A trio of fact sheets released by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) in April give a snapshot of college readiness, access and value in the state.
College readiness, access and value in California
Small Schools, Big Ideas: Nuview Union SD Beyond the Bell
Nuview Union School District (NUSD) is a small local educational agency in Nuevo, an unincorporated area in Riverside County nestled between the City of Riverside, Palm Springs and Temecula. According to district leaders, NUSD serves about 2,200 students — 90 percent of whom are English learners, foster youth or are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. As the largest employer in Nuevo — a town of under 7,00 people — NUSD’s emphasis on its Beyond the Bell programming is even more valuable, as the district prioritizes hiring from within the community, thereby allowing it to invest back into the community it serves.
CTC approves steps toward system to address teacher misassignments
The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) met June 26 and approved recommended staff actions related to teacher misassignment monitoring sanctions — a proposal for a new intervention system of school-level teacher misassignment identification, support and improvement to increase placements of fully credentialed teachers in their relevant credential areas — despite objections from CSBA and other organizations during public comment.
Survey sheds light on the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth at school
Thirty-two percent of respondents to The Trevor Project’s 2025 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People reported experiencing verbal harassment in the past year while at school because people believed they were LGBTQ+.
Research provides recommendations to improve outcomes for youth served in alternative education settings
California’s alternative education system — particularly its Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) schools — is a vital but often overlooked pathway for historically marginalized and vulnerable students. A recent report from the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools analyzes 2022–23 data from 894 DASS schools, representing 150,009 students, to evaluate the effectiveness of these settings.
How districts can navigate the ‘math wars’
Polarized discussions on what math students should be taught and how, often referred to as the “math wars,” has been ongoing in the nation for decades. An April report by the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE), Navigating the math wars: A practical guide to the divides and debates influencing math instruction, provides background on the issue and presents strategies that could help end the longstanding dispute.
New report details challenges in reclassifying English learners and recommendations to streamline the process
Reclassification of students designated as English learners (ELs) is a critical process governed by state policies that mandate using multiple criteria to ensure fairness and accuracy. However, while these policies aim to create equitable pathways for reclassification, discrepancies in local implementation can present barriers for students, according to a report released in March by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE).
Survey results show where adults see positives and negatives in California public education
About half of adults think their local public schools are doing an excellent or good job in preparing students for jobs and the workforce, according to a recent survey of Californian’s views on education conducted between March 26 and April 3 by the Public Policy Institute of California.
Forging community partnerships in small districts
At a recent convening of CSBA’s Small School Districts Advisory Workgroup, members brainstormed approaches for building community partnerships. The group, comprising local educational agencies with an average daily attendance of under 2,500 students, meets monthly to discuss timely topics.
CCEE sets sights on 2026–27 goals
At the June 18 California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) board meeting, the organization’s three centers all shared their accomplishments for 2025–26 and intentions for 2026–27. This included receiving feedback from the board, which largely reinforced ongoing efforts.