California Department of Education

January 7, 2022

High Covid rates, staff shortages and confusing legislation challenge schools' reopenings

School officials are struggling to keep schools open amid Covid outbreaks and staffing shortages. Conflicting messages from California state officials are making it even more difficult.

Diana Lambert, John Fensterwald, And Ali Tadayon

Quick Guides

January 5, 2022

New effort aims to count all California homeless students | Quick Guide

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 27 into law recently after researchers estimated the number of homeless students in California has increased during the pandemic.

Betty Márquez Rosales

Student Well-Being

November 19, 2021

Proposed transgender restrictions at Chino Valley Unified fail after student outcry and state warning

An Inland Empire district's proposal would have excluded transgender students from facilities and activities for the gender they identify with.

Ali Tadayon

Race and Equity

November 1, 2021

Fighting for the education of Black students in California

A Sacramento organization is suing the state, alleging officials knew about discriminatory disciplinary practices for years and did nothing.

Diana Lambert

Student Well-Being

October 6, 2021

Emergency response team helps California schools navigate wildfires

The California Department of Education formed its Emergency Services Team last October to help schools deal with emergencies like wildfires.

Diana Lambert

Discipline

October 1, 2021

Anticipating an increase in student misbehavior, California releases new discipline guidelines

Fewer suspensions, more counseling for students should be the focus for schools, state advises in new discipline guidelines.

Carolyn Jones

Coronavirus

September 15, 2021

‘Pool testing’ to combat Covid on campus grows popular in California schools

Testing up to 25 asymptomatic students and staff together can save time and money in some scenarios, with minimal disruption to instruction.

Carolyn Jones

Coronavirus

September 7, 2021

Covid testing was supposed to keep schools safe. What happened?

Covid test shortages and inconsistent protocols at schools are leaving California parents confused and frustrated.

Carolyn Jones

Distance Learning

July 1, 2021

Pandemic drives sharp rise in California families opening their own home schools

Almost 35,000 California families filed a private school affidavit to home-school their children during the 2020-21 school year — more than double the number filed before the pandemic.