Tony Thurmond faces little opposition for a second term as California schools superintendent, but critics question how much he has accomplished. He points to task forces that are influencing education policy and says he wants to help public schools rebound from the pandemic.
K-12 Education
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Explained: How the new expanded transitional kindergarten program offers parents more choice — and more quandaries
“You’re not alone in figuring this out”: Leaders say they understand the challenges parents now face in choosing early education in Santa Cruz County. Lookout put together a guide for parents on navigating the new choice-full landscape.
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Harbor High graduate Morgyn Michelson: A master puzzler in the making
Harbor High School graduating senior Morgyn Michelson wouldn’t describe herself as super social, but that doesn’t mean she won’t put herself out there. Whether it’s being the only one in costume — and one she’s created herself — or playing a sport for the first time, or correcting a sitting judge, Michelson might be a little shy, but she’ll put her knowledge and planning skills to the test to see how she’ll fare in almost any challenge.
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Pre-K is coming: Tuesday’s town hall offers families tips on early child care in Santa Cruz County
The state’s expanding transitional kindergarten program, set to start this fall in public schools, is just one of many options families can choose from for early child care. So what should parents choose? Several local organizations are hosting a town hall on Tuesday for families with 3- and 4-year-old children to help them get the information they need to find the best fit for their kids.
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Texas school shooting: How to help kids get through unspeakable horror
“On top of all those already existing pandemic-related chronic stressors, many children and families may be overwhelmed with the added fear of sending their children to school,” one psychologist says.
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Watsonville High senior Danna Perez turns ‘grief into hope’
Watsonville High graduating senior Danna Perez co-founded the Hope Club as a sophomore after a tragic accident in 2019. Now, she plans to go to Cabrillo College to become a bilingual and bicultural nurse for patients like her.
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Why California law requires teaching about LGBTQ Americans in public schools
In California schools, teachers do and must say the word “gay” as well as lesbian and transgender in lessons about nonconforming expressions of gender.
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California senator proposes checks for low-income, homeless high school seniors
A state senator wants to send no-strings-attached checks to homeless high school seniors in California, where basic income programs are beginning to “feel a lot more like a movement.”
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Welcome to the TK challenge: Transitional kindergarten comes with benefits to families, difficulties for administrators
California’s transitional kindergarten program is expanding to include all 4-year-olds by 2025-26. Santa Cruz County school officials say this is going to be a challenge, but that it will have an overall positive impact on families and schools.
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Marion Joseph, who changed the way California children learned to read, dies
Marion Joseph’s advocacy and work in the 1980s and ‘90s helped shape how children in California are taught to read.
