K-12 Education

A CalMatters investigation found that schools had wildly different approaches to stimulus spending — from laptops to shade structures to an ice cream truck. No centralized database exists to show the public exactly where the money went.

California schools received more than $33 billion in COVID stimulus money. Some districts won’t say how they’ve spent it.

Tony Thurmond faces little opposition for a second term as California schools superintendent, but critics question how much he has accomplished. He points to task forces that are influencing education policy and says he wants to help public schools rebound from the pandemic.

Schools already struggling with teacher shortages reached a crisis point during the omicron surge, particularly those with high percentages of high-needs students. With substitute teachers in scarce supply and school officials worried about future staffing, one lawmaker is proposing solutions.

Last school year, growing districts weren’t funded for all their students. Their leaders say they’ve been hurt by efforts to protect the majority of the state’s districts experiencing declining enrollment.

According to new data from the California Department of Education, enrollment continues to drop at faster rates than before the pandemic.

California needs tens of thousands of teachers and assistants to expand public school to all 4-year-olds. Private and nonprofit preschools worry they’ll lose their staff.

California’s schools are struggling to staff up — despite billions in state money flowing to school districts to remedy teacher shortages. Grants have helped but, educators say, they aren’t enough.

The revised draft of the state’s proposed math framework, which became embroiled in controversy last year, insists students can reach high-level math classes under its recommendations.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and state officials said today that the state mask mandate for schools will end, but local jurisdictions are free to impose their own requirements.