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California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law that will double taxes on guns and ammunition. The projected $159m in additional annual tax revenue will be used to enhance security at public schools and fund violence prevention programs. California becomes the only state with its own tax on guns and ammunition. Mr. Newsom, known for his support of gun restrictions, is leading a national campaign to amend the U.S. Constitution for stricter gun control measures. The law also now includes a ban on carrying guns in public places and requires microstamping technology on semiautomatic pistols. More than two dozen "sensitive places" that are off limits to firearms, including child care centers and schools. The California Rifle and Pistol Association plans to challenge the tax in court. 

 

Los Angeles Times

NPR

U.S. News

Tony Thurmond, California's Superintendent of Public Instruction, has announced his candidacy for governor of the state in 2026. “I didn’t come from money, power or influence,” said Mr. Thurmond, a Democrat, speaking in a promotional video that chronicles his childhood and journey to the state superintendent’s office. “California may be working for millionaires and billionaires, but for the rest of California, we need real change.” As state superintendent, Mr. Thurmond has seen California’s public schools through the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing teachers’ shortage, and the near-constant educational culture wars, often stepping in directly when divisive school board battles melted into chaos. Mr. Thurmond's campaign will likely focus on education reform and addressing the needs of students and teachers across the state.

 

The Hill

The Mercury News

Supporting Active and Equitable Discourse in Math

Textbook Author and Associate Editor of NCTM’s Mathematics Teacher: Learning & Teaching PK12, Dr. Thomasenia Lott-Adams, promotes the importance of developing mathematical language for students of all grades and backgrounds. Mathematical language includes the numerals, vocabulary, symbols, images, and demonstrations that are used to engage in learning and doing mathematics. In this recorded webinar, Dr. Lott-Adams shares a variety of strategies teachers can use to prepare students to communicate mathematically.

Access Webinar Recording

 

Millions of additional students in schools serving low-income communities across the country will be eligible to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday. The department is expanding access to the Community Eligibility Provision, which is a meal service option that allows schools to provide no-cost meals to all students. Previously, at least 40% of students’ households had to be enrolled in income-based federal assistance programs to be eligible. The new rule lowers that threshold to 25%. Grants worth $30m from the Healthy Meals Incentives will be distributed to 264 rural school districts across the country. Another $30m in equipment grants will be given to states and school districts with school lunch programs. About $11m in Farm to School grants will be used to serve 1.2m children. Eight states, including California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Vermont, already allow schools to serve free meals to all of their students.

 

The Hill

USA Today

Student organizers at 50 different high schools across the country are banding together to launch the “Green New Deal for Schools Campaign.” The campaign aims to address environmental issues and promote sustainability in schools. The campaign will focus on initiatives such as reducing carbon emissions, implementing renewable energy sources, and promoting environmental education. The students hope to raise awareness and inspire action among their peers and school administrators.

 

The Hill

Sixty-one Los Angeles USD schools have been awarded $100,000 each in grant money by the California Department of Education to expand their dual enrollment programs with the Los Angeles Community College District. The funding will help the schools collaborate with local community colleges to build new dual enrollment pathways, courses, and programs. It will also support tutoring and parent outreach around dual enrollment programs. "Earning college credits in high school accelerates their academic journey and sets them on a path to success," says Jackie Goldberg, the district's board president.

 

EdSource

Esports are rising in popularity among GenZ, and Modesto City Schools is capitalizing by launching an esports program to teach students life and career skills. The program includes competitive teams for high school students and open gaming labs for students in grades three through 12. The district believes that esports provides valuable skills such as leadership, critical thinking, teamwork, and communication. It can also lead to college scholarships and careers in the gaming industry. The program has been well-received by parents, who have seen positive changes in their children's attitudes. Modesto City Schools plans to focus on building career and technical skills in areas such as shoutcasting, digital journalism, marketing, video production, and game design. The district also plans to host parent and community game nights, league tournaments, and invite guest speakers from the gaming industry.

