UC Makes Landmark Decision to Drop Act and SAT Requirement for Admission
May 21, 2020 | Los Angeles Times

In a decision that could reshape the nation’s college admissions process, University of California regents voted Thursday to suspend SAT and ACT testing requirements through 2024 and eliminate them for California students by 2025.

A Coronavirus College Admissions Cheatsheet—What High School Juniors Need to Know Right Now
May 14, 2020 | The Mercury News

COVID-19 has thrown college admissions officers, students and parents a curveball; here are some navigational tricks.  When it comes to understanding the role standardized tests play in the college admissions process in California, Michal Kurlaender scores a 1600.As the chair...

Testing COVID-19’s Academic Impact on Students
May 14, 2020 | Education Writers Association

Early assessments seen as key to gauging learning gaps, social-emotional needs.  When schools reopen, expect to see a lot of testing.

Making School Policy During the COVID-19 Pandemic with Guest Heather Hough
May 10, 2020 | School's In

Heather Hough, executive director of the Stanford research center Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), discusses what decisions policymakers and school leaders are considering as they look to restart schools amidst COVID-19. Originally aired on SiriusXM on May 9, 2020.

Budget Issues Plague Leaders, Educators as Plans Hatch to Mitigate "Covid Slide"
May 5, 2020 | SFBay.ca

In a surprise announcement last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested reopening schools as soon as late July or early August to mitigate the loss of learning that all students—but especially low-income black and Latino students—have experienced during two months of...

Understanding, Measuring, and Addressing Student Learning Needs During COVID-19 Recovery

Heather J. Hough

Students re-entering the classroom following the COVID-19 crisis will likely experience severe learning loss and emotional challenges arising from their time out of school. Schools will need to develop tools for assessing students’ varied needs along with the resources, clear guidance, and flexibility to address them. This commentary is modified from testimony delivered to the California Assembly Budget Committee on April 28, 2020.

Moving Forward from COVID-19

David M. Quinn

COVID-19 and its concomitant school closures are affecting students in many ways; there is good reason to expect the pandemic will adversely impact educational equity. New PACE research uses data from the 2020 PACE/USC Rossier annual voter poll to report on CA voter attitudes towards educational equity policy initiatives. A majority of voters supported a focus on ending racial inequality in educational outcomes and specific initiatives to do so, suggesting that voters may also support a targeted approach to mitigating the pandemic’s adverse effects on CA students who have been hardest hit.

Celebrating UC Davis’ Remarkable Women
May 1, 2020 | UC Davis

A congresswoman, an astronaut, academic groundbreakers, the university’s first female chancellor and more: UC Davis is highlighting 55 of its most significant women in history as part of a celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the admission of women to...

Coronavirus is Causing a "Learning Loss" Crisis—So California May Cut Short Summer Break
April 30, 2020 | LAist

Since the coronavirus pandemic forced campuses to close in March, many educators have feared the crisis would stunt millions of students' academic growth.

What California Schools’ Devastating Cuts Could Mean for Classrooms: 15% Less Per Student
April 29, 2020 | San Francisco Chronicle

Schools across California face a devastating fiscal future, with a loss in revenue of $1,400 per student—or more, state education experts said Tuesday.