K-12 education

A teacher stands in front of a classroom filled with students reading at their desks. The classroom is decorated with a string of lights and blue lanterns.

K-12 Education

Getting into a UC or Cal State requires these classes. Almost half of students don’t take them

Students who take these courses are more likely to go to college straight after high school. A high school in Compton is a state leader.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

and

Carolyn Jones

• March 27, 2026

A person using a computer. Photo by Yui Mok, PA via AP Images

Commentary

AI reminded me to lead in my classroom, not follow someone else’s dictates

This change isn’t just about technology. It’s about whether teachers reclaim their role as designers of learning or wait to be told what to do next.

By Al Rabanera • March 25, 2026

A close-up view of a teenager's hand moving the dial on a steel lock on a blue locker.

K-12 Education

State finds ‘systemic’ failures in how a California school district handles sex abuse allegations

Attorney General Rob Bonta issues sweeping reforms for the El Monte Union High School District after an investigation found “systemic” failures in its handling of staff sexual misconduct allegations.

By

Matt Drange

• March 20, 2026

Five students stand outside the gate doors of an elementary school during a sunny day. Four of the students wear red shirts and two hold picket signs of a red flag with black eagle emblem.

K-12 Education

Schools move to minimize Chavez’s role in civil rights movement: ‘We stand with survivors of violence’

The state will be updating its history and social studies curriculum. Students typically learn about Chávez in fourth, ninth and eleventh grade.

By

Carolyn Jones

• March 19, 2026

The back of an elementary-aged student as they look at a colorful phonetic alphabet hung up on a wall inside a classroom.

Commentary

California lawmakers weigh statewide plan to be accountable for closing student achievement gaps

The four-bill plan calls for a "comprehensive statewide strategy with clear goals, measurable benchmarks and annual performance targets."

By

Dan Walters

• March 18, 2026

A person wearing a colorful ascot and a flannel shirt on a city street, looking off to the side, with trees and buildings along a busy city street softly blurred in the background.

Justice

Teens walked out of school to protest ICE. Police are investigating the adults who helped them

High school students all over California walked out of class in protest over the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement. Police in two cities, conservative Clovis and liberal Los Angeles, issued warnings about potential arrests to adults who helped them.

By

Nigel Duara

• March 17, 2026

A teacher walks across a classroom while students sit at their desks working on an assignment.

K-12 Education

California teachers ‘tread lightly’ for America’s 250th as they navigate competing narratives

California is strengthening civics education as America marks its 250th birthday. Teachers have to navigate a polarized political environment as they guide lessons on the Constitution.

By

Carolyn Jones

• March 11, 2026

A person speaks into a bullhorn while standing in the middle of a crowd that chants and holds up signs.

K-12 Education

‘Shocking’: What Supreme Court ruling on transgender policy means for California students

The court blocked California’s policy barring school districts from requiring teachers to “out” transgender students to their parents, unless the students gave permission.

By

Carolyn Jones

• March 4, 2026

A poster with information for students on using ChatGPT, an AI platform, in English teacher Jen Roberts' class at Point Loma High School in San Diego on May 3, 2024. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters

Education

A handful of California schools embraced Trump’s AI challenge. Many haven’t heard of it

California schools that are already running artificial intelligence programs have a head start in the Trump administration's AI challenge, but many campuses just aren't participating.

By

Z. Waite

• March 4, 2026

A football player in a red jersey leaps with arms fully extended to catch a pass while a defender in a white uniform runs toward them on a field, with sideline figures blurred in the background.

Technology

To attend prom or a football game, California students first had to surrender their data

The state’s privacy protection agency is fining PlayOn $1.1 million for violating state law. The company, which operates the ticketing service GoFan, required students and parents to share their data to access tickets for high school events.

By

Adam Echelman

• March 3, 2026