Education

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

Debate continued last week over a new name for UC Hastings law school after revelations that its founder participated in massacres of Native Americans. Tribal leaders say legislation requiring that the school make reparations for the atrocities offers an opportunity for their history to be recognized.

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.

Private colleges want to change rules for how police respond to trespassing on campus. Students worry the proposal could lead to racial profiling.

The Cal State system pointed out this week that current plans to expand the Cal Grant, California’s chief financial aid tool for students, would leave out more middle class students in the future, even though there would be a net gain of eligible students overall. Supporters of expanding the Cal Grant don’t think Cal State officials are telling the whole story.

By officially prioritizing part-time work as a way for students to pay for college, the University of California moved closer to its goal of students avoiding burdensome loans by 2030.

Eight months into my first year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, in May 2021, I visited the university campus for the first time. Because of the pandemic, I was taking class virtually from 200 miles away, and repeated COVID-19 spikes pushed a campus visit down on my list of priorities.  Seeing San Luis Obispo […]

California exempts many undocumented students from paying non-resident tuition at the state’s public colleges and universities. But gaps in the law mean that some undocumented students and visa holders still don’t get exemptions — even if they’ve lived in the state for more than a decade. Two bills pending in the state Legislature would make it easier to qualify.

Student activists say SB 886 would fast-track campus housing projects, which can get tangled in lawsuits. But critics say the bill doesn't solve the core problem: a lack of funding for affordable student housing.

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.