K-12 Education

Emery Unified took a targeted approach, including paying teachers extra to stay after school and tutor students.

Public schools are having mixed success recovering from COVID learning loss, while being in the center of political fights over LGBTQ rights.

California publishes a "dashboard" that grades schools on a variety of factors, but it can obscure the continuing failure of the state's K-12 system to help students meet key academic standards.

A proponent of a ballot initiative that would make personal finance a graduation requirement for California high schools says the courses would enhance, not detract from, core subjects.

A new study found that spending $53 million on upgrading the reading skills of third graders had a positive effect. It's a lesson that politicians should heed.

In parts of California, school boards are attempting to restrict access to certain books and pass controversial parental notification policies. A queer college student and political consultant says these efforts not only endanger students but teach children the wrong lessons about acceptance.

In 2020, the state agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit that claimed too many students were not learning to read. As part of that agreement, the state spent over $50 million on 75 schools with the lowest reading scores.

In parts of California, school boards, parents and activists are pushing to restrict access to certain books, most often involving LGBTQ topics. An activist says reasoned debate about possibly obscene material is a worthwhile discussion for school boards.

Small, rural districts often struggle to pass local bond measures to pay for school construction and repairs. In some cases, leaking roofs, dry rot and broken air conditioners haven’t been fixed in years.

Proposals to add specific topics to California public school curricula abound, but they take time away from basic academic skills that are already lagging.