Education

California’s college students had a year for the history books, as they contended with major strikes, mass protests, the arrest of hundreds of peers and major setbacks in their bid to apply for financial aid.

New California law prevents schools from requiring staff to notify parents if a student identifies as LGBTQ. It's in response to some districts requiring staff to notify parents when students identify as a gender other than what's in their official files.

Campus administrators have been swift in enforcing their protest rules this fall, a marked change from last spring where protest encampments grew unchecked for days or weeks. Meanwhile, students are asking courts to weigh in on policies in court.

All high school students are required to take civics, but a lack of money can limit opportunities. And in some communities, parent objections pressure teachers to avoid certain topics.

California’s community colleges are experimenting with a new model, known as competency-based education, but at one school, it’s created a divide between faculty and college administrators.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “Master Plan for Career Education” seeks to help the more than 7 million adults in California who lack college degrees by giving them college credit for their work experience and by changing the requirements on some state jobs.

National and California experts say Trump's mass deportation plans make filling out the federal financial aid application for college a risk to students with undocumented parents. California's own application has more safeguards.

The nation’s most linguistically diverse state has a tortured history with bilingual education in public schools. The Education Department can’t — and the Legislature won’t — do what it takes to repair the damage.

California has banned bilingual education on and off since the 1800s. The state is now 8 years into allowing it again but still hasn’t managed to get all that many kids into good programs.

A new law taking effect Jan. 1 creates a Black-Serving Institution designation for colleges and universities in California that excel in supporting student success. Campus presidents say the designation will help them recruit Black students and give them an HBCU-like experience in their home state instead of having to leave California for college.