 

The Modesto Bee

The Los Angeles USD Board of Education has voted to prevent charter schools from leasing space at approximately 350 district sites. The policy aims to protect vulnerable Black, Latino, and low-income students from the negative impacts of sharing a campus. The proposed rules have been met with outrage from charter school advocates who argue that they unlawfully favor district-run schools. The California Charter School Association has threatened legal action if the policy is enacted. The policy would apply to high-need schools, including priority schools, Black Student Achievement Plan schools, and community schools. The board members who voted against the resolution expressed concerns about the equitable treatment of students. The policy is seen as a legal and important step to provide the best educational services to high-need students. If enacted, the policy would not immediately remove charter schools from existing campuses but would apply to new charter schools seeking co-locations or additional space.

 

LA Daily News

Los Angeles Times

California and Florida have become the first states to require later school start times, in part a response to the mental health crisis affecting teens. The new laws, which mandate high school classes to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m., aim to help adolescents get more sleep. However, implementing these changes comes with challenges such as disrupted bus schedules and new schedules for teachers and staff. Other states have faced opposition from school districts and parents concerned about budget and family schedules. Numerous studies have shown that later start times improve grades, reduce juvenile crime, and enhance sports performance.  Lawmakers in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Texas all had bills up this year, according to Start School Later, an advocacy group that tracks the bills, though most didn't pass. Notably, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.

 

Missoulian

Though children care more about climate change than they do most other issues, research suggests that learning materials current students are consuming in schools are not up to scratch. Classrooms globally are struggling to adequately cover the topic, as UNESCO research has shown, but in the United States, literary and curricular restrictions have made teaching about climate change feel particularly precarious in some regions. Polls have found a majority of teachers still don’t talk about the topic in class, usually saying it's outside their wheelhouse. While a number of states have changed their standards and curricula to address climate change, concerns remain about a lack of "political will" to make it a formal and interdisciplinary part of the learning experience.

 

USA Today

Just 19% of state education technology officials say their states provide “ample funding” to head off cybersecurity risks, according to a recent report released by the State Educational Technology Directors Association. Some 42% said their state provides a “small amount” or “very little” funding to address cybersecurity needs, according to the survey of 104 education technology officials in 45 states, Guam, and the U.S. Department of Defense, which operates schools for some students from military families. “Improving K-12 cybersecurity posture has become an issue of resources and equity,” comments Brad Hagg, director of education technology at the Indiana Department of Education. “Under-staffed districts and communities without access to a pipeline of cyber specialists will struggle to meet the requirements, often dictated by insurance companies, as well as the best practices necessary to implement a strong cybersecurity threat mitigation program.”

 

Education Week

Ransomware attacks against the education community worldwide are estimated to have cost over $53bn in downtime between 2018 and mid-September 2023, according to research by cybersecurity site Comparitech. A majority of the analyzed attacks occurred in the U.S., with 386 recorded incidents against K-12 and higher education institutions costing a total of $35.1bn due to systems being down. K-12 schools accounted for most of the breaches worldwide. Overall, 2023 is on track to be a record-breaking year for ransomware attacks against education institutions. Within the first half of 2023, the group found 85 global ransomware attacks, while just 45 incidents were recorded in the same period of the previous year. Hackers have already kicked off the new school year by launching ransomware attacks against school districts, as seen in Maryland’s Prince George’s County Public Schools and Pennsylvania’s Chambersburg Area School District.

 

K12 Dive

Rob McArthur, a teacher's aide and assistant football coach at California School for the Deaf, Riverside, and his son Corey, will be competing in the new season of "The Amazing Race." The duo, who communicate in American Sign Language, will share personal stories and wear red, the school's spirit color. The show premieres on September 27th, and the school is hosting a watch party. The deaf school is also celebrating Deaf Community Cultural Week in recognition of the show. Regardless of the outcome, the deaf community is excited to see representation on reality TV.

 

Redlands Daily Facts