April 8, 2021

Local assessments an option if Smarter Balanced tests ‘not viable,’ U.S. education officials affirm

California state officials have not yet outlined in detail what conditions must exist for a district to select an alternative assessment.

Sydney Johnson

April 4, 2021

Quick Guide: What California’s color-coded county tracking system means for schools

Learn more about the state's tiered system of assessing coronavirus risk and how it relates to schools.

Ali Tadayon

March 30, 2021

Teachers on Covid: lessons learned and advice to pass along

Many teachers agree that distance learning forced them to focus on what's important and to listen closely to the views of students.

John Fensterwald

March 26, 2021

What 3-foot social distance means for reopening of California schools

Some districts will pivot quickly and return to full in-person instruction now; others say they can now start planning for the fall.

Diana Lambert And John Fensterwald

March 24, 2021

California lags behind most states in offering fully in-person instruction, new data show

Across the country, 32% of 4th-grade students have been offered hybrid instruction and 47% have been offered fully in-person instruction.

Sydney Johnson

March 23, 2021

Parent group pushes back against Bay Area district’s limited in-person plan

A local parent group is pushing back against a tentative agreement reached Friday between West Contra Costa Unified and its employee unions to offer limited in-person instruction beginning April 19. The group is considering suing the district if it doesn't return to full in-person instruction.

Ali Tadayon

March 23, 2021

Coaches, mentors at California schools key to helping keep recent immigrant students engaged during pandemic

When the pandemic hit, many students who recently immigrated to the U.S. were not attending online classes regularly.

Betty Márquez Rosales And Zaidee Stavely

March 19, 2021

Teachers reflect on a year of Covid [VIDEO]

Teachers faced a new education landscape of uncertainty, frustration and lots of Zoom.

Jennifer Molina

March 17, 2021

California could allow school districts to choose their own standardized tests this year

Groups opposing local assessments argue that the results will not be easily or accurately compared on a statewide level.

Sydney Johnson

March 15, 2021

Distance learning changed California education. What’s here to stay?

Teachers pushed through difficult days to find solutions that kept kids learning during an upended school year. Some changes may stick.

Sydney Johnson

March 10, 2021

Los Angeles Unified reaches tentative agreement with teachers union to reopen schools

L.A. Unified students are a step closer to returning to their classrooms after the district and its teachers union reached a tentative agreement.

Betty Márquez Rosales

March 1, 2021

California parents continue to disagree on return to school as Covid-19 cases decline

Many families have had drastically different experiences during the pandemic, creating a mix of fear and frustration over prolonged closures.

Sydney Johnson

February 26, 2021

California veteran teachers say they’re working harder and longer, often with little district help

Teachers surveyed report they’ve relied primarily on their colleagues and themselves to figure out teaching during the pandemic.

John Fensterwald

February 25, 2021

Why some school districts are open for in-person instruction but in some cases, neighboring ones aren’t

A complex set of factors dictate how and when districts decide to reopen schools, leading to widely varying schedules.

Carolyn Jones

February 24, 2021

California moves ahead to pursue flexibility waivers for standardized tests this year

The state board will consider if districts can use locally selected tests where Smarter Balanced assessments are not feasible.

Sydney Johnson