When historic wildfires burned across Los Angeles earlier this year, L.A. high school teacher and young adult author Veronica Bane identified an issue that wasn’t being addressed — the loss of classroom libraries. Bane, an English teacher at Alliance Susan & Eric Smidt Technology High School, drew from her deep belief in the power of...

Students are protesting in support of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s programs for Black students after President Donald Trump vowed to take aim at such efforts.  Last month, the U.S. Department of Education announced it may withhold funding for any schools with race-based programming. In a memo sent to districts nationwide, the department ordered...

It turns out that educational disruptions are bad for kids. Perhaps you already knew that? In a series of posts in 2020 and 2021, I wrote about the research on past educational disruptions and predicted what they might mean for children going through COVID-19. This month marks the fifth anniversary of the pandemic. What have...

This post was originally posted on LAist. The U.S. Department of Education has launched investigations into 52 universities in 41 states, accusing the schools of using “racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.” On Friday, the department’s Office of Civil Rights said that 45 schools, particularly their graduate programs, violated the 1964 Civil Rights...

Los Angeles Unified School District families and educators are grappling with the impact of federal immigration policies as increased U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity has left many living in fear. Reports of students skipping school due to concerns over immigration enforcement have raised alarms, with district officials warning declining attendance could have long-term...

More than two decades of working as an educator couldn’t prepare Juliet Herman for the night of January 7, when her school, Palisades Charter Elementary School, burnt to the ground, along with the homes of many of her students and teachers. Wildfires devastated the Los Angeles community of the Pacific Palisades that night, destroying homes...

Dear Madam Secretary, Congratulations and welcome to a place we once knew well. You face any number of tough challenges on behalf of American students, parents, educators and taxpayers, as well as the administration you serve, but your “Department’s Final Mission” speech shows that you’re well prepared to meet them. We particularly admire your commitment to making...

This was originally published on CalMatters. California sends mixed messages when it comes to serving dyslexic students. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is the most famous dyslexic political official in the country, even authoring a children’s book to raise awareness about the learning disability. And yet, California is one of 10 states that doesn’t require dyslexia screening for...

Burned in the LA wildfires, the Palisades Charter High School campus is still closed to students.  But that hasn’t stopped the school’s student choir from making music. In fact, they just sang at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards show last month, sharing the stage with Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock. Classes are still virtual for...

This story was originally published on LAist. With the statewide March 2 deadline less than three weeks away, the California Student Aid Commission is urging counselors to double down on outreach to students who haven’t submitted an application for financial aid. Completion rates are down across the board — whether it’s for federal or state-based...