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High-needs students

California’s school finance system allocates extra funding for English learners, students who are low-income or homeless and children in foster care. Collectively, these students are often referred to “high needs students.” Though many students fall into more than one category, each of these groups faces unique challenges. In the stories below, EdSource shines a light on these challenges as well as strategies to address them. See also: Foster youth, Homeless youth, English learners, and Low-income Students.
Coronavirus
January 26, 2021

Initial data for California confirm early grades, low-income children hit hardest by 'learning loss'

A study of 50,000 students from 18 districts reaffirm that those who have traditionally struggled fell further behind academically.

John Fensterwald
Distance Learning
January 21, 2021

L.A. Unified experiments with new tutoring program during pandemic

An after-school tutoring program kicked off amid the global health crisis is showing early promise in pockets of Los Angeles Unified, where a drop in grades among students has upended the nation’s second-largest school district’s approach to grading and instruction.

Betty Márquez Rosales
Student Wellbeing
January 21, 2021

How California schools can help undocumented middle and high schoolers receive legal aid

Many students could benefit from meeting with attorneys before they turn 18 to help them identify options for legal residency, advocates say.

Zaidee Stavely
Student Wellbeing
January 20, 2021

Immigration reform proposed by Biden could alleviate anxiety, fear for thousands of California children

About 750,000 K-12 students in California schools — about 1 in 8 — are estimated to have an undocumented parent.

Zaidee Stavely
Commentary
January 19, 2021

It’s time to reimagine the school campus as a community center

The pandemic has created an opening to reexamine how schools operate and rethink how space is allocated.

Kate Mraw
Policy & Finance
January 15, 2021

Investing in college success: Perspectives on Gov. Newsom’s higher ed budget

Leaders representing all segments of California's education system share their reactions to the governor’s budget proposals.

Andrew Reed
Policy & Finance
January 13, 2021

In the right direction? Perspectives on Gov. Newsom’s education budget

Leaders representing all segments of California’s education system share their reactions to the governor’s early education and K-12 budget proposals.

Andrew Reed
Coronavirus
January 12, 2021

Big district superintendents, Newsom advisers remain at odds on back to school plan

After meeting with the governor’s aides, Los Angeles and Fresno superintendents say they won’t apply for incentives to reopen campuses.

John Fensterwald
Coronavirus
January 6, 2021

What obstacles schools must overcome to offer in-person instruction

Gov. Newsom’s “Safe Schools for All” plan offers hope for reopening more schools for in-person instruction, but school districts have to traverse many obstacles to get there, with little time to do it.

Louis Freedberg
Student Wellbeing
December 21, 2020

California students rush to apply for DACA for the first time in three years

Some attorneys are concerned that the agency could again stop accepting new applications.

Zaidee Stavely
Math and Science
December 11, 2020

How one California school district is moving forward with math in the pandemic

Math learning experts are pushing for grade-level content over remediation during the pandemic.

Sydney Johnson
College & Careers
December 10, 2020

Community colleges hardest hit as college enrollment among high school graduates falls nationally amid the pandemic

High school graduates are putting off going to college as students and families cope with the financial challenges of the pandemic, a new national study shows.

Betty Márquez Rosales
Legislation
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.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
December 8, 2020

New Master Plan for Early Learning and Care points way to California for all

When children have access to quality care and learning, parents also have the ability to seek more education, participate in the workforce, earn more and invest more in their children.

Linda Darling-Hammond and Kim Johnson
English Learners
December 7, 2020

Preschoolers learning English need to be identified, supported, says California’s master plan

The plan for the first time calls for requiring preschool programs to identify and report the languages spoken by children enrolled.

Zaidee Stavely