Covering education in California and beyond

Credit: Courtesy of Rebecca Holz / California Policy Center

Credit: Courtesy of Rebecca Holz / California Policy Center

Federal judge rules California teachers are allowed to ‘out’ transgender students to parents

Emma Gallegos

The ruling applies to all public schools in California and is a victory for two teachers who claimed that district policies violated their constitutional free speech and religious rights.

December 23, 2025
Legislation
Credit: Courtesy of Moorpark College

Credit: Courtesy of Moorpark College

Blocked by CSU, community college bachelor’s degrees closer to approval following new analysis

Michael Burke

A 2021 state law allows community colleges to create bachelor’s degrees, so long as they don’t duplicate what the state universities offer. Seven proposed degrees have stalled for years because of objections from California State University.

December 23, 2025
Community Colleges
Credit: Emma Gallegos/EdSource

Credit: Emma Gallegos/EdSource

Her dwarfism once scared her away from teaching — now it’s her strength

Emma Gallegos

Heather Povinelli, who once gave up on her dream of teaching in college due to her height, was named one of five California Teachers of the Year.

December 22, 2025
Teachers

Latest News Briefs

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 — 10:26 am

California colleges defy law, blocking transcripts over unpaid balances
Monday, December 22, 2025 — 4:28 pm

Union representing 1,100 CSU workers votes to authorize statewide strike
Monday, December 22, 2025 — 9:47 am

Tuition costs vary from the University of California to the state’s most elite
Monday, December 22, 2025 — 9:31 am

West Contra Costa Unified, Pinole approve ‘ICE free zones’
Friday, December 19, 2025 — 10:27 am

Two key senior officials depart Oakland Unified amid budget shortfall
Friday, December 19, 2025 — 9:52 am

Survey: Families with young child with a disability struggle to meet basic needs

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Podcast: Education Beat

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

December 18, 2025

How one bilingual educator’s childhood trauma fuels his fight for inclusion

In the bilingual education world, José Medina is a superstar. A former teacher turned principal turned researcher, he spreads his message of respecting students’ languages on social media and in schools across the country.

EdSource · How one bilingual educator’s childhood trauma fuels his fight for inclusion

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Commentaries

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Savitha Moorthy

Amie Latterman

The path to universal preschool in California: Avoiding past mistakes

Don’t fight veterans on earning college credit for their military experience
By Sonya Christian

Four common mistakes California districts can avoid when choosing a math curriculum
By Francisco Villegas

Latest News

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Credit: Courtesy of José Medina

Credit: Courtesy of José Medina

Meet the researcher using sass and social media to transform bilingual education

Zaidee Stavely

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.

December 19, 2025
Bilingual Education
Credit: Julie Leopo / EdSource

Credit: Julie Leopo / EdSource

New federal alert warns that 132 schools and colleges in California produce ‘lower earnings’

Amy DiPierro

Student aid forms now disclose if a college’s graduates earn less than a high school-only benchmark. Critics say it’s not fair.

December 18, 2025
College & Careers
Credit: Los Angeles Unified / X

Credit: Los Angeles Unified / X

Judge weighs arguments on whether new antisemitism law will tread on teachers’ rights

John Fensterwald

The law, Assembly Bill 715, aims to reinforce existing anti-discrimination laws and create an Office of Civil Rights and an Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator.

December 17, 2025
Legislation
Credit: AP Photo/Eric Thayer

Credit: AP Photo/Eric Thayer

Ideas for improving California’s school funding formula come with billion-dollar costs; here’s why

John Fensterwald

A new report by the Public Policy Institute of California estimates the cost of various reforms to California’s education funding formula.

December 17, 2025
High-needs students

Featured special project

Play, potties, preschool: TK for All

FEATURED TOPIC

Federal education policy

Featured Data

California Smarter Balanced Test Results: 2025

Artículos más recientes en español

Credit: Jason Halley/Chico State

Credit: Jason Halley/Chico State

El hambre asedia a estudiantes de California, y la situación podría empeorar

Emma Gallegos

Casi 3 de cada 4 familias californianas con un niño menor de 6 años dicen haber tenido dificultades para cubrir una o más necesidades básicas, como servicios públicos, vivienda, alimentos, atención médica y cuidado infantil.

