Education

Long underpaid and underappreciated, substitute teachers are key to keeping schools open this year. But a shortage of subs has created another layer of chaos to this pandemic school year.

California community college students often aim to transfer into a UC or a Cal State, but few actually make the jump — in part because of how complicated it is to do so. A proposed bill aims to make transfers easier — but faces fierce resistance from faculty, the UC and California community college leadership.

As classes resume, a new state law governing independent study is worsening staff shortages, threatening school budgets and forcing quarantined students to relive last year’s school shutdowns.

During the Covid emergency, the federal government has expanded food stamp eligibility for college students, who have typically had trouble accessing the aid even though many suffer from food insecurity. California colleges are stepping up their efforts to get students enrolled.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announces a requirement that teachers and school employees be fully vaccinated or submit to routine COVID testing.

The California State University system decided in late July to require students to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Unfortunately for students, the deadline to get vaccinated and the start of classes conflict in potentially problematic ways.

Even as the delta variant causes spikes in COVID-19 case numbers just weeks before the new school year, state lawmakers have yet to issue a vaccine mandate for public school teachers.

Tribal colleges provide culturally relevant education for Native students. But in California, they face an uphill battle because of lack of funding and a lengthy accreditation process.

While both the University of California and California State University are requiring students to be vaccinated for the fall term, community college districts are opting for a mix of mandates, incentives and encouragement.

If a bill pending in the California Legislature passes, all three of the state's higher education governing boards will have two voting student members. Advocates say the student representatives provide an important firsthand perspective on issues like campus safety and basic needs.