EdSource Commentaries
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All articles by EdSource Commentaries
School districts must start adjusting their Covid recovery plans soon
California public schools must act now and think differently to close Covid-related staff shortages.
Robert Tagorda
September 8, 2021
Vaccines are our best hope for safety in California schools and beyond
I feel calm about sending my eldest child, a second grader, to school even as I remain uneasy and unsure about a community playground where the potential for exposure to the virus could be much greater.
Dr. Smita Malhotra
September 7, 2021
Tightening layoff law would further squeeze school districts' ability to budget
Assembly Bill 438 would force districts to determine which support staff to retain three months before the state budget is passed and six months before the school year begins.
Vernon Billy
September 7, 2021
Forget ‘learning loss'; focus on what we’ve learned during the pandemic
Focusing only on "learning loss" rather than all the ways students and teachers have grown can lead us into deficit-thinking and lowered expectations for our students.
Leigh Dela Victoria
September 2, 2021
California leads the way on safe school reopening
The surest path to safe and full in-person instruction throughout the school year is a strong emphasis on these reliable prevention measures: vaccines, masks, testing, tracing, and ventilation.
Linda Darling-Hammond
September 1, 2021
Instead of stifling competition, let’s ensure all students are prepared
Tutoring and student preparation, not eliminating competition, is the key to boosting equity and achievement in schools.
Nandini Patwardhan
August 26, 2021
California’s aspiring community college transfer students deserve pathways to success
Inefficiencies in the transfer process from community colleges to UC and CSU that cost California students time and money can be streamlined by proposed bill.
Eleni Kounalakis
August 25, 2021
Financial aid is complicated, the value of simplifying it is easy to understand
Assembly Bill 1456 simplifies an overly complicated system and removes eligibility barriers that have restricted financially vulnerable students from accessing Cal Grants.
Jaclyn Piñero
August 24, 2021
Sharing my pre-college journey of a lifetime
Recent high-school grad and first-generation college student advises other students: Stretch yourself and seek support from your school and communities.
Imahni Cheeks
August 23, 2021
With delta variant surging, California must require Covid vaccinations for students
Our current vaccinations rates are far below what experts say we need to control spread of new Covid variants.
Young Whan Choi
August 18, 2021
What I learned while attending college 2,000 miles from my California campus during a pandemic
Though tough and lonely, a year of distance learning offered its own opportunities for growth and learning.
Emily Chung
August 13, 2021
Here’s what I learned by taking seven virtual college courses in one semester
A student's perspective on college during Covid.
Briana Muñoz
August 12, 2021
Every student in California should have high-speed internet access. Here’s how we can get there by fall 2021
School districts are uniquely positioned to help students of color and students experiencing poverty get reliable broadband at home.
Ryan J. Smith
August 2, 2021
Facing wildfires and pandemics, California must invest in ensuring clean air in schools
For schools to adapt to the health threats from our rapidly warming climate, they need improved heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that filter pollution and infectious particles from the air.