Shirley Weber

September 2, 2022

Gov. Newsom quashes bill to provide more funding for Black students

An unstated reason was Prop. 209, banning preferences by race; governor promises more funding somehow for state's lowest performing student group next year

John Fensterwald

June 9, 2021

Little action on building state website to track districts’ spending

Nearly a year after money was budgeted, the California Department of Education hasn't completed the contract needed to move forward.

John Fensterwald

March 19, 2021

After 8 hours, 250-plus speakers, California board adopts ethnic studies model curriculum

The state board unanimously adopted voluntary guidance for ethnic studies with one addition, clarifying the role of “critical race theory.”

John Fensterwald

March 17, 2021

A final vote, after many rewrites, for California's controversial ethnic studies curriculum

The state model curriculum will provide guidelines, but districts will face the hard decisions on what and how to teach ethnic studies.

John Fensterwald

February 9, 2021

Gov. Newsom calls for closing big ‘loophole’ in school funding for high-needs students

Districts have carried over unspent money intended for high-needs students to use however they want. The governor says the practice must end.

John Fensterwald

November 2, 2020

How new law requiring ethnic studies at California State University will affect community colleges

New ethnic studies class will likely be required as part of lower-division coursework, which many students complete at community college.

Michael Burke

September 16, 2020

First big reform of California’s education funding law awaits governor’s signature

The bill, favored by student rights groups, would end a “loophole” allowing districts to freely use unspent money intended for “high-needs” students.

John Fensterwald

September 4, 2020

Chico State's failed reopening; Assemblywoman Shirley Weber's hope for ethnic studies

Chico State President Gayle Hutchinson discusses a doomed effort to reopen amid Covid-19; Assemblywoman Shirley Weber celebrates the passage of ethnic studies.

EdSource staff

August 14, 2020

Ethnic studies mandate for California K-12 students gaining momentum in Legislature

The debate continues on what should be in an ethnics studies curriculum; legislators must decide whether to be the first state to require it.

John Fensterwald

May 7, 2020

California school funding formula has a spending loophole; is a recession the time to fix it?

School districts argue budget cuts warrant spending flexibility; equity advocates argue high-needs students need resources they're entitled to.

John Fensterwald

January 21, 2020

California governor joins those wanting to hold school districts more accountable for spending

A new website would let the public see how much any district is — or is not — spending on “high-needs” students.

John Fensterwald

January 10, 2020

LA Unified schools chief reflects on his district one year after strike

This week: We interview the LAUSD superintendent about the turbulent teachers' strike that shook the district and drew national attention one year ago.

EdSource staff

January 9, 2020

New efforts to make school spending in California more transparent 

State board makes it easier to follow the money; two bills would impose even stricter reporting requirements.

John Fensterwald

December 20, 2019

Care packages to first-gen college students; two views of a critical state audit

This week: We help deliver care packages to stressed-out CSU East Bay freshmen and get two views on a state audit critical of district spending on high-need students.

EdSource staff

October 15, 2019

Full-day kindergarten, STEM seal, Laotian history are among Gov. Newsom’s final vetoes

Here are a half-dozen K-12 and early education bills that the governor vetoed or signed on the last day crunch — and why.

John Fensterwald