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Curriculum

In addition to our in-depth coverage of education policy, EdSource works hard to keep you informed about what is going on in the classroom. Our reporting on science, math and literacy as well as our ongoing coverage on deeper learning and expanded learning can be found here. We also keep a close eye on the evolving nature of student testing and school accountability.
California's Reading Dilemma
March 9, 2023

Can common ground be found on teaching reading in California?

A new paper aims to find consensus about literacy curriculum for English language learners and other students and early screeners for reading.

Zaidee Stavely
Commentary
March 8, 2023

The Legislature can — and should — pull the plug on ethnic studies

California’s ethnic studies graduation law can be suspended without further legislative action under the bill’s own terms, which state the requirement becomes operative “only upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature.”

Tammi Rossman-Benjamin 
Commentary
February 6, 2023

Educators need to understand and embrace artificial intelligence writing tools

Bans will be futile as AI writing capabilities become widely available and integrated into word-processing programs. We must accept that AI tools are changing how writing is accomplished in every field and embrace that students need to learn to use them effectively.

Glenn M. Kleiman
California's Reading Dilemma
February 1, 2023

Learning to read by third grade requires evidence-based instruction, panel says

Strong parent-teacher partnerships and evidence-based reading strategies are key, panelists said at a roundtable hosted by EdSource.

Betty Márquez Rosales
Commentary
December 19, 2022

New evangelical school board majority exposes deep polarization in Temecula

Adults like those who make up the new school board majority in Temecula always underestimate the enduring power of the positive teacher/student relationship.

Carl Cohn
Commentary
December 6, 2022

How to meet the challenge of effectively teaching ethnic studies

California educators must design curriculum that elevates nondominant narratives without "spouting ideology."

Suneal Kolluri and Leslee Edwards
Commentary
October 19, 2022

Navigating nuance is key to improving computer science education

Ensuring computer science education is effective and equitable requires involving multiple viewpoints and being flexible.

Julie Flapan
Literacy
October 17, 2022

Q&A: Teaching kids how to read on Zoom

Doing nothing is not an option, experts say. Poor literacy can impact a person’s lifetime income potential by up to 42%.

Karen D'Souza
Literacy
October 11, 2022

Coalition says 'science of reading-aligned' core curricula barely used in California

Most districts used the same three core reading programs from the State Board of Education’s 2015 list of pre-approved curricula

Ali Tadayon
California's Reading Dilemma
September 29, 2022

The Right To Read: It took a lawsuit against California

California settled a lawsuit over literacy by giving 70 schools with the lowest 2019 test scores extra funding to teach children to read. Less than half of all third graders in the state scored at grade level in reading.

Karen D'Souza
Commentary
September 28, 2022

Textbooks: Do we know which ones are effective?

The crcular and rigid system for rating textbook quality pushes schools to adopt textbooks because they are aligned to the Common Core rather than their success at teaching students.

Ze’ev Wurman
English Learners
September 13, 2022

Teachers and students both learned from this intensive summer English class

A course on plastic pollution was designed to both boost English learners' language skills and help teachers learn strategies to support these students.

Zaidee Stavely
Commentary
September 12, 2022

California is failing to educate students on climate change

Environmental science should be among the A-G courses required for admission to UC/CSU.

Martin Blythe
Bilingual Education
August 29, 2022

Dual-immersion programs show promise in fighting enrollment declines

Some California school districts have stopped or reversed declining enrollment in a school by beginning dual-language immersion programs.

Zaidee Stavely
California's Reading Dilemma
August 17, 2022

A movement rises to change the teaching of reading

Scientists, teachers, and parents battle over the best way to teach reading amid a literacy crisis.

Karen D'Souza