Featured Articles on EdSource

December 9, 2018

California community colleges reject state aid tied to allowing students to seek federal loans

Nine community colleges say they will reject state aid rather than be forced to offer federal loans to students out of fears that if students default on their loans, colleges may be hit with federal sanctions.

Mikhail Zinshteyn

December 9, 2018

Final count shows Thurmond winner of California schools chief race by 187,000 votes

Over 4.5 million more Californians cast a vote for state superintendent for public instruction in mid-term elections than did in 2014, the last time the position was on the ballot.

Louis Freedberg

December 6, 2018

When $500 million career pathways’ grants ran dry, so did regional collaboration

The California Career Pathways Trust funded alliances among school districts, businesses and colleges that established hundreds of new career pathway programs, but regional commitments were hard to sustain, a study found.

John Fensterwald

December 6, 2018

Ratings in updated California School Dashboard target more districts for assistance

Two near indicators – chronic absenteeism and college/career readiness – debut and reemphasize the need to boost attendance of younger students and better prepare high schoolers for post-graduation.

John Fensterwald

December 6, 2018

Search and compare data from the California School Dashboard, 2018

Search and compare all California public schools, districts, cities and counties for data from the state's new school accountability dashboard.

Justin Allen, Daniel J. Willis, And Yuxuan Xie

December 4, 2018

New push underway to expand preschool for low-income children in California

Assemblyman Kevin McCarty introduced three bills this week, one to expand spaces for public preschool for low-income 4-year-olds, one to improve preschool facilities and one to increase reimbursement for preschool programs.

Zaidee Stavely

December 4, 2018

Latinas for the first time make up majority of Bay Area school board

The West Contra Costa Unified School Board for the first time in its history has a Latina majority who will now join in the tough task of making $12 million in budget cuts to help pay for salary increases for teachers and other employees in a region with soaring housing costs.

Theresa Harrington

December 3, 2018

Tears, hugs mark reunion of Paradise students and teachers

Nearly a month after the deadliest wildfire in California history, students throughout Butte County return to school.

Diana Lambert And David Washburn

December 2, 2018

California students find tuition discounts, less-crowded campuses out of state

Enrollment from California students in the Western Undergraduate Exchange tuition reciprocity program has more than tripled over the past decade.

Nico Savidge

November 30, 2018

California Student Aid Commission backs expansion of Cal Grant program

Advocates are pushing for the overhaul so more students receive Cal Grants and so the funds cover non-tuition expenses such as housing.

Nico Savidge

November 29, 2018

In limbo, DACA students look to Congress again for help

A court decision this month requires the government to keep accepting DACA renewal applications, but the Trump administration is calling for the Supreme Court to step in. In the meantime, some young immigrants look to the newly elected House of Representatives.

Zaidee Stavely

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 27, 2018

California's graduation rate ticks up but, still, 1 in 10 high school students drops out

Despite steady overall progress, gaps among student ethnic and racial groups persist. The new data will indicate which low-performing school districts will receive assistance when the California School Dashboard is released next month.

John Fensterwald

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