Ali Tadayon

Science teacher Tobi Thomas is training to become an astronaut. (Courtesy of Tobi Thomas)

Astronaut-in-training infuses space science into West Contra Costa Unified middle school classes

February 23, 2023 at 2:48 p.m.

West Contra Costa Unified science teacher Olaoluwalotobi “Tobi” Thomas is pursuing his lifelong dream of going to space, and in a way, he’s taking his students with him.

Teacher Patty Papalias conducts a reading lesson in her 3rd/4th class at Ethel I. Baker Elementary School in Sacramento, Calif. Thursday, Jun. 2, 2022. (Randall Benton)

Coalition says ‘science of reading-aligned’ core curricula barely used in California

October 12, 2022 at 6:19 a.m.

At a time of rising interest nationwide in phonics-focused reading instruction, few California districts are using so-called “science of reading” curricula as their basis for teaching elementary reading, according to...

Elementary students are recovering faster from Covid learning loss, research shows

July 26, 2022 at 12:13 p.m.

Elementary students are regaining the ground they lost during the pandemic at a faster pace than older students, recent research shows, but K-12 students are still years away from a...

Advocates for community schools support more funding but call for fixes to program

June 17, 2022 at 1:10 p.m.

Supporters of the community schools movement want lawmakers to invest more in the state’s seven-year initiative to bring critical services to thousands of schools in low-income areas, but they say...

As California works to get every child reading by third grade by 2026, state education leaders stress the importance of literacy coaches and specialists. (Credit: Allison Shelley for American Education)

State literacy task force echoes call for more reading coaches, specialists

April 1, 2022 at 6:39 a.m.

State education leaders say hiring more literacy coaches and specialists to work with both teachers and students is a key to getting all students to read by the third grade...

Veteran teacher Darryl McKellar mentors aspiring male teachers of color at CSU Dominguez Hills through the Future Minority Male Teachers of California program. (Photo by Vanessa Rancano, KQED News)

How California districts seek to recruit, retain Black teachers amid shortage

January 25, 2022 at 6:19 a.m.

A growing body of research shows that Black students who have at least one Black teacher growing up are more likely to graduate high school and enroll in college than...

Several school districts push back vaccine mandate deadlines

December 18, 2021 at 6:11 a.m.

Unprepared to add thousands of students to their independent study programs, several large California school districts opted this week to roll back their vaccine mandate deadlines.

A school district’s plan to reduce violence through nonviolent means

November 18, 2021 at 6:11 a.m.

West Contra Costa Unified is looking at the sources of conflict and misbehavior on campus, then teaching students the social and emotional skills they may need to avoid violence.

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