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State Board of Education

The State Board of Education oversees the adoption and implementation of K-12 academic standards, such as the Common Core. It also adopts instructional materials for K-8. The Legislature handed the board the job of setting rules for implementing the Local Control Funding Formula. The governor appoints 10 of its 11 members to four-year terms. The board annually appoints an 11th voting member, a high school student.

Testing and Accountability
January 14, 2021

California school officials push for standardized testing waiver amid Covid-19 spike

California education officials voted to shorten annual tests in math and reading after federal officials said waivers would not be available in 2021.

Sydney Johnson
Distance Learning
December 24, 2020

Momentum to offer more in-person public school instruction in California comes to a halt

An EdSource survey of the state’s 58 counties shows most California students are learning online, and many districts that had not reopened for face-to-face instruction are postponing their plans, if only temporarily, during current health crisis.

Louis Freedberg And Alexander Montero
Testing and Accountability
November 4, 2020

California to consider shorter Smarter Balanced tests this spring

The State Board of Education will vote this week on whether to shorten the state’s annual standardized tests in math and English language arts.

Sydney Johnson
Race and Equity
October 1, 2020

Gov. Newsom vetoes requirement for ethnic studies course in high school

The governor said he favors the concept, but disagreements over the content for the course's model curriculum should be resolved first.

John Fensterwald
State Board of Education
September 11, 2020

Gov. Newsom names attorney for dual role as adviser, state education board executive director

Allen has been a civil rights lawyer and deputy education policy director. He’ll juggle two jobs serving both Newsom and the state board.

John Fensterwald
Curriculum
August 1, 2020

New draft ethnic studies curriculum for California students issued after a year of study

The revision stresses inclusion but keeps focus on four ethnic/racial groups: African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and Native Americans.

John Fensterwald
State Board of Education
July 9, 2020

Gov. Newsom names three members to California’s State Board of Education

Riverside administrator Cynthia Glover Woods, Yurok Tribe leader James McQuillen and bilingual high school teacher Haydee Rodriguez join the board.

John Fensterwald
State Education Policy
March 26, 2020

In her own words: Linda Darling-Hammond on California’s school response to the coronavirus

Darling-Hammond says state will double down to support school districts, families and students.

EdSource Staff
Commentary
November 19, 2019

California must build the capacity of its public universities to admit more computer science majors

The state is promoting computer science in K-12 schools, but UC and CSU colleges lack bandwidth to meet the demand.

Trish Boyd Williams and Sathya Narayanan
Local Control Funding Formula
November 6, 2019

State audit finds education money not serving high-needs students, calls for changes in funding law

After examining three districts' spending, State Auditor Elaine Howle calls for tighter controls over Local Control Funding Formula.

John Fensterwald
Local Control Funding Formula
October 31, 2019

Shorter, clearer (but maybe not more transparent) school accountability plan coming

The state board will deliver an LCAP template that will be easier to read, but it probably still won't be easy to follow the money.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
October 11, 2019

For better insights into California's new test results, look at achievement over time

Analytical tools that are available but not used can help schools better understand how to improve student performance.

David Wakelyn
The Common Core Challenge
October 10, 2019

How did students at your child’s school do on Smarter Balanced tests?

Readers can access results for California’s Smarter Balanced tests taken by students in the spring in nearly 10,000 school statewide.

Diana Lambert
Commentary
September 19, 2019

California needs time to get ethnic studies curriculum right

The debate over whether ethnic studies is an appropriate and valuable course for high school students was settled long ago.

Linda Darling-Hammond
State Education Policy
September 16, 2019

California’s widely criticized ethnic studies plan to be revised

Critics said the original proposal was politically biased and omitted the American experiences of some ethnic and religious groups.

Diana Lambert