K-12 Education

For decades, the standardized test scores of California students have shown that achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity and class—while troubling—tended to narrow over time. And an alarming gender discrepancy that once showed girls testing significantly behind boys in math has actually vanished. But while the state’s newly released 2016 scores show small improvements overall compared to […]

Sen. Holly Mitchell reacts to CALmatters article

Something new is happening at a batch of California urban schools. Students are being asked if they are happy at school. Can they keep their temper in check when there’s trouble in class? Their parents are surveyed about feeling welcome at school. Do they think the school provides high-quality instruction and high expectations for their […]

One by one, dozens of blacks and Latinos lined up behind a microphone placed before the state school board appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown. Spanish-speaking mothers pleaded for the 10-member panel to evaluate schools based on parent involvement because they have felt unwelcome at their children’s schools. African-American students asked the state to compile school […]

A group that lobbies to change public education is pouring money into a handful of Northern California legislative races ahead of the June 7 election, aiming to influence the kind of Democrats who hold power in the state Capitol. Democrats make up a solid majority of the Legislature, but they do not agree on everything. […]

This week California’s State Board of Education will consider what measures beyond test scores should be included in the state’s new accountability system for public schools. In a shift away from the state’s exclusive reliance on standardized tests, the board is mulling the incorporation of multiple metrics such as suspension and graduation rates in determining […]

Our Partners Budgeting from the Blacktop – KQED A Day With a Sixth Grader – KQED One School’s Unique Program Faces Uncertainty – KQED Is Extra Funding Helping English Learners? – KQED Listen: CALmatters reporter Judy Lin – KQED Who should decide how to fix schools that need help? In this video taken by CALmatters at the Berggruen […]

Our Partners Budgeting from the Blacktop – KQED A Day With a Sixth Grader – KQED One School’s Unique Program Faces Uncertainty – KQED Is Extra Funding Helping English Learners? – KQED Listen: CALmatters reporter Judy Lin – KQED More than 50 civil rights and education reform groups are using Jerry Brown to remind Jerry Brown of his […]

As he eyes a run for governor, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is spotlighting the lagging academic performance of Latino and African-American students and saying the state should do more to hold schools accountable. The 63-year-old Democrat says parents have a right to know how their schools are doing and he doesn’t see a […]

Finding the right school for your child can be a daunting task. One family may want small class sizes and strong test scores while another places a high priority on arts and science programs. Others may prefer bilingual — or even trilingual — schools to gain a linguistic advantage or simply so their kids can […]