Education Slice
Become more informed in minutes....
Education Slice Logo
California
23rd September 2026
Together with

THE HOT STORY

Teacher academies face pipeline gaps

High school teacher academies can strengthen local educator pipelines, but a Texas study found that gaps in college enrollment and completion limit their ability to diversify the teaching workforce. Researchers tracked more than 1.5m students, including nearly 70,000 who completed at least one high school education course, and found participants were four times as likely as their peers to become teachers, although fewer than one in 10 ultimately entered the profession. White participants were more than twice as likely to become teachers as Black or Hispanic participants, at 13.3%, compared with 4.9% and 5.5%, respectively, while nearly 70% of Black and Hispanic participants never enrolled in four-year public colleges. Researchers recommend stronger links with higher education, financial support, earlier classroom experience, and incentives to return to local districts. Teachers who had taken high school education courses also showed stronger retention, with fewer than one in five leaving within three years, compared with more than 30% of other teachers.

INCREASE ENROLLMENT

Learn How to Position Your School for Growth

Whether you're looking to increase enrollment, improve community awareness, or strengthen your school identity, this guide provides actionable tools and proven strategies to help you get there.

Get Your Free Guide

 

NATIONAL NEWS

School bonds reach record scale

Voters will decide on 373 school district bond measures this November, representing nearly $53bn in proposed borrowing for construction, facility upgrades, safety improvements, and other capital projects. Districts are asking for larger sums than before the COVID-19 pandemic, partly because of higher construction costs and a shift toward larger, more comprehensive projects, while voter approval rates have fallen from 82% in 2018 to 75% in 2024. Safety and security spending has become increasingly common, with the number of bond measures proposing such investments roughly doubling between 2018 and 2024, and secure entrance projects rising sharply. However, smaller and lower-wealth districts can face greater difficulty using bonds because borrowing capacity depends heavily on local property values, making major capital projects harder to finance without state or federal support.

TEACHING

Math barriers for Black students

Black students often lack access to essential math courses, hindering their ability to take calculus in high school. According to Just Equations' report, Calculated Barriers, while Black students represent 15% of the public school population, they only accounted for 6% of AP math enrollments in the 2021-22 school year. Andrea McChristian, national policy director at Just Equations, emphasized the importance of quality math education, commenting: “Quality math education prepares you to fully engage in society.” The report highlights that many schools do not offer Algebra I in middle school, with 27% of New York state schools lacking this course. This inequity continues into higher education, where Black students face additional challenges in math sequences. The report calls for a redesign of high school mathematics to eliminate barriers and promote equitable access to advanced courses. McChristian noted: “It's an all-hands-on-deck effort... to change math education and opportunities for Black students.”

GOVERNANCE

Candidate forum chaos: audience ejected

During a candidate forum for the Lucia Mar School Board, moderator Ed Cabrera announced the audience's removal after California Assembly candidate Shannon Kessler violated the League of Women Voters' policy by wearing a campaign T-shirt and bringing signs. “We have a dilemma we have never faced in all the years we've done these candidate forums,” Cabrera said. Kessler, who is running against Assemblymember Dawn Addis, claimed she attempted to comply by covering her shirt with a jacket but felt her First Amendment rights were violated. The League expressed disappointment that the forum could not proceed as planned, stating, “To ensure decorum, we found it necessary to ask the audience to leave.” Despite the disruption, the forum continued without an audience and is available for viewing on SLO-SPAN.

Rocklin USD elections heat up

Rocklin USD is transitioning to trustee-area elections, allowing voters in Areas 2, 4, and 5 to elect representatives for the first time. The change, initiated in 2024 to comply with the California Voting Rights Act, means voters will select a trustee from their geographic area. The current election cycle features six candidates across these areas, including incumbents and newcomers. In Area 2, Tiffany Saathoff, chief of staff to Assemblymember Joe Patterson, emphasizes "school safety" and "college and career readiness," while Michelle Sutherland, a board-certified behavior analyst, focuses on "academic achievement" and "responsible budget oversight." The elections in Areas 4 and 5 also showcase candidates with diverse backgrounds and priorities, highlighting the importance of local governance in education.

DISTRICTS

New beginnings at Otis Elementary

The Otis Elementary School campus in Alameda is undergoing significant renovations after nearly 70 years. Alameda USD acknowledges the emotional impact of this change on former students and staff but emphasizes the benefits of a modern campus with updated facilities. Additionally, the AUSD Board of Education is set to fill a vacancy left by Jennifer Williams' resignation, with three finalists—Erick Bell, Doug Biggs, and Joyce Boyd—being interviewed this week. The appointed member will serve until November 2028. 

