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Quick Guides

EdSource’s quick guides make complex education issues easier to understand. These brief explanatory articles provide an introduction to key trends, systems, institutions and debates in California education and the context you need to go deeper. Have a suggestion for a topic that would benefit from a similar explainer? Let us know!

Charter Schools
February 13, 2018

Quick Guide: Understanding California education department's role in state's charter schools

The state charter schools division advises the state board on charter school issues and provides grants to schools.

George White
California's homeless students: undercounted, underfunded and growing
November 12, 2017

Quick Guide: Understanding how schools serve homeless children in California

Federal law guarantees homeless children a right to an education, regardless of where they're living.

Carolyn Jones
Federal Education Policy
September 5, 2017

Quick Guide: Understanding DACA and education in California

A possible phase-out of DACA won't mean changes to California's financial aid to undocumented students. But those students are worried about their futures if they lose their permits to work legally and might face deportation.

Larry Gordon
The Common Core Challenge
August 25, 2017

Quick Guide: Understanding the Common Core State Standards in California

California remains strongly committed to Common Core standards in math and English language arts, which focus on critical thinking and problem-solving. The standards have been adopted by more than 40 states.

Theresa Harrington
Transitional Kindergarten
August 17, 2017

Quick Guide: Understanding transitional kindergarten in California

Transitional kindergarten was introduced after a 2010 California law changed the cutoff birth date for kindergarten entry from Dec. 2 to Sept. 1.

Ashley Hopkinson
Student Wellbeing
August 10, 2017

Quick Guide: What it means when a school district declares itself a 'safe haven' or 'sanctuary'

Definitions of “sanctuary” vary from district to district, but in most cases it means that school staff will not allow federal immigration agents on campus without a warrant, subpoena or court order.

Carolyn Jones
College & Careers
August 6, 2017

Quick Guide: Understanding Cal Grant financial aid for college students

Cal Grants are among the most generous state-funded student aid programs in the nation and can cover entire tuition at CSU and UC.

Larry Gordon
Social and Emotional Learning
July 27, 2017

Quick Guide: Understanding social and emotional learning

Information about social and emotional learning for parents, teachers, administrators and students.

Jane Meredith Adams
Charter Schools
July 20, 2017

Quick Guide: Understanding California charter schools

Find out how many charters are in California and in the U.S., what the major fault lines are between charter schools and their opponents, and what some of the functions of charters are that make them distinct from traditional public schools.

Mikhail Zinshteyn