Test scores? Racism? Cellphones? What are the biggest issues facing Fresno schools?
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Hey everyone! It’s Monday, Aug. 8. I’m Lasherica, the engagement reporter for The Fresno Bee’s Education Lab.
Have you ever wondered how journalists like me and my Ed Lab colleague Julianna Morano know what to write about as education reporters?
Experience. Community reactions. Knowledge or piqued curiosity about the education systems we cover. Those are a few of the ways we decide what issues may be important and relevant to readers.
But we also want to learn from you. After all, you’re the reader. We want to learn what you care about in education, what issues matter most to you, and what you want to read about.
That’s why the Education Lab launched a survey to find out FROM YOU what in education is important.
Your input will have an immediate and long-term impact on our work. With the November election seating board members across California’s central San Joaquin Valley, we’d be able to ask candidates about the things you said were hot button issues or see how they’ve handled those issues in the past.
We’d be able to consider the input you gave us. I know I’m always asking myself, “Do our readers care about this?”
With this survey, I’d be able to answer that based on what you’ve said.
So go ahead. Take the survey. Did I say it’s short and straightforward?
You can also find the link to the survey here.
Here’s the latest education stories our team has done with you in mind.
THE LATEST FROM THE EDUCATION LAB
Fresno Unified returns next month. Do students need a COVID vaccine when school starts?
As the COVID pandemic has put vaccinations on many people’s mind – and the decision whether to vaccinate or not – Fresno Unified School District is reminding families of the required immunizations that students must have to attend school.
Fresno-area school likely to start the year without a new superintendent, teachers contract
West Park Elementary School District in Fresno County fired two superintendents last school year. The board has yet to hire a replacement.
Many Fresno-area schools are changing bell schedules. It’s a challenge for teachers, parents
After years of debate, schools in the Fresno area and across California must change their bell schedules to allow teens more time to sleep.
Tense debate ends with Central Unified renaming Fresno school. Here’s the new name
At least one person was removed from the late July meeting.
Student mural painted over at high school in Fresno without explanation. School apologizes
“For a school to paint over a mural, you’re painting over our history. You’re painting over our dignity.”
California has ‘failed’ Black students for years. Fresno schools say Newsom could change that
“African American students deserve systemic support in our schools by investment, attention and accountability.”
Here’s how students, superintendents, board members and others say that can happen.
First day of school approaching for Fresno, Clovis. What to know about COVID-19 rules
Schools are waiting on county health officials to signal the need for renewed masking requirements
MORE FRESNO-AREA EDUCATION NEWS
Students at 24 Central Unified schools will get free lunch and breakfast this upcoming school year, based on a board policy amendment.
The schools serving the meals for free are:
Biola-Pershing Elementary
Central High School
Central High East Campus
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity (C.L.A.S.S)
Central Unified Sate Demonstration Pre-School
El Capitan Middle School
Glacier Point Middle School
Hanh Phan Tilley Elementary
Harvest Elementary
Herndon Barstow Elementary
Houghton-Kearney Elementary
James K. Polk Elementary, which will now be Central Elementary after the board voted 4-2 to change the name
John Steinbeck Elementary
Justin Garza High School
Madison Elementary
McKinley Elementary
Norman Liddell Elementary
Pathway Community Day School
Pershing Continuation High School
Rio Vista Middle School
River Bluff Elementary
Roosevelt Elementary
Teague Elementary
William Saroyan Elementary
School starts back on Aug. 10 at Central Unified, Aug. 15 at Fresno Unified and Aug. 22 at Clovis Unified.
MORE EDUCATION NEWS? HERE’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
Cal State presidents to see at least 7% salary increase
Faculty association describes the increases as “shameful” | EdSource
UC Santa Barbara chancellor investigated in hit-and-run allegation, but denies involvement
“The California Highway Patrol investigated allegations that UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Henry T. Yang drove a car that hit a student skateboarding through a campus crosswalk but ultimately said it could not determine what happened and recommended no charges, according to documents and interviews.” | Los Angeles Times
Elite Colleges’ Quiet Fight to Favor Alumni Children
Colleges like Yale and Harvard give a boost to legacy applicants. But with affirmative action under attack, that tradition may become harder to defend. | The New York Times
Sedentary child care workers lead to sedentary toddlers
Child care study: Kids are more active when adults join play | The Hechinger Report
Pace of learning back to normal during the 2021-22 pandemic school year but student achievement lags far behind, data shows
Even with some academic gains, “student achievement still lags far behind what children at each grade level used to demonstrate before the pandemic.” | The Hechinger Report
California teachers pension fund reports first investment loss since Great Recession
The California State Teachers’ Retirement System lost 1.3% on its investments in the last fiscal year, according to preliminary results posted online. | The Sacramento Bee
New batch of CSU records shows professors disciplined for sexual harassment
Fifty-four faculty members, coaches and other non-mangagement employees at 12 California State University campuses - including Fresno State - were found to have committed violations of sexual misconduct and discrimination policies in cases resolved between 2017 and 2021, some resulting in firings and resignations, new information released by the university system shows. | EdSource
California’s local governments could soon be more able to remove disruptive meeting attendees
When Californians attend local government meetings for the sake of disruption, lawmakers often don’t know what to do. That could change soon, under a bill passed by the Legislature Monday. | The Sacramento Bee
Database will track efforts to ban teaching about racism in schools
The “Critical Race Forward Tracking Project” database from UCLA’s School of Law will be the first of its kind and is supposed to track legislation, regulations and administrative efforts to undermine the teaching of race in schools. | EdSource
UC Berkeley halts construction at People’s Park due to protest, occupation
Protesters who are demanding UC Berkeley protect the historic People’s Park mobilized in the early hours of Wednesday morning when the university’s construction crews arrived and tried to seal off the area. The university is planning to close the park in order to construct new student housing with some of it earmarked for low-income and unhoused students. | Berkeleyside
That’s it for the Ed Lab newsletter.
Don’t forget: take that survey - you know ,the one I linked out to four times!
