April 5, 2021

Teachers, school staff vote to ratify West Contra Costa Unified's return to school plan

West Contra Costa Unified students will be able to return to the classroom April 19 for limited in-person options following weeks of intense labor negotiations.

Ali Tadayon

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 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 8, 2021

Bay Area school district among first to announce plans for summer school

West Contra Costa Unified has committed to an in-person summer school program in an effort to reduce learning loss over the past year.

Ali Tadayon

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 9, 2021

California teachers grapple with grading nearly a year after initial school closures

Many districts are seeing surges in Fs and Ds during distance learning, prompting a revision of expectations and policies around grades.

Sydney Johnson

January 7, 2021

Rife with infighting, Oakland community college district at risk of losing local control

The state chancellor’s office overseeing California’s community colleges may soon intervene at the Peralta Community College District.

Michael Burke

January 4, 2021

California schools build local wireless networks to bridge digital divide

School districts and cities are looking to creating their own local Wifi networks as a long term solution to the digital divide, and an alternative to hotspots.

Ali Tadayon And Sydney Johnson

December 15, 2020

One more challenge for California teachers in distance learning: All new science curriculum

School districts like West Contra Costa Unified lacked updated learning materials aligned to California’s new science standards prior to the current school year.

Sydney Johnson

November 5, 2020

West Contra Costa Unified superintendent to leave after five years

Superintendent Matthew Duffy resigns effective next June just days after a new majority is elected to the school board.

Ali Tadayon

November 3, 2020

California school districts revert to A-F grades this fall — with more flexibility for some students

California school districts have for the most part resumed A-F grading for the 2020-2021 school year, despite students learning from home.

Ali Tadayon

October 28, 2020

California districts hoping voters will allow them to borrow $13 billion

More than 60 districts throughout California seek as little as $2 million up to $7 billion for school construction, repairs and technology.

Theresa Harrington

October 28, 2020

California student activists push to lower voting age to advocate for change

Youth activists from San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Palo Alto and Culver City are among those working to lower voting ages in cities and the state.

Theresa Harrington

October 16, 2020

How some California school districts deal with students absent from virtual classrooms

Two San Francisco Bay Area districts are expanding outreach to their most vulnerable students including those who are homeless, foster youth.

Theresa Harrington

September 23, 2020

West Contra Costa Unified expected to break even this year after major budget cuts

The West Contra Costa Unified School District is expected to break even this year after making around $30 million in ongoing budget cuts and dipping into its reserves and retiree benefits trust. Though the district is in a better financial position than it was, more cuts could be on the horizon in the next three years as the national recession worsens.

Ali Tadayon