This story is published in partnership with The Associated Press. It’s almost noon, and after playing on the playground, working with clay and washing their hands, the 2-year-olds are ready for lunch. The eight children and their Head Start teachers pray in English, thanking God for the meal. Then, the adults bring over several bowls. “Hoy tenemos arroz....

It’s clear what the next state superintendent will no longer do upon assuming office in January: run the California Department of Education. A new education commissioner appointed by the next governor will take on that responsibility under legislation Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in June. What’s unclear is what the next state superintendent will actually do....

This story was originally published by EdSource. Sign up for their daily newsletter. In the state’s largest school district, making meals available to all students — breakfast, lunch and sometimes, dinner — is a massive operation. From Pepperoni Pizza to Birria Bowls, to vegetarian and vegan offerings, students have a range of options to choose from....

A Sacramento charter school that the state auditor blasted last year for allegedly wrongly receiving $180 million is seeking a new home – and a new name – in Sutter County. Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools, which serves adults at a half dozen campuses in Sacramento, is seeking to sever ties with its oversight...

As another school year gets underway, several states are considering whether to give students more time for recess, and some have already expanded the role of unstructured play in a child’s school day.  The momentum around recess has been building for years, with experts raising awareness about the importance of preserving time for daily play...

How long can one school year last? In Fairfax County, Virginia, this year, it will take 297 days between the start and end of the year to deliver 180 days of instruction. How is that possible? Well, weekends, obviously. And then two weeks of Winter Break, one week for Spring Break, and three days for...

This story was originally published by EdSource As a key element in the state’s package of early literacy reforms, Gov. Gavin Newsom included $200 million in last year’s state budget to pay for instructing elementary school teachers in the new reading strategies. On Wednesday, the State Board of Education approved 31 training programs that school districts can...

A group of Jewish parents and teachers are celebrating a recent court ruling that will allow them to refile a lawsuit against the United Teachers Los Angeles union and creators of the controversial “liberated” ethnic studies curriculum that some Los Angeles Unified teachers use.  A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the...

Compton, Calif. — Fifteen years ago, the challenge of leading the Compton Unified School District would have scared off even the most confident education leader. Darin Brawley almost passed it over. The urban system, just off one of Los Angeles’ major freeways, was headed for state takeover and had a 58% graduation rate. When the...

With five simple words last year, Maine issued guidance that speaks volumes about how extreme weather is changing school. The law, Temperature Standards for School Buildings, clearly calls for each district in the state to set minimum and maximum temperature limits under which schools can operate.  What’s left unsaid in this bill is what any...