education

Children's groups are praising Gov. Gavin Newsom after his administration added $10 million for English Learner programs to the state budget. Supporters say the issue affects 25% of the state’s public-school students. KVCR’s Benjamin Purper has more.

One in four public-school students in California is an English learner – and now programs to help them become more fluent will be funded to the tune of 10 million dollars.

Governor Gavin Newsom’s approach to charter schools has signaled a policy shift from his predecessor. The state Teachers’ Association, which plans to demonstrate at the Capitol today [WEDNESDAY], wasted little time advancing an aggressive legislative agenda to increase regulation of charter schools. Capital Public Radio’s Scott Rodd reports.

On the campaign trail, Newsom rebuked characterizations that he’s a charter school adversary.

Organic food isn't served in most California school districts...because it costs more. But a bill moving through the legislature would launch a pilot to help schools buy organic food. Capital Public Radio's Julia Mitric has more.

School districts would get 15 cents of additional funding per meal to buy organic produce, dairy and meat from California.

Right now, districts have about $1.25 to spend on each school meal, including labor costs. That's a rough estimate from the Natural Resources Defense Council, the bill's sponsor.

California Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia says Teach For America trainees aren't qualified to educate low-income students.  So she's introduced a bill that would prohibit them from working at these vulnerable schools.  Capital Public Radio's Nadine Sebai reports.

The two finalists for California's state schools chief faced off in a debate last night [Tuesday] in Sacramento.  As Capital Public Radio's Nadine Sebai reports, the race is a battle between teachers unions and charter school advocates.

Educators consider chronic absenteeism a red alert - a blaring sign that a student might be academically at risk.  As Capital Public Radio's Chris Nichols reports, schools and parents now hace a new tool to investigate this critical problem.

A new California state law will put an end to "shaming" students for unpaid school lunch fees.  Capital Public Radio's Steve Milne reports as part of our series on new California laws taking effect in 2018.

The College of Education and Integrative Studies at Cal Poly Pomona has received a $1.1 million grant to help alleviate a shortage of special education teachers in our region.  KVCR's Rick Dulock recently spoke with Assistant Professor Heather Wizikowski about the teacher shortage and plans for the grant.

Some Native American parents are urging California school teachers to stop assigning the mission project.  That's where kids in the fourth grade build replicas of historic Spanish mission.  Capital Public Radio's Steve Milne reports.

When it comes to high school graduation, California is narrowing the achievement gap for Latino and African-American students, and for English language learners.  Capital Public Radio's Julia Mitric reports on the latest data from the state.

Students in California shouldn't have to go hungry if their parents haven't paid their school lunch bills.  That's the idea behind a proposal in the state Legislature by Van Nuys Democratic state Senator Bob Hertzberg.  Capital Public Radio's Daniel Potter reports.

Bleary-eyed teenagers shuffling to school barely after daybreak could become a thing of the past, if a state lawmaker has his way.  Capital Public Radio's Daniel Potter reports on the proposal to push back middle and high school start times to at least 8:30.

Hundreds of Inland Empire high school students begin competing in this year's Riverside County Mock Trial Competetion,  KVCR's Ken Vincent has more.

Dyslexia is a common learning disability.  About 20 percent of Americans are estimated to be living with it.  Yet it can be difficult for kids with dyslexia to get the right kind of educational services.  A new law in California seeks to make it easier.  Capital Public Radio's Katie Orr reports.

New scores released yesterday [Wednesday] show fewer than half of all California students passed new math and English tests aligned with the Common Core standards.  Capital Public Radio's Steve Milne reports.

The California Legislature is moving toward passage of a bill that would prohibit schools from using the term "Redskins" to identify a schools sports teams or mascot.  KVCR's ken Vincent has more.

Getting school kids exposed to STEM -- science, technology, engineering, and math -- classes in early grades is the mission behind a new collaboration between UC Riverside and Riverside's public school and community college districts.  KVCR's Ken Vincent has more.

A complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education last week alleges that a "fitness gap" exists in California schools based on race and ethnicity.  Capital Public Radio's Steve Milne reports.

Pomona College takes the top spot on Forbes list of best colleges. KVCR's Rick Dulock reports.

Say goodbye to those old "Scan-tron" bubble tests.  California's new standardized school testing program is officially under way.  As Capital Public Radio's Ben Adler reports, the tests are on computers now... and the questions are open-ended.