Covering education in California and beyond

Credit: Courtesy of Stephanie Nguyen’s office

Credit: Courtesy of Stephanie Nguyen’s office

New bill proposes reforming special education by empowering California families

Emma Gallegos

Local organizations train and organize parents, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into coordination and action in Sacramento, according to the bill’s supporters.

March 26, 2026
Legislation
Credit: Mallika Seshadri / EdSource

Credit: Mallika Seshadri / EdSource

Inside Los Angeles Unified’s hidden world of art, archives and artifacts

Mallika Seshadri

The multi-million-dollar collection is a rarity among school districts nationwide.

March 25, 2026
Los Angeles Unified
Credit: Fresno Unified / Flickr

Credit: Fresno Unified / Flickr

More women, more diversity in California school leadership, but gaps remain

Diana Lambert

The ranks of California school administrators are more diverse than in the past, with more women and people of color in leadership positions, but gaps still remain and more data is needed to determine the extent of the progress.

March 24, 2026
Administrators

Number of the Week

ELECTIONS

$2.6 M

Amount raised for the 2026 superintendent race as of the beginning of the year.

Latest News Briefs

Thursday, March 26, 2026 — 10:27 am

Former Marin PTA president arrested for allegedly stealing funds
Thursday, March 26, 2026 — 9:59 am

San Jose parents file complaint over proposed closure of 5 schools
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 — 12:33 pm

Feds give San Jose State 10 days to comply with Title IX or lose funding
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 — 11:33 am

Instagram, YouTube owners found liable in landmark social media addiction trial

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Latest News

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Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo

Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo

Immigrant families in California retreat from public benefits amid proposed changes to enforcement rules

Betty Márquez Rosales

It is unclear if or when the federal administration’s proposed changes to “public charge” rules would go into effect.

March 23, 2026
Student Well-Being
Theresa Harrington / EdSource

Theresa Harrington / EdSource

Legislative Analyst sees merit in Gov. Newsom’s plan for realigning California’s school bureaucracy

John Fensterwald

The LAO likes the idea of moving the Department of Education under the control of the governor but wants the Legislature to get involved in the details.

March 21, 2026
California Department of Education
Credit: Andrew Reed / EdSource

Credit: Andrew Reed / EdSource

‘Treated as a professional’: How California district and school leaders can boost teacher morale

Ileana Najarro

March 20, 2026
Teachers
Credit: Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP

Credit: Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP

‘I was hooked’: California lawmakers target gambling addiction in youth

Vani Sanganeria

In a recent report, about half of 16-year-old boys said they had gambled in the past year, mostly on gaming, sports and traditional betting.

March 20, 2026
Student Well-Being

Podcast: Education Beat

A weekly podcast that gets to the heart of education issues in California and beyond.

March 26, 2026

Fresno Unified and teachers union join forces to put a roof over families’ heads

Fresno Unified and the Fresno Teachers Association are housing 20 families and offering classes and supports to help them get ahead.

EdSource · Fresno Unified and teachers union join forces to put a roof over families' heads

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Commentaries

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UC Riverside’s rapid growth strains campus resources and infrastructure
By Jihoon Kwon

David Margulies

Rahim Nathwani

Math fact fluency: The key to unlocking student success in California

Anti-white racism in Los Angeles Unified? A bizarre claim reveals a painful truth
By Tim DeRoche

Featured special project

L.A. Fires: Schools mourn losses, celebrate progress on anniversary

FEATURED TOPIC

Featured Data

L.A. Fires: Tracking the fires’ impact on eight schools after one year

Artículos más recientes en español

Credit: Allison Shelley for American Education

Credit: Allison Shelley for American Education

LAUSD ahora es responsable de tutorías de alto impacto tras aprobación de acuerdo judicial

Mallika Seshadri

March 12, 2026
El Distrito Escolar Unificado de Los Ángeles
Courtesy of Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño

Courtesy of Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño

Sin poder abogar por sus hijos, padres indígenas de México exigen más servicios de interpretación

Zaidee Stavely

La subestimación del número de estudiantes que hablan lenguas indígenas de México podría estar contribuyendo a la falta de servicios de interpretación.

March 11, 2026
Aprendices de inglés

Stay up to date with California education

Get a daily digest on all you need to know about California schools and districts.

Topic Focus

EdSource’s quick guides make complex education issues easier to understand. These brief explanatory articles provide an introduction to key trends, systems, institutions and debates in California education and the context you need to go deeper. Have a suggestion for a topic that would benefit from a similar explainer? Let us know!

Credit: Liv Ames / EdSource

Credit: Liv Ames / EdSource

Celebrating a religious or cultural holiday that falls on a school day? Here’s what to know

Mallika Seshadri

California’s Education Code allows students to take off from school for religious and cultural reasons, with limits.

