John Fensterwald
Follow @jfenster EmailJohn Fensterwald, staff writer, joined EdSource in 2012. Before that, he was editor and co-writer for the “Thoughts on Public Education (TOP-Ed)” website, a leading source of California education policy reporting and opinion, which he founded in 2009. For 11 years before then, John wrote editorials for the Mercury News in San Jose, with a focus on education. He worked as a reporter, news editor and opinion editor for three newspapers in New Hampshire for two decades before receiving a Knight Fellowship at Stanford University in 1997 and heading West. His wife is a retired elementary school teacher, and his daughter attends the UC Davis School of Medicine.
All articles by John Fensterwald
California proposal requiring ethnic studies for diploma delayed
José Medina will bring back Assembly Bill 331 next year, after there has been time to redraft the controversial ethnic studies curriculum.
John Fensterwald
August 23, 2019
Amid tensions statewide, an embattled California charter school's quest ends badly
Promise Academy had a partnership with the Tech Museum; its fight with San Jose Unified mirrors conflicts statewide over charter schools.
John Fensterwald
August 20, 2019
Support grows nationwide for paying teachers more
A poll by the journal Education Next finds most people favor more federal spending on education and free college tuition.
John Fensterwald
August 19, 2019
Criticism of draft curriculum for ethnic studies in California intensifies
State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond join those calling for a major revision.
John Fensterwald
August 15, 2019
Smaller classes, more novice teachers: the 'tradeoff‘ for low-income California schools
A new study overcomes challenges from a lack of transparency to compare schools' spending under the Local Control Funding Formula.
John Fensterwald
August 8, 2019
Remembering Glen Thomas, who helped shape California's academic standards
The former state secretary of education shepherded academic standards into adoption and bolstered county offices’ role in state policy.
John Fensterwald
July 31, 2019
LA Unified’s spending and accountability plan should be rejected and rewritten, says advocates’ complaint
Public Advocates argues the district doesn’t show how $1.2 billion in extra funding will benefit English learners and low-income students.
John Fensterwald
July 30, 2019
Dissent within statewide task force adds tension to California’s charter school debate
There's full agreement on 4 proposals but anger among some task force members over 7 proposals passed by a narrow majority as a package.
John Fensterwald
July 25, 2019
10 California districts struggle, and find some success, as they shift to Common Core math
Studies of the Math in Common project offer lessons for other districts and a warning: Steady progress takes a long-term commitment.
John Fensterwald
July 11, 2019
Governor's team jumps into fray over contested charter school bill
Senate hearing indicates that further changes will be needed to reach a deal on a bill charter school leaders fear would cripple growth.
John Fensterwald
July 9, 2019
Gov. Newsom’s state budget resolves 3 California school boards’ lawsuits
The CSBA sued after the Legislature squeezed funding for school districts by revising what programs fall under Proposition 98.
John Fensterwald
July 9, 2019
California may create 5th year high school graduation rate
The new rate will credit districts for helping non-graduating seniors to earn a diploma the next year. It would be combined with the 4-year grad rate on the School Dashboard.
John Fensterwald
July 8, 2019
Elk Grove teacher takes over as California Teachers Association’s new president
E. Toby Boyd, a veteran kindergarten teacher and STEM adviser, takes the helm of the 325,000 member union at a time of increased activism with a big agenda.
John Fensterwald
June 27, 2019
California finally to move ahead with 'cradle to career' data system
With Gavin Newsom embracing what Jerry Brown opposed, the Legislature sets the timetable and steps for creating a longitudinal education data system to help shape better education programs and policies.
John Fensterwald And Louis Freedberg
June 25, 2019
$13 billion state bond for school construction targeted for 2020 California ballot
The author of the bill, Patrick O'Donnell, says he is open to examining the fairness of the school modernization program's funding.