Legislation

Can Prop 2 fix California's most neglected school buildings?

October 17, 2024

Many school buildings in California are in dilapidated conditions, with leaky roofs, broken concrete, moldy walls or faulty air conditioning.

Zaidee Stavely

California acts to protect children from 'addictive' social media

September 23, 2024

The bill, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, is part of a wider effort to restrict the impact of digital technology on kids.

Louis Freedberg

Where major California education bills stand after deadline for approval passes

September 5, 2024

Dozens of education-related proposals were passed in the final days before the Aug. 31 deadline.

John Fensterwald, Diana Lambert, Zaidee Stavely, Betty Márquez Rosales, Michael Burke, Amy DiPierro, Emma Gallegos, And Thomas Peele

California passes bill to limit student cellphone use on K-12 campuses

August 29, 2024

The Phone-Free School Act requires school districts and charter schools to develop a policy limiting the use of smartphones by July 1, 2026. 

Diana Lambert

Should cell phones be banned from all California schools?

August 29, 2024

Many school districts have taken steps to ban or restrict cell phones and smart watches in the classroom, to curb bullying, distraction and addiction.

Zaidee Stavely

New school year brings new education laws

August 22, 2024

Students will have easier access to mental health care, free menstrual products and climate change education, among other changes.

Zaidee Stavely

Cellphone bans becoming more common in California schools

August 21, 2024

California school districts are enacting cellphone bans to reduce distractions in K-12 classrooms and to combat addiction to the devices.

Diana Lambert, Mallika Seshadri, And Lasherica Thornton

Computer science bill to address disparities in access – if it passes

August 14, 2024

In California, only 34% of schools with high numbers of minority groups offered computer science classes. This bill could close those equity gaps.

Lasherica Thornton

New laws impacting education go into effect as the school year begins

August 12, 2024

One new law requires elementary schools offer free menstrual products in some bathrooms, and another requires that all students learn about climate change.

Diana Lambert, Zaidee Stavely, Emma Gallegos, Mallika Seshadri, And Amy DiPierro

Pressure from education advocates ends effort to eliminate teacher assessment

August 9, 2024

Legislation to remove the last licensure test California teacher candidates are required to take was halted when education advocates rallied to keep the performance assessment.

Diana Lambert

Education has been a significant interest of Kamala Harris since early in her career

July 22, 2024

The Vice President has long shown an interest in various areas of education policy.

Louis Freedberg

Newsom signs bill to end parental notification policies at schools; opponents say fight is not over

July 17, 2024

California is the first state to pass a law prohibiting school boards from requiring staff to notify parents if their child could be transgender.

Diana Lambert And Monica Velez

Why is media arts so vital for students today?

July 8, 2024

The mastery of electronic media may become more crucial amid the rise of AI as a force in society, experts say.

Karen D'Souza

Commentary

Let's learn how well California's efforts to attract and keep teachers are working

July 3, 2024

We need to collect and analyze data on the workforce, including trends in training, credentialing, hiring and retention before we can assess program effectiveness.

Eric Lewis

Budget would require districts to post plans to educate kids in emergencies

July 2, 2024

California school districts have one year to develop a plan to continue student instruction after an emergency closes schools, according to a budget bill signed by the governor.

Diana Lambert