education

In a colorful classroom, two children dressed in playful outfits stand beside an adult who is seated and holding an open picture book titled Quick as a Cricket. The children look at the book with interest as the adult reads to them. Behind them, classroom decorations include a poster showing the life cycle of a frog, tanks with small animals or classroom pets, and various educational materials on the walls. In the foreground, blurred wooden play items sit on a table.

K-12 Education

Considering TK for your child? Take a peek inside one ideal classroom scenario

This fall at least 200,000 California students are expected to enroll in transitional kindergarten, which serves as a bridge between preschool and kindergarten.

By

Carolyn Jones

• August 18, 2025

A person stands indoors pointing to a section of a large academic poster titled “Expectation to Guarantee: Bounding Welfare in Randomized Auctions.” The poster contains mathematical formulas, graphs, and text. The individual wears a dark shirt and is explaining or presenting the material. In the background, a framed black-and-white photograph hangs on the wall above a white woven basket.

Higher Education

California invested millions pushing these careers for women. The results are disappointing

Women continue to lag behind men in certain science, technology, engineering and math programs.

By

Adam Echelman

• August 15, 2025

Education

Free AI training comes to California colleges — but at what cost?

Google, Microsoft, Adobe and IBM will offer AI-related tools to California's schools and universities in an effort to prepare the state’s students for a changing economy.

By

Adam Echelman

• August 11, 2025

Illustration of a woman wearing an prison uniform on a laptop labeled "C.D.C.R."; she's surrounded by a pile of textbooks, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation seal, a search input, a browser window with a lock on it, a crossed-out Wifi symbol and a silhouette of a person in a graduation uniform holding up a diploma

Higher Education

California inmates can take college classes, but often with no internet and limited tech

Even in California, where prison access to technology and research resources is better than average, students regularly face dead ends.

By

Tara García Mathewson

• August 7, 2025

Two elderly people, sitting in front of a desk, complete a worksheet assignment inside a classroom at a school campus. Other students can be seen in the background.

Higher Education

Why a new Trump policy could expel thousands of adult students from classes

The U.S. Department of Education says adult students without legal status are now banned from certain courses. Teens at public K-12 districts could see changes too.

By

Adam Echelman

• July 28, 2025

Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon at the dais on May 31, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

K-12 Education

As Trump takes on education, candidates line up for state’s top schools job

The next superintendent will need to respond to President Donald Trump’s funding cuts and policy shifts, including the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and increased immigration enforcement.

By

Carolyn Jones

• July 28, 2025

Students line up to enter their classrooms at Keyes Elementary School in Keyes on Nov. 15, 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Education

California schools regain federal money they counted on after Trump releases hold

After withholding roughly $900 million from California’s K-12 and adult schools, the U.S. Education Department said today that it will release the money starting next week. But schools must agree to certain conditions first.

By

Adam Echelman

• July 25, 2025