEd experts suggest starting with supportive, coherent and effective assessment systems. An Aug. 14 webinar featured panelists discussing […]











