John Fensterwald

Students in a classroom at Lake Marie Elementary School in Whittier on Nov. 17, 2022. Photo by Lauren Justice for CalMatters

Literacy bill compromise gains support of a former foe and passes first hurdle

May 2, 2025 at 6:43 a.m.

A new bill that could reshape early reading instruction quickly passed its first test in the Legislature on Wednesday, with a major opponent doing an about-face and publicly announcing support.

Californians ding Newsom’s, lawmakers’ handling of schools in survey

April 22, 2025 at 6:47 a.m.

Californians’ confidence in their public schools and approval of how Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature are handling public education have fallen sharply since the Covid pandemic, according to an annual...

Third graders read along as teacher Patty Lopez reads a text about plastic straws aloud. (Credit: Zaidee Stavely/EdSource)

No compromise on literacy bill as hearing deadline looms

April 18, 2025 at 6:27 a.m.

Last April, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas pulled a bill on early literacy instruction and asked proponents and adversaries to reach a compromise on legislation for improving the reading skills of California...

Covid’s long shadow in California: Chronic absences, student depression and the limits of money

March 25, 2025 at 1:06 p.m.

The Covid-19 pandemic amplified long-standing inequalities; there are no quick fixes to high chronic absentee rates and other challenges.

Which districts are on California’s latest financial danger lists — and why

March 4, 2025 at 1:05 p.m.

Oakland, San Francisco and Hayward have joined four smaller districts on the five-alarm fire list of the state’s most financially stressed districts — those flirting with insolvency.

At San Juan Unified's El Camino Fundamental High School in Sacramento, 36 students sit elbow to elbow with little space or updated equipment for lab work. Credit: Andrew Reed / EdSource

252 districts place bonds on the ballot; here’s how two would spend the money

October 7, 2024 at 1:51 p.m.

Renovating a high school that swelters in summer and gushes leaks in winter is a priority of a large Sacramento-area district. Replacing an undersized gym with no air conditioning is a...

California School Dashboard lacks pandemic focus, earns a D grade in report

September 7, 2024 at 6:33 a.m.

National surveys have determined that parents significantly understate how far behind children are academically because of pandemic learning setbacks. The A’s and B’s that their kids have been getting on...

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