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...

California ranks 33rd in the nation in the well-being of its children and 34th in education, according to an annual report on children’s welfare released Monday. It marked the 15th straight year that California ranked in the bottom third of...

School closures—commonly touted as a financially responsible strategy to right-size cash-strapped districts—often do not improve districts’ financial standing, according to a new study out of California.  Even worse: Any money actually saved from closing a school building is largely offset...

Using the latest data from the California Department of Education, a fact sheet recently released by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) examines trends in chronic absenteeism statewide through the 2024–25 school year.  According to researchers, while rates of chronic...

Nearly five years after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 20% of students are still chronically absent, meaning they miss 10% or nearly a month of school. Data from 31 states for the 2024-25 school year show that...

For Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE) Professor Susanna Loeb, the work of bringing an incoming governor up to speed on the state’s education system begins with a listening tour.  “There are a billion different things you could look at...

Stanford University on Thursday released a sweeping research project that takes a 360-degree, immersive look at all aspects and operations of public education in California, from preschool through high school, from special education to teacher certification, enrollment decline to high...

California K-12 schools have come a long way over the past 20 years, but according to an exhaustive overview of the state’s school system, further progress may require tinkering with a long-entrenched form of school governance: local control.  That’s among...

More than 30 percent of California’s approximately 30,000 school-aged youth in foster care regularly experience some of the highest rates of chronic absence and exclusionary discipline.  A new brief from Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) details how changes in...

A bill moving through the state legislature would require independent evaluations of any new education initiative that costs at least $500 million a year or $1 billion in one-time spending.  The proposed requirement is part of a larger bill that...

Education is not a central issue in California’s crowded governor’s race, but the candidates addressing it offer sharply different visions, from expanding school funding and free college, to stricter teacher accountability and restrictions on transgender students in sports. Lupita Cortez...

Dozens of Bay Area school districts have announced layoffs, budget cuts or school closures this year to repair gaping budget deficits ranging from $6 million to over $100 million. Last month, Oakland Unified School District voted to lay off more...

Thousands of California students remain classified as English learners even after they reach proficiency in English, according to new research. Several studies suggest the state’s reclassification rules may be holding students in language support programs longer than necessary to their...

High school principals across California and nationwide say raids by Immigration, Customs and Enforcement have provoked a “climate of distress” among immigrant students who have been bullied on campus and whose attendance has dropped, according to a study released Tuesday...

Back in 2017, Santa Barbara Junior High had 759 students. This year, it has 502. The coming gain is hopeful, but still far from recovery. In most California districts, enrollment decline means a direct hit to budgets because schools receive...

With California struggling to lower student absences since the pandemic, state educational leaders have pledged to reduce chronic absenteeism by 50% over the next five years. California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, along with officials from across the...

Funding cuts. Raids near campuses. Exclusion from programs like Head Start and career training. For months, the Trump administration has been chipping away at the rights of students without legal status in public schools. Could the administration take away those...

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vital role school systems play in daily life, from learning and socialization to nutrition programs, transportation, and mental health. In the absence of in-person instruction, countless new stressors impacted families, teachers, and administrators who were...

The school year is nearing to a close, but many parents are already looking forward to next year’s enrollment. California has a lot of options for schools, from public, to charter, to private. You can choose to stay in your...

In recent weeks, Education Week Opinion has received scores of submissions from individuals in the K-12 field reacting to the current state of education in the United States and, in particular, the actions of the Trump administration. As the federal...

In March 2020, the Covid pandemic shut down schools, creating havoc, particularly among California’s most vulnerable children. Five years later, despite unprecedented funding from the state and federal governments, most districts continue to struggle to recover the ground they lost...

A “Dear Colleague” letter from the U.S. Department of Education on Feb. 14 threatened federal funding for schools’ race specific programs, including scholarships, financial aid, dormitory floors and graduation ceremonies. Now, as community members are interpreting the impact of new...