
Zaidee Stavely
Zaidee Stavely covers immigration and education for EdSource and hosts the weekly Education Beat podcast. She is a bilingual print and radio reporter who has worked in Mexico and the U.S. She has covered education, immigration, environmental justice and traditional arts for KQED, Radio Bilingüe, and Public Radio International’s “The World,” among other outlets. Zaidee has won numerous awards for her journalism, including an Emmy, a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award, Excellence in Journalism Awards from SPJ Northern California, and the Rubén Salazar Award from CCCNMA: Latino Journalists of California. She grew up in rural Mendocino County, where both her parents taught in public one-room schoolhouses. She has a Master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. in Latin American and Latino Studies and Community Studies from UC Santa Cruz.
All articles by Zaidee Stavely
Many California students still labeled English learners despite testing as fluent
A new bill aims to automatically reclassify students as "fluent and English-proficient" when they score 4 on the proficiency exam.
Zaidee Stavely
March 17, 2026
Unable to advocate for their children, Indigenous parents from Mexico call for more interpretation
Triqui and Mixteco-speaking parents in Greenfield in Monterey County said without interpretation, they could not advocate for their children at crucial times.
Zaidee Stavely
March 2, 2026
California teachers navigate difficult discussions about current events after ICE shootings
Students are learning important skills such as analyzing news articles, understanding biases and discussing issues with people who disagree with them.
Zaidee Stavely
February 9, 2026
Looking out for ICE, California parents, teachers help students get to school
Parents, teachers and neighbors in some school districts are watching for ICE agents and helping walk students to school in an effort to improve attendance amid fears.
Zaidee Stavely
January 16, 2026
EdSource's Best of 2025: Our favorite Education Beat podcast episodes
Listen to our favorite podcast episodes from 2025, from teachers escaping wildfires to bilingual education classrooms in Texas and students fighting for better school buildings.
Zaidee Stavely
December 30, 2025
Meet the researcher using sass and social media to transform bilingual education
A former teacher-turned-principal-turned-researcher, José Medina calls on his own childhood trauma in school to spread his message about validating and acknowledging students' languages and identities.
Zaidee Stavely
December 19, 2025
Decline in new immigrant students puts newcomer programs in jeopardy
Oakland Unified and other school districts in California are experiencing a decline in new immigrant students due to changes in immigration policies, raising concerns that newcomer programs may be scaled back.
Zaidee Stavely
December 11, 2025
Fallout from shutdown could be lengthy, school leaders say
Even though the shutdown is ending, it is unclear how long it will take for funding to flow and for employees to resume their usual activities.
Zaidee Stavely And Lasherica Thornton
November 12, 2025
California rethinks how to identify 4-year-olds who need extra help learning English
The challenge is that children at this age are still developing language skills. In the past, students would sometimes cry and put their heads down on the desk during tests.
Zaidee Stavely
October 28, 2025
Most California college grads see positive return on investment, study says
More than three-quarters of graduates from California’s public four-year universities have a positive “return on investment" according to a new study.
Zaidee Stavely
October 16, 2025
Can early screening help more California kids learn to read? Teachers are finding out
The screenings give teachers and parents early indications of areas that can help children learn to read and could point to a need for further evaluation.
Zaidee Stavely
October 10, 2025
What you need to know about the new reading screenings | Quick Guide
A 2023 California law requires all students in kindergarten, first and second grade to be screened for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia.
Zaidee Stavely
October 10, 2025
California leaders warn schools: English learner rights remain despite Trump rollback
The Trump administration has rescinded guidelines on how schools should teach English learners, which has caused concern for administrators and families.
Zaidee Stavely
September 8, 2025
Finding the ideal TK teacher: A challenge of credentials and preschool experience
Credentialed teachers often lack experience teaching 4-year-olds, while those with experience teaching preschool often lack a teaching credential.
Zaidee Stavely
August 28, 2025
He taught and blogged for thousands — retiring teacher shares his wisdom
After 23 years of teaching and writing, Larry Ferlazzo plans to volunteer in a juvenile hall and help accompany immigrants to asylum hearings.








