News From the Field
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Legislature reaffirms quarantined students must be in independent study to be funded
California state lawmakers adopted a measure intended to make it easier for districts to educate students during a Covid quarantine, along with a way for districts to get funding if they can prove they tried but failed to find the staff needed to meet their obligation.
California will give a short version of its standardized math and English tests next spring
The “Smarter Balanced” standardized tests in math and English language arts that California students will take in the spring to measure their academic progress will have fewer questions and take less time than the pre-Covid versions.
LA Unified becomes largest school district to mandate Covid vaccine for students
The Los Angeles Unified school board voted Thursday to require all students 12 and older be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by January, making it the largest public school district in the nation to mandate coronavirus vaccines for students.
High school ethnic studies bill approved by California Legislature
High schoolers in California will be required to take an ethnic studies course in order to graduate, beginning in 2029-30.
Research finds ethnic studies in San Francisco had enduring impact
Research released recently found that the benefits for San Francisco Unified students who took an ethnic studies course in ninth grade lasted throughout high school, resulting in higher attendance, higher graduation rates and increased enrollment in college, compared with similarly matched students who didn’t take the course.
Changes for educating quarantined California students proposed by governor, Legislature
Responding to districts’ complaints, the Newsom administration and legislative leaders are proposing revising requirements for educating and funding quarantined students through independent study this year.
Key higher education bills make it out of Senate committee
Two key higher education bills were approved Thursday by California’s Senate Appropriations Committee: AB 1456 would make changes to the Cal Grant, the state’s main financial aid award, and AB 928 is meant to streamline the transfer process for community college students who intend to transfer to a CSU or UC.
California K-12 Covid safety practices for the new school year | Q&A
State and federal health authorities have provided schools with detailed guidance on how to reopen safely in the fall.
In LA, secretary of education says students need help with social and emotional health
During a visit to Los Angeles on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona encouraged schools in California and elsewhere to help students heal after a school year that many spent in isolation.