The Morning Read
Your Daily Roundup of LAUSD news from across the web | 10.05.21
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Ed. Dept. Says California Violated Law by Concealing Students’ Gender Identity

The Trump administration says California schools violated parents’ rights by pressuring schools to keep students’ gender transitions a secret. In the decision announced Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education told state officials that they can resolve the dispute by treating any school “gender support plans” as education records available for parents’ inspection and let districts...
By Linda Jacobson | February 3, 2026
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As L.A. Reading Scores Rise, Roy Romer’s Tenure Offers Déjà Vu — and a Warning

For the past 17 years, former Los Angeles school board members and staff have trekked to a ranch in the mountains southwest of Denver to enjoy the company of their onetime district superintendent, Roy Romer. Wielding chainsaws, they helped the 97-year-old former Colorado governor clear out fallen timber this year to make a path for...
By Linda Jacobson | January 29, 2026
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Aldeman: Top 5 Schools in Each State Beating the Odds in 3rd Grade Reading

This article is part of Bright Spots, The 74’s series highlighting schools where every child learns to read, no matter their zip code. Explore the Bright Spots map to find out which schools are beating the odds in terms of literacy versus poverty rates. In general, a school with a lower poverty rate is going to have higher...
By Chad Aldeman | January 28, 2026
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Teachers in 34 States Don’t Get Paid Parental Leave, New Study Finds

Two-thirds of states don’t provide paid parental leave for teachers beyond their accumulated sick days, according to a new study by the National Council on Teacher Quality. The research revealed that of the 16 states that require districts to offer paid parental leave, only two — Arkansas and Delaware — give teachers their full wages...
By Lauren Wagner | January 26, 2026
ICE Taps into School Security Cameras to Aid Trump’s Immigration Crackdown, 74 Investigation Finds
Opinion: Changing Typefaces Doesn’t Help People With Dyslexia. Here’s What Actually Does
When It Comes to Screen Time, Expert Guidance and Family Realities Diverge
Report: In Some Urban Districts, Science of Reading Limits ‘Robust Comprehension’
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Rethinking Classroom Tech: A Call for Student Well-Being

This story was originally published on EdSource. Over the past two decades, educational technology has fundamentally reshaped teaching and learning. Digital tools have transformed instructional delivery, assessment, intervention and access to resources for students with diverse needs. As an educator who has taught at the elementary, middle and high school levels, I recognize the powerful...
By Bryan Easter | January 22, 2026
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A Year After Fires Scorched L.A. Schools, Difficulties Plague Reopenings

A year has passed since historic wildfires scorched vast swaths of Los Angeles and eight schools, where enrollment is still a fraction of what it was before the fires. The schools have mostly reopened after prolonged closures, using temporary classrooms. But the fires, which killed dozens and left thousands homeless, have chopped enrollment by half...
By Ben Chapman | January 21, 2026
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If We Care About Learning, We Must Care About Kids’ Oral Health

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...
By Paula Izvernari | January 20, 2026
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Newsom California Education Plan Would Shift More Power to Governor

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday proposed paring down the responsibilities of California’s elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction and shifting more power to the State Board of Education. “California can no longer postpone reforms that have been recommended regularly for a century,” Newsom said, referring to...
By Carolyn Jones, CalMatters | January 15, 2026
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California Legislators to Try Again to Make Kindergarten Mandatory

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. The past few years, California has been all about the ABCs, 1-2-3s and the wheels on the bus, investing more than $5 billion in early childhood education. But kindergarten, a staple of elementary schools for more than a century, remains optional. Despite nearly...
By Carolyn Jones, CalMatters | January 14, 2026
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Trump Administration Plans to Freeze Billions in Childcare Funding to California

This story was originally published on LAist. The Trump administration says it’s planning to freeze about $10 billion in federal support for needy families in California and four other Democrat-run states, as the president announced an investigation into unspecified fraud in California. The plans come on the heels of the Trump administration announcing a freeze on...
By Nick Gerda, LAist | January 13, 2026
