One year has passed since the devastating wildfires across Southern California. Recovery, I’ve learned, does not happen on a predictable timeline; it is a slow, uneven and deeply human process. For thousands of child care providers across Los Angeles, this was an arduous journey with unique challenges — and it remains far from over.  Los...

How do I begin when those reading this piece have a completely different experience in navigating their bodies through this existence? Imagine knowing exactly what you want to say, but the words don’t make it from your brain to your lips. You know how you want to move, but your body fails to comply. You’re...

In our country, conversations about improving student performance typically focus on curriculum standards, class size, testing, teacher pay and school technology. These debates are certainly important, but they overlook a quieter factor that affects learning every single day: children’s oral health. As a practicing dentist in Montclair, California, I regularly see children whose ability to...

This story was originally published on EdSource. Districts across California face a looming crisis as funding freezes, proposed cuts and a government shutdown jeopardize critical resources for millions of students and threaten to disrupt classrooms, staffing and services. Federal volatility leaves even well-designed state and district funding systems vulnerable, and leaders must act now to ensure every dollar...

America’s public education system is well overdue for a strategic shift in how we help students discover their talents and navigate toward their futures. While most high school career pathways and vocational programs are well-intentioned, research consistently shows that the majority of young people start solidifying their essential identity, their interests and their sense of their...

When I first arrived at Monte Vista Elementary over 20 years ago, it was evident that the school was full of dedicated students and teachers. But the numbers told a different story. Many children entered with limited early literacy and numeracy skills, and as a result, overall performance ranked near the bottom of the district...

Recent federal changes have shifted toward English-first policies, devaluing multilingualism not only in communities but in schools. This narrowing perspective is increasingly influencing the education system and negatively affecting the more than 5 million English learners in classrooms by dismissing the true strength of speaking more than one language. For decades, ELs have been defined...

There’s a quiet crisis in America’s schools, and within it, an opportunity. Across the country, classrooms are struggling to find and keep teachers. This isn’t just a staffing issue; it’s a deeper reckoning with how we value public education and the people who carry it forward. The pandemic accelerated what was already happening: Fewer young...

As a new school year begins, many students — especially students of color, LGBTQ youth, and children in immigrant and mixed-status families — are carrying more than just the weight of academic expectations. They are navigating a world that feels increasingly unsafe, where political threats, discrimination and immigration enforcement have become part of their daily...

In the past decade, California’s public schools have lost about 420,000 students – nearly the population of Oakland. For most districts in the state, fewer students mean fewer dollars, forcing districts to stretch already thin resources. But it doesn’t have to be that way if state leaders equip districts with the resources and freedom to...