Education

The results — the most thorough look yet at the pandemic's toll on learning — left education officials and experts neither surprised nor hopeless.

State education officials — who initially seemed to be delaying the release of student scores until after the election — instead shared them in a way guaranteed to hinder coverage of what's expected to be a steep pandemic-driven decline.

California colleges are launching new classes and departments in Central American Studies, part of an increased focus on ethnic studies statewide. With California host to a quarter of the country's Central American population, Central American Studies scholars say it's about time.

The search is underway for a new California Community Colleges chancellor. The CalMatters College Journalism Network asked students enrolled in the 1.8 million-student-strong system the qualities they believe are the most important in a chancellor.

California’s community colleges aren’t on track to reach ambitious goals of closing the gaps in graduation rates between racial and ethnic groups. Its central office leaders doubt they’ll reach those goals, including new ones laid out by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

California’s estimated 75,000 undocumented students don’t qualify for federal work-study or most job opportunities, and often struggle to make ends meet. A new state service program launched last week, College Corps, will give hundreds of them as much as $10,000 per year to perform community service in areas including K-12 education, food insecurity and climate action.

Many school districts have limited or no dedicated cybersecurity teams. With no statewide standards, districts make their own decisions about cybersecurity measures.

The University of California aims to ease the transition from community college to university with a new dual admission pilot program launching this spring. High school graduates will be accepted simultaneously to a community college and nearby UC, with access to libraries and counseling on the UC campus. The program, however, excludes UC’s most selective campuses.

A new law will encourage California school districts to work with local Native American tribes to develop history lessons for students. For too long, students and tribal leaders say, schools have lacked an in-depth and accurate history curriculum that addresses their culture.

Parent advocate? Culture warrior? In a nearly hour-long interview with CalMatters, Lance Christensen, the challenger for California schools superintendent, vows to put students first and give parents a bigger voice.