HEALTH & WELLBEING

AI chatbots: a lifeline for students

At Corsicana High School in Texas, counselors are utilizing Alongside's artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, Kiwi, to address a growing youth mental health crisis. The chatbot engages students in discussions about anxiety and self-esteem, alerting counselors when a risk of self-harm is detected. Principal Aaron Tidwell noted: “If we wouldn’t have (gotten) that alert, that kid would have left school, and that plan might have been very well carried out.” With 40% of high school students experiencing persistent sadness, AI tools like Kiwi are becoming essential in schools facing counselor shortages. Elsa Friis, director of product and clinical care at Alongside, emphasized that the platform is designed to support, not replace, human counselors. Nearly 31,000 students have used Alongside, spending around 28,000 hours on the platform, highlighting its growing role in mental health support.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Pedal power: kids ride safely

The Safe Routes to School program in Sonoma County, led by Sarah Hadler, aims to promote cycling safety among youth. With funding primarily from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's air quality funds, the program has expanded from a handful of schools to nearly 60. Hadler, who has been with the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition since 2008, emphasizes the importance of cycling for health and community engagement. “It’s so healthy, it’s so good and it’s such a win-win program for schools and for our community,” she said. The program includes various educational activities, such as pedestrian safety classes and Family Bicycle Rodeos, to encourage safe biking habits among students. Despite challenges like increased traffic, the coalition continues to advocate for safer routes and promote cycling as a viable transportation option.

FURTHER EDUCATION

AI-focused alternative to traditional college

Andreessen Horowitz is investing $35m in the Horowitz Andreessen Academy, an unaccredited, San Francisco-based alternative to traditional college for students ages 16 to 22. Led independently by Udemy co-founder Gagan Biyani, the academy will emphasize AI-native, project-based education, with students spending up to 80% of their time building products, developing AI models, and working with industry experts. Anthropic, Google, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, and other technology companies will serve as founding partners, providing software, computing resources, workplace access, and potential internships. A tuition-free, one-year program will begin in fall 2027, followed, pending regulatory approval, by a two-year program in 2028 with tuition comparable to elite private universities. The academy aims to prepare students for leading technology jobs or entrepreneurship, although some education experts caution that traditional colleges offer established teaching expertise, proven outcomes, and exposure to students pursuing a broader range of careers.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Cornell urges higher education rethink as AI and rising costs challenge universities

Cornell University has published a more than 200-page faculty report calling for changes to higher education as universities face disrupted government funding, declining public trust, rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), and growing concerns about graduate preparedness. The report recommends diversifying funding, embracing a broader range of ideologies, expanding project-based learning, improving students’ time-management and problem-solving skills, and developing a new tuition model as the cost of a full-price Cornell undergraduate degree approaches $400,000. It also highlights employer skepticism about graduates’ ability to navigate ambiguous problems and setbacks, and argues that universities should prioritize developing human-centered judgment as AI reshapes education and the workplace. The committee rejected shortening undergraduate degrees to three years or shifting further toward online education, while also recommending a review of research incentives that prioritize publication quantity over quality.

UCSF Medical School faces discrimination claims

UCSF Medical School is accused by the Trump administration of racial discrimination against white and Asian American applicants, violating the Supreme Court's 2023 ban on affirmative action. The Justice Department's report, authored by Harmeet Dhillon, claims that “UCSF Med deliberately discriminated on the basis of race in its decisions to admit or deny applicants.” The findings are based on a comparison of test scores and GPAs, revealing “intentional racial discrimination” against Black and Hispanic applicants. UCSF spokesperson Kristen Bole disagreed with the findings, emphasizing that admissions are based on a rigorous review process that considers various factors beyond academic scores. The school has until October 2 to resolve the issue voluntarily, or face a lawsuit from the DOJ.

INTERNATIONAL

South Korea moves to curb early private education with preschool testing ban

South Korea will prohibit private academies from conducting placement tests for preschool-aged children starting October 1 as part of efforts to curb intensive early childhood private education. Under the revised rules, academies will be barred from using written, oral, practical, and interview-based evaluations, as well as assessments that use test scores to grade specific abilities. Diagnostic assessments conducted through observation or interviews will still be permitted after a child has enrolled, provided parents give prior consent. Violators will face fines of ₩1m ($735) for a first offense, ₩2m for a second offense, and ₩3m for a third or subsequent offense.

AND FINALLY......

Meme school is in session

As school resumes, students from Gen Alpha and Gen Z are bringing a fresh wave of memes into the classroom, leaving parents and teachers puzzled. Owen Carry reports that high schoolers and middle schoolers are sharing social media posts that showcase how these memes influence classroom discussions. Among the trending memes is "La Peace," a phrase popularized by Twitch streamer Kai Cenat, which has become a humorous reference in classrooms. Another viral sensation, "Gucci Morty," features the character from "Rick and Morty" in fashionable attire, confusing teachers with its unexpected appearances in student projects. "Verity," a character from a YouTube short, has also made its way into educational settings, with teachers incorporating its catchy song into lessons. These memes reflect the evolving culture of education, as students engage with humor and creativity in their learning environments. "I can't do Nathan" has emerged as a humorous expression of student frustration, encapsulating the challenges of school life.
Industry Slice Logo

Education Slice delivers the latest, most relevant and useful intelligence to key educators, administrators, decision makers and teaching influencers, each weekday morning..

Content is selected to an exacting brief from hundreds of influential media sources and summarised by experienced journalists into an easy-to-read digest email. Education Slice enhances the performance and decision-making capabilities of individuals and teams by delivering the relevant news, innovations and knowledge in a cost-effective way.

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities within Education Slice, please get in touch via email sales team

Follow us on FacebookFollow us on XFollow us on Linkedin

This e-mail has been sent to [[EMAIL_TO]]

Click here to unsubscribe