education

Groups of students walk through a plaza in front of a main building on the University Of California Los Angeles campus.

Higher Education

Billions of dollars in California research grants now hang in the balance at an obscure federal court

The Court of Federal Claims was a little-known court until the U.S. Supreme Court said that universities need to file suit there, and not in traditional district courts, to try to have their research grant funding restored. The Trump administration has terminated billions of dollars in science grants.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• September 19, 2025

Manila envelopes that are labeled "economics," "ethnic studies" and "psychology" are displayed on top of a cabinet inside a high school classroom. A student can be seen int he foreground using their laptop.

K-12 Education

Ethnic studies was supposed to start in California schools. What happened?

The ethnic studies class was meant to focus on the cultures and histories of African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans and Latinos. The state’s curriculum also encourages schools to add additional lessons based on their student populations, such as Hmong or Armenian.

By

Carolyn Jones

• September 18, 2025

The backs of two students are seen walking through a pathway lined with trees and palm trees at the San Diego State campus.

Higher Education

More California high school seniors applied for college financial aid this year than last

About 340,000 California students completed a financial aid application, up about 11% over last year.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• September 15, 2025

A person, wearing a green hijab and blouse with a long black skirt, uses a bucket and a ring device to release bubbles to a group of children playing nearby.

Education

Judge pauses Trump policy cutting off schools, shelters to certain immigrants

A U.S. district judge issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily pausing a series of federal policies aimed at restricting certain immigrants’ access to public benefits and programs.

By

Adam Echelman

• September 10, 2025

Students, some sitting and some standing, write on individual pieces of paper while they work on an assignment inside a classroom. The room is decorates with hand-drawn paper butterflies and multi-colored round laterns.

K-12 Education

Seven years after California’s deadliest fire, schools — and kids — are still recovering

One of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history, the Camp Fire is among the many natural disasters that have upended student learning over the past decade.

By

Carolyn Jones

,

Megan Tagami

and

Sharon Lurye

• September 10, 2025

A lower-body view of students walking down a path with yellow and red lines at a school.

K-12 Education

‘Something can be done about this’: New plan aims to stop sex abuse in California schools

A new bill would give officials more tools to identify and combat sexual abuse and educate students to better identify the most common signs of grooming behavior.

By

Matt Drange

• September 8, 2025

A close-up view of a student leaning down to look at a set of beakers with yellow and blue liquid as part of a science experiment during a class.

K-12 Education

California changed the way it teaches science. But test scores remain low

Nearly a decade after California revamped its K-12 science curriculum, two-thirds of students failed to meet the statewide standard.

By

Carolyn Jones

• September 5, 2025

Three students sit at a dining table inside a home while they look at laptops in front of them. One student, with dark hair, can be seen staring at their laptop while their right arm rest on their right cheek.

K-12 Education

These parents sued LA Unified over remote learning. How the settlement will benefit students

The settlement affects about 250,000 students, who will get access to one-on-one tutoring and other services.

By

Carolyn Jones

• September 3, 2025

A U.S. Border Patrol officer in a green uniform and cap walks near vehicles at a border crossing, while a group of people, including children, stand in a line beside a white van. A tall border fence runs along the hill in the background.

Higher Education

Immigration agents signed up to recruit at a California university. Then the protests started

Social media swirled with rumors that ICE would be among the employers at the job fair, something the campus said is not true. Still, the campus postponed the event over concerns about Customs and Border Protection’s participation.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• August 28, 2025

Students at Stege Elementary School complete classwork using tablets in Richmond on Feb. 6, 2023. Photo by Shelby Knowles for CalMatters

Commentary

California schools reverse truancy trends. Improving reading scores could be next

California's public schools have struggled to improve test scores in recent years. A return to phonics instruction could turn the tide on reading, a move that comes as many schools overcome pandemic-era absenteeism.

By

Dan Walters

• August 28, 2025