This Week In California Education

COMING SOON: Education Beat, a new podcast from EdSource, will debut August 5. Join host Zaidee Stavely each week as she explores everything from preschool to college, bringing you the personal stories behind the headlines.

New Executive Director Anne Vasquez reflects on her childhood as the daughter of immigrants and outlines her vision for EdSource.

John Fensterwald interviews his co-host, Louis Freedberg, who is stepping down as head of EdSource, about growing up in South Africa and getting kids excited about learning in the United States.

Research shows that teaching controversial issues leads to students' increased political knowledge, interest and engagement, but for a range of reasons educators often avoid it.

This week we discuss the merits of creating a $500 college savings account for all low-income public school students, and pose this question to Christopher Edley, Jr., the incoming dean of UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Education: why this job now?

This week: School districts are getting billions in federal and state Covid aid. How will the public know if it will be spent effectively?

Surprise change in leadership at L.A. Unified, we discuss what's behind it. Missing kindergartners account for the biggest state enrollment drop in 20 years; we ask what's next.

We explore Gov. Newsom's pronouncement that K-12 and community colleges should open fully after June 15. What will it take to make it happen?

This week: Summer programs can provide a transition to post-Covid school reopening; students' needs are great and districts have funding.

Disagreements over ethnic studies now shift to districts; guided by new state guidelines, they must decide how a course will be taught.

This week: innovative ideas emerging from the governor's office for ensuring that more students make it to college; the multiple challenges facing school superintendents during the pandemic; Mills College in Oakland is closing its doors.

This week, learning hubs. Robin Lake of Center on Reinventing Public Education, tells how they're innovating. Lakisha Young, a learning hub pioneer in Oakland, updates us.

Views are split on whether a $2 billion plan to coax schools to reopen will work. Fresno Supt. Bob Nelson says yes to an extent. A Carlsbad activist says it'll fall flat.

Gov. Newsom moves up some teachers for Covid shots; Alameda Supt. L.K. Monroe explains the policy. State Board ED Brooks Allen sums up the status of standardized tests.

EdSource reporters share insights on grading students, measuring English learner progress and new California State University chancellor Joe Castro's priorities.

San Francisco Supt. Vincent Matthews fires back at a city lawsuit to reopen schools; CTA's E. Toby Boyd insists vaccinations are critical for a safe return.

Divisions among parents and teachers form as pressure mounts in California to bring back elementary school students to school for in-person instruction.

Linda Darling-Hammond, who led President Biden's transition team on education, and Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, detail Biden's immediate and post-pandemic plans for schools and colleges.

Fresno Supt. Bob Nelson explains urban districts' opposition to Gov. Newsom's reopening plan while Dr. Jeanne Noble of UCSF says it's safe to return to schools by Feb. 1

This week, John and Ryan Smith, external officer for the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, reflect on the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and its impact on students watching the event, and they share 2021 predictions of education in California.