October 18, 2021

California districts anticipate major hits to their 2022-23 budgets as enrollments drop

School districts seeing major enrollment and attendance drops fear substantial funding cuts in the 2022-23 school year.

Ali Tadayon

October 8, 2021

Newsom vetoes bill that would have made major changes to Cal Grant program

AB 1456 would have expanded financial aid eligibility to 160,000 additional students, mostly community college students. It also would simplify the Cal Grant program.

Michael Burke

October 8, 2021

California becomes first state to require ethnic studies in high school

One year after he vetoed legislation, Gov. Newsom signs bill, also releasing $50 million for districts to create ethnic studies curricula.

John Fensterwald

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

October 6, 2021

Newsom signs bills to ease college transfer and improve student housing

Gov. Newsom signed additional bills Wednesday advancing college funding, transfers and affordability.

Ashley A. Smith

September 16, 2021

Newsom administration opposes major changes to Cal Grants, calling them too costly

AB 1456 would make major changes to California's main financial aid program, but it's unclear if Gov. Gavin Newsom will sign the bill.

Michael Burke

September 13, 2021

Legislature reaffirms quarantined students must be in independent study to be funded

Some changes in the independent study law may help districts, but a teacher shortage remains the biggest obstacle to providing instruction.

John Fensterwald

September 7, 2021

Bot attacks compound enrollment data problems at California Community Colleges

The California Community Colleges system has been unable to provide student enrollment totals for fall 2020 or spring 2021, even before bots enrolled fake students.

Thomas Peele, Daniel J. Willis, Larry Gordon, And Michael Burke

July 30, 2021

Confusion over mask mandate for California schools sparks tension between districts and parents

Gov. Gavin Newsom's decision to allow school districts to enforce the state mask mandate has parents demanding they drop the requirement.

Diana Lambert

July 22, 2021

How California plans to deter costly special education disputes

A new initiative is meant to help parents and schools settle Covid-related disputes over services for students before heading to court.

Carolyn Jones

July 20, 2021

Guinea pigs of change: Class of ’21 endured recessions, a pandemic and big shifts in education | VIDEO

The Ginny Chronicles takes Generation Z on a travelogue through landmark policies that shaped their time in school.

John Fensterwald, Andrew Reed, And Yuxuan Xie

July 20, 2021

With DACA hopes dashed, California students look to Congress

Thousands of high school and college students in California have applications that were put on hold after the judge's decision.

Zaidee Stavely

July 16, 2021

California cuts the number of tests teachers must take to earn credential

California teacher candidates no longer have to take two of the four tests usually required to earn a teaching credential.

Diana Lambert

July 15, 2021

California moves to adopt historic $6 billion broadband plan

The bill will enable local governments and nonprofits to bypass private companies and build their own broadband infrastructure.

Sydney Johnson

July 8, 2021

Few strings for colleges on how to spend record federal Covid relief dollars

The once-in-a-lifetime pandemic drove Congress and two presidential administrations to approve $69 billion in Covid relief for higher education with the highest amount, more than $9.5 billion, for California colleges and universities.

Thomas Peele