Education

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.

The Republicans competing to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom in the recall election would change the foundations of public education by “empowering parents” with school choice. But would that undercut public schools?

The UC Board of Regents approved a five-year tuition hike that charges each incoming undergraduate class a progressively higher rate every year but then keeps that rate flat for six years. A previous version would have kept those increases going indefinitely. Now the author of that change wants students to document all the ways this plan could hurt students.