Irene Kearns recalls what it was like to learn California history that didn’t align with what she’s learned from her parents as a child — including the field trips to Gold Rush territory and local missions — only to turn around and be expected to […]
State Board delays changes to student assessment reports, finalizes LCAP template
During its final meeting of 2024, the California State Board of Education (SBE) pushed back updates to student assessment reporting, adopted revisions to the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) template, and heard ideas from student leaders throughout the state to improve their outcomes and […]
Survey shows school shooter drills do not make teachers feel safe or prepared for a real incident
One in six teachers nationwide works in a district impacted by gun violence since the 2019–20 school year, according to a Rand Corp. report released Sept. 18. Additionally, teachers were more concerned about being victims of gun violence in the 2023–24 school year than in […]
Braiding funds to support community schools
To effectively support students across the United States, public schools need to pull and coordinate funding from federal, state and local sources. Partnerships between agencies across sectors and with community-based organizations can be challenging but necessary; schools alone cannot address all the needs of young […]
New report details reasons for charter school closures, recommendations for improvement
More than a quarter of charter schools close within the first five years of operation, according to a recent report by the National Center for Charter School Accountability that examined charter school closures from 1998 to 2022. By year 20, the rate reaches 55 percent. […]
Pediatricians recommend a trauma-informed approach to reduce suspensions, expulsions
To avoid the potential long-term negative impacts suspensions and expulsions can have on youth, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is advocating that schools implement a multidisciplinary, trauma-informed approach to support students and reduce the use of exclusionary discipline.
Experiences of transgender students detailed in CDC report
Transgender high school students face more severe challenges to their mental and physical health than their cisgender peers, according to an October report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The latest TikTok lawsuit brought by 13 states and Washington, D.C.
On Oct. 8, 2024, a coalition of 14 attorneys general, including California Attorney General Rob Bonta, filed lawsuits in their respective states and Washington, D.C. against the social media giant TikTok for allegedly exploiting and harming young users and deceiving the public about the dangers […]
New tool aims to support school climate improvement
In an effort to help local educational agencies evaluate the breadth and depth of schoolwide initiatives aimed at improving school climate, WestEd released the School Climate Domain Assessment Tool, which provides guidance for education leaders seeking to foster a nurturing and productive school environment. The […]
California steps us to provide fair and accurate Native American studies curricula
Since joining the California Legislature in 2018 as its first Native American representative, Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) has worked to re-educate the public and protect the rights of Native American youth in the classroom and beyond. “We have so much to catch up on […]










