August 31, 2022 | EdSource

A Senate bill awaiting the governor’s signature would change California’s education code to align with how Los Angeles Unified pays its school board members, allowing for compensation more than five times the code’s initial cap. LAUSD currently pays $125,000 to school...

August 23, 2022 | Spectrum News

The University of Southern California Rossier School of Education published its annual poll Tuesday of parents and voters on a range of education issues, including threats of gun violence, college affordability and book censorship. The five-author poll, including 2,000 California...

August 8, 2022 | The Mercury News

California kids experienced the second-largest increase in depression and anxiety among U.S. states from 2016 to 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic ushered in lockdown orders and school closures, a national child welfare advocacy group reported Monday. The Annie E. Casey...

August 4, 2022 | Times Higher Education

With university set to become a near-universal expectation for high-school graduates, the separate silos in which K12 and higher education have traditionally operated are increasingly being seen as barriers to equity. But what, realistically, can universities do to bridge the...

Supporting Principals

Commentary authors
Tomika Romant
Summary

School principals faced an uphill battle during the pandemic, juggling the shift to virtual learning, navigating COVID-related challenges, and grappling with staff shortages upon returning to in-person classes. Many are now contemplating leaving their positions due to overwhelming stress and inadequate support. The focus isn't just on getting through the pandemic but on understanding how to effectively support principals for better teaching and learning quality. Conversations and research highlight three vital aspects: schools need robust external support networks to address diverse student and staff needs beyond campus; principals must be enabled to concentrate on teaching instead of administrative COVID-related tasks; and fostering collaboration among principals through peer-to-peer learning networks provides essential knowledge and support. Moving forward, California's investment in education presents an opportunity to alleviate the burden on principals, but it's crucial to establish continuous learning structures and support systems to maximize these resources. Policymakers should prioritize supporting principals to ensure their roles remain challenging yet manageable, ultimately benefitting students and their overall academic experience.

June 21, 2022 | Early Learning Nation

Throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, children throughout the world have had limited (or no) access to consistent, structured teaching. From early in the pandemic, researchers and early learning specialists sounded the alarm over the probability of significant losses in reading and...