December 17, 2025
Política Educativa Federal
Zaidee Stavely / EdSource

Zaidee Stavely / EdSource

Disminución de nuevos estudiantes inmigrantes pone en riesgo programas para recién llegados

Zaidee Stavely

Las escuelas reportan una fuerte disminución en la matrícula de nuevos estudiantes inmigrantes este año escolar, debido a la reducción de los cruces fronterizos.

December 15, 2025
Inmigración

Stay up to date with California education

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

Topic Focus

Quick Guides

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

Featured Special Project

California’s Reading Dilemma

This EdSource special report examines the state of early reading in California, the needs of special learners, teacher preparation and training and curricula and textbooks that are driving instruction.

Credit: Courtesy of UCSF Dyslexia Center

Credit: Courtesy of UCSF Dyslexia Center

Can early screening help more California kids learn to read? Teachers are finding out

Zaidee Stavely

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.

October 10, 2025
California’s Reading Dilemma
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

Video

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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.
Proactive campus policies, communication with students critical under ‘antagonistic’ federal actions, panel says

Panelists discussed threats to cut federal funding, impact on international students, and ways in which California is protected.
Head Start allies wait, worry about possible funding cuts

Donald Trump’s federal budget proposal did not include cuts to Head Start, but supporters of the early education program are concerned its funding could be cut during budget negotiations.

Most Popular Stories

Credit: Michael Burke/EdSource

Credit: Michael Burke/EdSource

Community colleges offer new classes to prepare students for calculus, comply with controversial law

Michael Burke

A new law is changing course pathways for thousands of community college students in science and math majors. Long sequences of prerequisites, including algebra and trigonometry, are no longer required before taking calculus.

December 5, 2025
Community Colleges
Credit: Shannon Cronin / CSU Monterey Bay

Credit: Shannon Cronin / CSU Monterey Bay

CSU campuses show vastly different results on graduation after 10 years and $3 billion

Amy DiPierro

Cal State Monterey Bay was among campuses with the largest graduation gains, while Chico State backslid on some metrics.

December 3, 2025
California State University
Credit: AP Photo/Eric Thayer

Credit: AP Photo/Eric Thayer

Report calls for overhauling how California runs its schools

John Fensterwald

Chief among many recommendations, the research center PACE urges putting the governor, not the state schools superintendent, in charge of the California Department of Education.

December 1, 2025
State Education Policy
Credit: Zack Haber / X

Credit: Zack Haber / X

State finds Oakland Unified created ‘discriminatory environment’ for Jewish students

John Fensterwald

After investigating multiple complaints of antisemitism in Oakland Unified, the California Department of Education ruled they were valid. The district has belatedly pledged to take allegations of hate seriously and train staff.

November 6, 2025
Race and Equity

Latest News Briefs

California colleges defy law, blocking transcripts over unpaid balances

Union representing 1,100 CSU workers votes to authorize statewide strike

Tuition costs vary from the University of California to the state’s most elite

West Contra Costa Unified, Pinole approve ‘ICE free zones’

Two key senior officials depart Oakland Unified amid budget shortfall

Survey: Families with young child with a disability struggle to meet basic needs

Podcast: Education Beat

Recent Episodes

How a small rural school district is setting an example for school counseling statewide

Learning to read while locked up

Commentaries

Don’t fight veterans on earning college credit for their military experience By Sonya Christian

Four common mistakes California districts can avoid when choosing a math curriculum By Francisco Villegas

Latest News

Featured special project

Play, potties, preschool: TK for All

FEATURED TOPIC

Federal education policy

Featured Data

California Smarter Balanced Test Results: 2025

Artículos más recientes en español

Stay up to date with California education

Featured Topics

Video

Most Popular Stories

Don’t fight veterans on earning college credit for their military experience
By Sonya Christian

Four common mistakes California districts can avoid when choosing a math curriculum
By Francisco Villegas