Ali Tadayon
Ali Tadayon covers West Contra Costa Unified School District and other K-12 issues for EdSource. Prior to joining EdSource at the start of 2020 as a Journalism Resident, he covered the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, Emeryville, El Cerrito and San Pablo for the Bay Area News Group. Tadayon cut his teeth as a crime reporter at the Press-Enterprise in Riverside, CA and the Post Register in Idaho Falls, Idaho. His work has earned several awards, including two John Swett Awards from the California Teachers Association for coverage of the Oakland Unified School District. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
All articles by Ali Tadayon
California governor doubles down on call to reopen schools in the fall
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday reiterated his call for schools to reopen for full-time in-person instruction in the fall.
Ali Tadayon
April 14, 2021
California moving to pioneer free meals for all students
A Senate bill that's gaining traction could lead to free school meals for all California K-12 students starting 2022-23.
Ali Tadayon
April 8, 2021
Gov. Newsom expects full in-person fall return to school after state scraps color-coded tiers
State officials plan to retire the “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” color-coded tier system on June 15, and said they expect full-time in-person instruction in the fall.
Ali Tadayon And John Fensterwald
April 6, 2021
Teachers, school staff vote to ratify West Contra Costa Unified's return to school plan
West Contra Costa Unified students will be able to return to the classroom April 19 for limited in-person options following weeks of intense labor negotiations.
Ali Tadayon
April 5, 2021
Quick Guide: What California’s now defunct color-coded county tracking system meant for schools
Learn more about the state's tiered system of assessing coronavirus risk and how it relates to schools.
Ali Tadayon
April 4, 2021
Parent group pushes back against Bay Area district’s limited in-person plan
A local parent group is pushing back against a tentative agreement reached Friday between West Contra Costa Unified and its employee unions to offer limited in-person instruction beginning April 19. The group is considering suing the district if it doesn't return to full in-person instruction.
Ali Tadayon
March 23, 2021
Bay Area school district among first to announce plans for summer school
West Contra Costa Unified has committed to an in-person summer school program in an effort to reduce learning loss over the past year.
Ali Tadayon
March 8, 2021
Gov. Newsom's proposed cost of living increases could stave off cuts for some school districts
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s K-12 education budget proposal includes a cost of living adjustment that allows some districts to avoid cuts next year.
Ali Tadayon
February 18, 2021
California schools press ‘play’ on esports leagues during pandemic
School districts throughout the state and country are joining or forming esports leagues in the hopes of providing students with the team sports experience they are lacking while schools are closed.
Ali Tadayon
February 1, 2021
Bay Area district plans to offer distance learning in fall even after campuses reopen
Though it’s unclear when in-person instruction will resume, West Contra Costa Unified is creating a “virtual academy” option for the fall.
Ali Tadayon
January 22, 2021
California schools build local wireless networks to bridge digital divide
School districts and cities are looking to creating their own local Wifi networks as a long term solution to the digital divide, and an alternative to hotspots.
Ali Tadayon And Sydney Johnson
January 4, 2021
West Contra Costa Unified superintendent to leave after five years
Superintendent Matthew Duffy resigns effective next June just days after a new majority is elected to the school board.
Ali Tadayon
November 5, 2020
California school districts revert to A-F grades this fall — with more flexibility for some students
California school districts have for the most part resumed A-F grading for the 2020-2021 school year, despite students learning from home.
Ali Tadayon
November 3, 2020
West Contra Costa Unified expected to break even this year after major budget cuts
The West Contra Costa Unified School District is expected to break even this year after making around $30 million in ongoing budget cuts and dipping into its reserves and retiree benefits trust. Though the district is in a better financial position than it was, more cuts could be on the horizon in the next three years as the national recession worsens.
Ali Tadayon
September 23, 2020
USDA allows school districts to resume serving free grab-and-go meals through 2020
The US Department of Agriculture announced Monday that it will allow schools to offer free grab-and-go meals to any student, regardless of eligibility, as they did over the summer.