November 26, 2025
Quick Guides
Credit: Pexels

Credit: Pexels

Understanding the California School Dashboard: What parents need to know

John Fensterwald

Read on to find the answers: What’s the dashboard’s purpose? Why are there colors? Why can’t I compare schools? How might the dashboard be improved?

November 13, 2025
Quick Guides
Courtesy of UCSF Dyslexia Center

Courtesy of UCSF Dyslexia Center

What you need to know about the new reading screenings | Quick Guide

Zaidee Stavely

A 2023 California law requires all students in kindergarten, first and second grade to be screened for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia.

October 10, 2025
Quick Guides

Featured Topics

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Falling rates, rising risk: Vaccination rates down in California

School vaccination rates came into greater focus as Texas grappled with a deadly measles outbreak and federal health and education revisited long-standing vaccination requirements for entry into public schools. At the same time, the most recent data indicates a drop in kindergarten vaccination rates that’s brought some areas of California below herd immunity, increasing the possibility of a Texas-like outbreak in some parts of the state.

Credit: LM Otero/AP Photo

Credit: LM Otero/AP Photo

California audits 428 schools with low vaccination rates

Diana Lambert And Daniel J. Willis

California is auditing 428 of its public schools due to low vaccination rates. In the meantime, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has rolled back recommendations for some childhood vaccines, potentially leading to further decreases in vaccination rates.

January 28, 2026
Falling rates, rising risk: Vaccination rates down in California
Map: 428 California schools flagged for audit due to low vaccination rates

Yuxuan Xie And Daniel J. Willis

A map of 428 California schools identified for audit because more than 10% of their kindergarten or seventh grade students were not fully vaccinated last school year.

January 28, 2026
Falling rates, rising risk: Vaccination rates down in California

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What can schools afford? Experts discuss teachers strikes and funding priorities

An EdSource roundtable examined how districts can balance teachers’ pay demands against classroom needs and volatile state funding.
California schools struggle with funding and equity amid federal shake-ups

An EdSource panel of educational leaders and policy experts discussed the impact of federal actions and California’s response.
Is college worth the cost? Experts discuss higher education benefits and challenges

Despite concerns about college debt and the rise of AI, experts at an EdSource roundtable emphasized the long-term benefits of higher education and suggested colleges do more to help students transition to college and provide skills for a changing economy.

Most Popular Stories

Credit: Courtesy of San Diego Education Association

Credit: Courtesy of San Diego Education Association

Special education has become a flash point in negotiations with teachers

Emma Gallegos

With a growing number of students qualifying for special education, teachers are struggling to meet the needs of these students while also dealing with unsustainable caseloads.

February 24, 2026
Special Education
Credit: alarico / iStock

Credit: alarico / iStock

How many California schools are in the 3,200-foot buffer zone where the state bans new drilling?

Justin Allen

The Trump administration is suing California over a law regulating oil and gas wells close to schools, homes and other sensitive sites. How many schools stand to be impacted?

February 23, 2026
Infographics and Maps
Credit: Courtesy of Community College Baccalaureate Association

Credit: Courtesy of Community College Baccalaureate Association

California Community Colleges approve 3 new bachelor’s degrees over CSU’s objections

Michael Burke

Previously, community college leaders had not typically approved degrees that faced active objections from CSU. A recent report from WestEd, commissioned by the community college system, may prove to be a crucial turning point.

February 20, 2026
Community Colleges
Credit: Andrew Reed / EdSource

Credit: Andrew Reed / EdSource

With literacy policies on the books, advocates target early math

John Fensterwald

A new bill would require districts to screen for — and help — students falling behind in math in the early grades, just as they now do for students with challenges in reading.

February 19, 2026
Teaching Mathematics in California

Number of the Week

ELECTIONS

$2.6 M

Amount raised for the 2026 superintendent race as of the beginning of the year.

Latest News Briefs

Former Marin PTA president arrested for allegedly stealing funds

San Jose parents file complaint over proposed closure of 5 schools

Feds give San Jose State 10 days to comply with Title IX or lose funding

Instagram, YouTube owners found liable in landmark social media addiction trial

Latest News

Podcast: Education Beat

Recent Episodes

Student filmmakers chase career dreams at Hollywood High

Los Angeles parents fight for and win intensive tutoring for kids hurt by Covid

Commentaries

UC Riverside’s rapid growth strains campus resources and infrastructure By Jihoon Kwon

Anti-white racism in Los Angeles Unified? A bizarre claim reveals a painful truth By Tim DeRoche

Featured special project

L.A. Fires: Schools mourn losses, celebrate progress on anniversary

FEATURED TOPIC

2026-27 State Budget

Featured Data

L.A. Fires: Tracking the fires’ impact on eight schools after one year

Artículos más recientes en español

Stay up to date with California education

Featured Topics

Video

Most Popular Stories

UC Riverside’s rapid growth strains campus resources and infrastructure
By Jihoon Kwon

Anti-white racism in Los Angeles Unified? A bizarre claim reveals a painful truth
By Tim DeRoche