How a small rural school district is setting an example for school counseling statewide

December 11, 2025

A tiny school district in rural Merced County has invested heavily in school counseling. And UCLA researchers have recognized the results.

Zaidee Stavely

California schools spend millions on police officers, with little public discussion

May 1, 2025

In many districts, contracts for school resource officers are passed with no public discussion.

Zaidee Stavely

Commentary

California teachers urgently need training in how to respond to, and cope with, trauma

March 30, 2025

California needs to do more to equip teachers and administrators on how to cope with trauma in their students and themselves.  

Erika Felix

A principal has hope five years after Covid began

March 27, 2025

One school principal in San Jose sees promise in his school, which his team reimagined during the pandemic.

Zaidee Stavely

Commentary

Let’s fully fund restorative justice — because it works

March 24, 2025

Teachers need access to well-funded, properly implemented restorative justice training and practices in wake of law further limiting suspensions.

Thomas Courtney

Bay Area district settles suit alleging inequitable education practices

November 12, 2024

The district agreed to hire consultants who will be charged with addressing the issues raised in the case: the district's disciplinary practices, special education placement and literacy education for students with disabilities, especially English learners.

Emma Gallegos

Should cell phones be banned from all California schools?

August 29, 2024

Many school districts have taken steps to ban or restrict cell phones and smart watches in the classroom, to curb bullying, distraction and addiction.

Zaidee Stavely

When California schools summon police 

June 6, 2024

EdSource investigation describes the vast police presence in K-12 schools across California.

Thomas Peele And Daniel J. Willis

Foster, homeless youth lose disproportionately more instruction to suspensions

November 9, 2023

Students in precarious living situations – including foster and homeless youth – are much more likely to be suspended and lose instructional time vital to their academic success.

Mallika Seshadri

Are kids collateral damage in California culture wars?

March 21, 2023

Political polarization is negatively impacting school staff, undermining school management and heightening anxiety and hostility among students, according to a survey of 150 school principals.

Diana Lambert

Commentary

Restorative practices create belonging and trust for teachers as well as students

October 18, 2022

A punitive approach to students' missteps does nothing to show them that adults care about them.

Louise Williamson

Commentary

We need to fix professional development for teachers

September 26, 2022

Instead of long, arduous training about content they are already experts in, schools should offer training that is engaging and focused on content enrichment.

Kati Begen

Hope, relief and lessons learned: Teachers anticipate a smoother school year 

August 19, 2022

EdSource roundtable put a spotlight on teachers' challenges and expectations for the year.

Carolyn Jones

California teachers share their challenges and worries: Teaching during Covid

July 13, 2022

The nonprofit Inverness Institute interviewed veteran teachers about life in the classroom during another difficult year impacted by a pandemic; two principals involved with the study sum up the findings in an interview with EdSource's John Fensterwald.

John Fensterwald

Commentary

Old-school discipline doesn't work any more – and shouldn't

April 24, 2022

Schools that continue to dole out punishment for minor “infractions” end up producing the very thing they wanted to attack: more bad behavior.

Martin Blythe