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EXPLORE: REMOTE'S IMPACT ON THE YOUNGESTQuick Guides
Topic

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.
Local Control Funding Formula
November 24, 2021

Researchers urge changes to improve California’s education funding law

Suggestions include confronting disparities in staffing fully qualified teachers and more evenly distributing money for high-needs students.

John Fensterwald
Community Colleges
November 18, 2021

Long Beach City College offers students safety while sleeping in their cars

Long Beach City College has launched a safe overnight parking pilot program to provide homeless students with a safe place to park every night. The pilot includes security guards, access to showers and help finding more stable housing.

BETTY MÁRQUEZ ROSALES and Bella Arnold
Teacher Voices
November 10, 2021

Now is the time for schools to invest in special-education inclusion models that benefit all students

Schools can support students of all abilities in the same classroom, benefiting all -- without breaking the bank. It's already happening.

Kimberly Berry
College & Careers
November 9, 2021

More California Latino students attending college, but 'disturbing gaps' remain

Latinos are 39% of the state’s population, yet only one in four students in the entire University of California system identify as Latino.

Betty Márquez Rosales
Federal Education Policy
October 25, 2021

For months, California private schools have been waiting for 'emergency' Covid aid

Delay by the California Department of Education is denying vital services for students, creating a budget squeeze for urban Catholic schools.

John Fensterwald
Juvenile Justice
October 19, 2021

Stanford study finds why writing a letter to a teacher can turn around the lives of some students

Formerly incarcerated students were less than half as likely to return to jail after they wrote to their teachers.

Carolyn Jones
Commentary
October 14, 2021

To help homeless students, embed community services into campus life

Schools and community-based organizations seeking to support students experiencing homelessness must step outside their silos, into students' lives and directly onto their public-school campuses.

Jennifer Friend and Sean Boulton
State Education Policy
October 13, 2021

What's next for California education? New laws and vetoes

This year, the Legislature's focus on education was on Covid-related bills and on a record-high state budget, which includes tens of billions of new and one-time spending, along with policy decisions on how to spend the money.

EdSource staff
Quick Guides
October 11, 2021

New state law puts California’s Juvenile Justice System at a crossroads | Quick Guide

Recent laws have spurred historic changes to the state's juvenile system, where hundreds of young people are incarcerated each year at one of the state's four facilities.

Betty Márquez Rosales
Legislation
October 8, 2021

Gov. Gavin Newsom signs $123.9 billion package to support K-12 education

The 22-bill package will increase broadband infrastructure, develop mental and behavioral health support and add a new ethnic studies high school graduation requirement.

Betty Márquez Rosales
Student Well-Being
October 8, 2021

Newsom signs bill creating mental health protocol for schools

The pandemic triggered mental health problems for many youth. Depression, stress, anxiety and suidical ideation among young people all increased sharply in the past year, in part due to social isolation and economic instability.

Carolyn Jones
Juvenile Justice
October 7, 2021

Changes to California's youth prison system prove difficult to implement

By 2023 each county will have to take over the responsibility of finding appropriate housing facilities for young people in their local juvenile justice system. Implementing the law is proving to be difficult.

Betty Márquez Rosales
Commentary
September 29, 2021

Educators must prepare for new wave of refugees. Let’s do it better this time. 

As Afghan children arrive in California schools, teachers must help students make sense of the refugees' dramatic and heartbreaking exodus from their homeland.

Tuyen Tran
School Finance
September 23, 2021

Staffing shortage delays ambitious program to extend school day and year in California

Low-income districts have priority funding for a nine-hour day and 30-day summer school; lacking staff, they'll have an extra year to plan.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
September 21, 2021

Lessons from Oakland’s move to police-free schools

The story of Oakland’s efforts to eliminate school policing highlights four important lessons about what it truly takes to stop the criminalization of young people and their families. 

Jasmine Williams