June 20, 2019

What schools and parents need to know about California’s vaccination law

Proposed changes to California's 2015 vaccination law now being considered in the Legislature would limit medical exemptions.

Jane Meredith Adams And Diana Lambert

June 14, 2019

Pension relief, special education funding highlight Gov. Newsom's budget

Governor goes beyond minimum required under Proposition 98 to absorb $3.1 billion in districts' pension payments and address teacher shortage.

John Fensterwald

May 28, 2019

California governor and lawmakers at odds over new special education funding

Legislators and advocates for students with disabilities praise the big increase that Gov. Newsom proposes for special education but reject his idea for spending it.

John Fensterwald

May 20, 2019

Lawsuit challenges use of restraint, seclusion in California special education school

The guardians of four special education students claim their children were illegally put in restraint holds and secluded.

Diana Lambert

May 20, 2019

California's complex formulas limit options to close funding gap

The solution for schools isn't as simple as passing a new tax, researcher says.

Jennifer Imazeki

May 15, 2019

‘Inconvenient truths’ missing from Oakland report on charter schools

Charter schools did not cause Oakland’s problems and preventing more students from choosing charter schools will not fix them, researchers say.

Robin Lake and Ashley Jochim

May 6, 2019

Oakland Unified committed to fixing fiscal problems, but state must also step up

As district recovers after strike, superintendent calls on state to provide more funding.

Kyla Johnson-Trammell

January 8, 2019

Michael Kirst's parting advice: more teacher and principal training is critical to success of local control

In an exit interview, retiring state board President Michael Kirst urges more attention to professional development for teachers and principals, discusses the need for more school funding, an expanded school database and a new agency focused on children's needs.

John Fensterwald

September 27, 2018

California’s persistent teacher shortage fueled by attrition, high demand, say newly released studies

The teacher shortage has worsened in recent years as state funding for education improved and districts began lowering class sizes and bringing back programs, increasing the demand for teachers, according to new studies.

Diana Lambert

September 24, 2018

Evidence justifies limiting student suspensions for disruptive behavior

Eliminating 'willful defiance' as a basis for suspending students does not result in more serious discipline problems

Dan Losen

September 17, 2018

Essential Guide to Getting Down to Facts II

Here are the take-aways from the studies on special education, funding needs, a teacher shortage, a data deficit, student mental health local control's unmet potential – and more.

John Fensterwald, Daniel J. Willis, Yuxuan Xie, And Justin Allen

May 3, 2018

African-American students with disabilities suspended at disproportionately high rates

Report finds those students lose substantially more instruction time due to discipline than their white counterparts.

Lee Romney

April 10, 2018

Illuminating science for blind students, with help from latest tech devices

The technology, combined with supportive teachers, has opened the door to science careers.

Carolyn Jones

April 5, 2018

How a tiny Native American community's trauma might impact education law

A judge’s ruling in a case brought on behalf of schoolchildren in a Grand Canyon reservation could impact whether school districts are required to provide disability services to students impacted by trauma and adversity.

David Washburn

March 8, 2018

Special education funding is a morass; straightening it out may not be cheap or easy

Lawmakers take the first step: discussing the growing needs and disparities in funding.

John Fensterwald