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California
16th July 2026
 

THE HOT STORY

California invests in homeless students

California's new budget allocates $116m over three years to assist schools in identifying and supporting homeless students, marking the first dedicated funding for this issue. Advocates like Margaret Olmos, senior director at the National Center for Youth Law, emphasized the importance of this funding, stating, “There is a great need, but the hard part with this population is you have to find them and identify them.” Nearly 300,000 students in California are identified as homeless, but this number may be an undercount due to challenges in identification. The funding aims to help schools hire specialized staff and develop long-term support programs. While advocates hoped for ongoing funding, they view this allocation as a significant step forward in addressing student homelessness. Barbara Duffield, executive director of SchoolHouse Connection, noted that without proper identification, homeless students cannot benefit from existing resources. The hope is that measurable results from this funding will lead to permanent financial support in the future.

STATE NEWS

California's bilingual teacher crisis deepens

California aims to enroll half of K-12 students in bilingual programs by 2030, but faces a significant challenge due to a shortage of approximately 6,000 qualified bilingual teachers. A new $10m state grant seeks to recruit bilingual high school students into teaching, partnering with colleges to facilitate their credentialing. Assemblymember David A. Alvarez said, “I kept hearing from districts and educators that bilingual students want to become teachers but run into a fragmented system.” While the grant is a step forward, experts like Lucrecia Santibañez from UCLA argue it is insufficient to meet the state's ambitious goals. The demand for bilingual teachers varies across districts, with many lacking the necessary funding and programs. The new legislation prioritizes districts with high English learner populations, but educators stress that more financial aid and incentives are needed to attract and retain bilingual teachers. “It's a drop of water in the sea,” said Eduardo Muñoz-Muñoz, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

California schools get major updates

California schools will implement significant changes when students return after summer break, including the requirement for at least one gender-neutral bathroom and cellphone policies limiting device use during school hours. Four new laws, effective July 1, aim to enhance student safety and well-being. Senate Bill 848, authored by Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, expands background checks for school employees and mandates training on recognizing signs of grooming or abuse. “More than 75% of states have enacted laws to prevent educator sexual misconduct,” Pérez said. Additionally, the Phone-Free Schools Act aims to reduce distractions from cellphones, while all student IDs will include the crisis hotline number for The Trevor Project, supporting LGBTQ youth. Assemblymember Mark González emphasized the importance of these resources, stating: “AB 727 will provide critical resources to support LGBTQ+ youth in crisis.”

California schools embrace farm-fresh meals

California's Farm to School program has received permanent funding after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 172, which allocated $52.8m to 195 schools in 2024. This initiative aims to provide students with locally grown produce and food education, promoting healthy eating habits. “California is leading the nation in supporting children's health by serving nutritious, locally grown school meals,” Newsom said. The program, launched in the 2021-2022 budget, has served nearly 3.5bn free school meals since its inception. First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom emphasized the importance of access to nutritious meals, stating, “California's kids deserve access to school meals that are locally-sourced and full of nutrients.” The program also allows school districts to prioritize nutritional value over cost in lunch vendor selection.

LEGAL

Tulare school district faces federal probe

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights is investigating the Tulare City School District for its handling of employee sexual misconduct allegations involving TK-8 students. The district, which serves around 10,000 students, is one of 20 districts across 15 states under scrutiny. The investigation was prompted by concerns raised in the 2023-24 Civil Rights Data Collection submissions, suggesting inadequate responses to sexual misconduct. The district stated: “When the district learns of potential misconduct of an employee, it investigates the matter in accordance with district policies.” U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon emphasized the importance of protecting children, stating: “Parents should never have to wonder whether their kids' school employs and protects sexual predators.” The initiative aims to ensure accountability and compliance with federal laws regarding sexual misconduct in schools.

NATIONAL NEWS

GOP pushes legislation to formalize Education Department overhaul

The Republican-controlled House Education and Workforce Committee has advanced a package of 10 bills designed to shift key responsibilities of the U.S. Department of Education to other federal agencies, marking another step toward the Trump administration's goal of dismantling the department. The measures, which passed committee despite strong Democratic opposition, would codify the administration's existing interagency agreements that transfer personnel, grant programs, and other core functions across the federal government. While the legislation would significantly reshape the department's role, fully abolishing the Department of Education would still require an act of Congress. The bills build on agreements signed by Education Secretary Linda McMahon, which the administration has described as partnerships intended to streamline operations by relocating major departmental functions to other agencies.

