Patrick O’Donnell

December 8, 2020

California Assembly leaders press for all districts to resume in-school teaching in the spring

Reopening would begin in stages once health officials say schools can safely open under a bill proposed by eduction leaders in the Assembly.

October 4, 2019

Charter school reform in California: what state leaders had to say

Gov. Newsom, key legislators and charter school advocates and skeptics pledged to build on the collaboration that made compromise possible.

John Fensterwald

Tainted Taps: Lead puts California students at risk

September 17, 2019

Removing lead from water would be priority in proposed school construction bond

$150 million for testing, remediation would remove lead in schools statewide but based on a standard that pediatricians say is still hazardous.

September 10, 2019

California’s charter schools soon to enter an uneasy era

School districts will be able to cite an adverse fiscal impact to deny a charter school application, but not without making a strong case.

April 12, 2019

California plan for school construction bonds sparks debate for reform

Advocates for more equitable state funding of school facilities see proposals for multi-billion dollar state construction bonds in 2020 and 2022 as a chance to make a case for changing the state formula for distributing money.

John Fensterwald

March 29, 2019

Another push to expand use of SAT in California amid criticism of test

One bill would let school districts give the SAT or ACT to all students, at state expense; another calls on UC and CSU to consider phasing out the tests altogether.

John Fensterwald

February 28, 2019

Disclosure requirements for charter schools await Gov. Newsom's signature

California's open meetings, public records and conflict-of-interest laws will soon apply to charter schools. Newsom called for the legislation.

John Fensterwald

February 26, 2019

Proposed legislation would substantially curb growth of California charter schools

Legislation by the chair of the Assembly Education Committee would ban appeals, cap charters at the current level and factor in charter schools’ fiscal impact on authorizing districts

John Fensterwald

September 30, 2018

Gov. Brown vetoes bill to let districts give SAT or ACT as 11th grade test

Dozens of districts are offering the tests at their own expense already, because scores on SAT and ACT, not Smarter Balanced, are what matters to high school juniors.