California Department of Education

March 19, 2019

New training for California preschool teachers to help bilingual children prepare for kindergarten

The trainings teach preschool teachers how to help children learn English and keep their home languages, so they can be more successful in kindergarten and beyond.

Zaidee Stavely

February 10, 2019

Kamala Harris’s stance on truancy resurfaces as she launches presidential campaign

A 2010 video clip of California senator and presidential hopeful Kamala Harris advocating the prosecution of parents for their children's truancy has re-ignited controversy as schools statewide face greater scrutiny for their rates of chronic absenteeism.

David Washburn

January 31, 2019

Chronic absenteeism in California schools up slightly, new data show

More than 1 in 10 students statewide were chronically absent from school in 2017-18. Rates for students in marginalized groups much higher than the state average.

David Washburn

January 15, 2019

Trauma in Paradise: A California school system focuses on mental health after devastating fire

As students and educators in and around the town of Paradise begin a new semester, just two months since the deadliest wildfire in California history, they are carrying with them levels of trauma that will certainly impact their ability to learn and teach, experts say.

David Washburn

November 28, 2018

California school districts to get ‘wake-up call’ with new absenteeism measures

At least 40 percent of California school districts and charter schools have rates of chronic absence in grades K-8 that are high or very high based on new performance measures that will be unveiled next month.

David Washburn

November 28, 2018

Plans come into focus for California schools ravaged by wildfires

Officials have identified three elementary schools that will take Paradise Unified students displaced by the deadly Camp Fire and are close to securing a site for middle and high schoolers.

David Washburn And Diana Lambert

November 21, 2018

Tony Thurmond names second in command at California Department of Education

Lupita Cortez Alcalá, executive director of the California Student Aid Commission, will return to the state's department of education where she held key positions for a dozen years.

John Fensterwald

November 20, 2018

Paradise educators find resilience amid fire's destruction

School officials throughout Butte County are working furiously to find classrooms for children who lost their schools in the Camp Fire, while also worrying about the emotional impact of the losses on students and teachers.

David Washburn And Diana Lambert

October 11, 2018

A future in flux: what next for the California Department of Education?

Without a lot more money, the next state superintendent of public instruction must clarify the department's role under local control.

John Fensterwald

September 13, 2018

Most districts complying with California’s sex ed law, but resistance remains

The vast majority of large urban districts statewide have implemented the 2015 California Healthy Youth Act. Yet uproar over the landmark law has garnered headlines in a few places, most notably Orange County.

David Washburn

June 13, 2018

Oakland Unified chided for 'highly unusual' and 'suspicious' fiscal practices

A fiscal analysis by an independent agency says the district is in “financial distress.”

Theresa Harrington

May 23, 2018

California superintendent candidates oppose big money from special interests

Marshall Tuck and Tony Thurmond also challenge attempts to categorize either of them as “pro” or “anti-charter.”

Nico Savidge

May 17, 2018

California lacks system to track students through high school, college and workplace

While most states have some system that links their high school and college data to track what happens to students once they exit high school, California does not.

Mikhail Zinshteyn

April 1, 2018

More questions surface on accuracy of California school absentee data

The California Department of Education adds warnings to its website of inaccurate chronic absenteeism data.

Nico Savidge

March 26, 2018

Federal help available to California schools struggling with wildfire costs

Funding is available for bus service for displaced students, staff overtime, air filters and other fire-related expenses.

Carolyn Jones