Education

Education

Disaster Days School Closure Database

By John Osborn D'Agostino, Ricardo Cano and CalMatters Staff • September 16, 2019

California Wildfires

What wildfire did to one California town’s schools in four years

Since 2002, nearly two-thirds of the days lost to school closures have been for wildfire and wildfire-related issues. Of those fire closures, half have occurred in the past four school years.

By Ricardo Cano • September 16, 2019

Education

Disaster Days: How megafires, guns and other 21st century crises are disrupting California schools

From climate-driven natural disasters to crumbling infrastructure and threats of mass shootings, modern dangers are sending California kids home from class in record numbers. The trend is only beginning to show up on lawmakers' radar.

By Ricardo Cano • September 16, 2019

WhatMatters

Legislature’s final week, rent control, for-profit colleges, Newsom channels Reagan, and alligators

Rent cap deal is far from done. Before Newsom, Reagan battled feds over automobile emissions rules. PG&E searches for a Plan B.

By Dan Morain • September 9, 2019

Capitol

California education officials say ethnic studies plan “falls short,” needs work

Education officials hit pause on a high school ethnic studies plan after receiving thousands of suggestions and complaints. 

By Elizabeth Castillo • August 14, 2019

WhatMatters

Legislators return, the future of work, recycling crisis, UC’s shrouded side door, and segregation in 2019

Legislators return from summer break set to tackle slew of issues, including the nature of work and California's recycling crisis.

By Dan Morain and Barbara Harvey • August 12, 2019

WhatMatters

Blowback on ethnic studies, mental illness, fighting to save forests, and cannabis

A look at mental illness through the lens of families. New ethnic studies curriculum met with criticism. Jerry Brown's school funding formula is graded.

By Dan Morain • August 9, 2019

K-12 Education

Is California’s ethnic studies plan too politically correct even for California?

California has released a draft of the new ethnic studies curriculum for high schools, and critics are asking: Does it lean too far left?

By Elizabeth Castillo • August 8, 2019

Education

Needy school districts are getting more money — but what about needy kids?

Financially, at least, California's 5-year-old school finance overhaul is working for disadvantaged students. But a PPIC study still finds that high-need schools are still too reliant on novice teachers. And in better-off districts, not enough is being done for poorer kids.

By Ricardo Cano • August 7, 2019

Commentary

Lessons from the Old Courthouse in El Centro

Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar: My responsibility goes beyond deciding cases. We must help the public understand what we do and share our collective knowledge. Nowhere is that mission more urgent than when it comes to improving the lives of our state’s children.

By Guest Commentary • June 16, 2019