DISTRICTS

Fresno Unified faces enrollment crisis

Fresno USD, California's third-largest school district, is experiencing a significant decline in student enrollment, dropping from 69,524 to 66,824 since the 2021-22 school year. This trend is attributed to various factors, including high housing costs and the district's reputation for academic performance. "Parents are looking for opportunities for their students and their families," said Kelly Avants, a spokesperson for Clovis USD, which has seen enrollment growth due to its strong academic reputation. The May 2026 Getting Down to Facts Stanford report highlights that local demographics and school choice significantly influence enrollment patterns. As Fresno Unified struggles, neighboring districts like Clovis and Sanger are thriving, prompting concerns about future housing developments that could further impact enrollment. Manuel Bonilla, president of the Fresno Teachers Association, warned that the proposed Southeast Development Area plan could "kill the third-largest school district in the state of California."

Reading program shows impressive results

The K-3 Proficiency Project, aimed at enhancing reading skills for K-3 students, received a favorable evaluation from SignalPoint Research. The report, released on July 9, highlighted that the program is "instructionally effective and operationally coherent," with significant improvements in reading proficiency across diverse school contexts. Dennis Ciancio, president of SignalPoint Research, noted that students' reading skills at schools implementing the program consistently improved. By May 2026, 87% of students in K-3 Proficiency Project schools were at or above grade-level proficiency. The program's success is attributed to its core components, including coaching and data-driven decision-making, which have led to meaningful gains in student outcomes. Gary Nelson, founder of K-3 Innovation, expressed satisfaction with the results and emphasized the program's ongoing commitment to improvement and expansion.

WORKFORCE

New contracts boost pay for Los Gatos-Saratoga teachers

Los Gatos-Saratoga UHSD has approved new contracts for teachers and school employees, featuring pay raises and enhanced protections for leaves of absence. District spokeswoman Tanya De La Cruz stated that the agreement with Chapter No. 875 of the California School Employees Association will last until June 30, 2028, allowing for annual negotiations on salary and benefits. Starting July 1, school employees will receive a 5% raise, with an additional 0.8% allocated for potential salary adjustments. The contract also introduces a clear overtime assignment process and caps part-time employees' lunch breaks at 30 minutes. Furthermore, employees can now access up to 100 workdays of extended sick leave at half pay. The district also reached a similar agreement with the District Teachers Association, ensuring a 5% raise for teachers and setting their starting salary at $100,000. “Throughout the bargaining process, the district's priorities were reaching an agreement that supports employees,” De La Cruz said.

FINANCE

Property values soar in Stanislaus

Stanislaus County's assessed property values have increased to over $76.3bn for the 2026-27 tax year, marking a 4.88% rise from the previous year, according to Assessor Don H. Gaekle. This growth is attributed to new construction, ownership changes, and a maximum 2% inflation adjustment allowed under Proposition 13. The assessment roll is projected to generate approximately $763m for public schools, cities, the county, and special districts.

TECHNOLOGY

AI in education: The trust gap

In a recent discussion, Pat Yongpradit, General Manager of Global Education and Workforce Policy at Microsoft, addressed findings from the third edition of the global AI in Education report, which surveyed over 3,000 participants across six countries. Yongpradit highlighted that while 90% of educators, students, and leaders have experimented with AI tools, daily usage remains low. He noted the decline in student optimism as a typical dip in technology adoption rather than a cause for concern. The conversation also revealed a significant disparity between school leaders' perceptions of training and the actual experiences reported by teachers and students. Yongpradit emphasized that the anxiety surrounding academic integrity is more about enduring temptations than the tools themselves, stating, "the panic around cheating has more to do with long-standing temptation."

HEALTH & WELLBEING

World Cup kicks off student engagement

Researchers say the FIFA World Cup presents a unique opportunity for schools to strengthen students' sense of belonging and support mental health by creating shared experiences that bring students, families, and communities together. Experts from Surgo Health said feelings of belonging are strongly linked to student well-being and academic success, citing research showing that young people who feel connected are more likely to report happiness and purpose, while those who lack a sense of belonging are significantly more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. The researchers encourage educators to use the tournament as a low-pressure way to engage students through activities such as watch parties, trivia contests, classroom projects, and discussions that celebrate different cultures and identities. They noted that participation does not require athletic ability, allowing students to contribute through statistics, art, event organization, or storytelling, while also creating opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to share their cultural heritage.

INTERNATIONAL

South Africa rolls out national plan to strengthen reading culture

South Africa's Department of Basic Education has launched a National Literacy Promotion Toolkit designed to improve reading skills by coordinating literacy initiatives across homes, schools, libraries, and communities. Developed with the National Education Collaboration Trust and other literacy organizations, the framework supports the country's National Literacy Strategy for 2024-2030 and aims to foster a nationwide reading culture through greater involvement from parents, educators, community groups, and the private sector. The initiative comes amid persistent concerns over literacy levels, with the department's 2025 Funda Uphumelele National Survey showing that only 31% of Grade 1 learners met expected home-language reading benchmarks, while just 46% of Grade 4 students achieved the Grade 3 benchmark. Officials said the toolkit provides practical guidance on initiatives including reading clubs, print-rich learning environments, literacy events, and the reinstated National Spelling Bee.
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