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The California Department of Education has announced its five 2026 Teachers of the Year, recognizing outstanding educators from Kern, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, and San Diego counties. The honorees include April Raguindin, a first-grade teacher focused on reading intervention; Rene Romero, an International Baccalaureate teacher who emphasizes student support; Chrizia Dela Rosa, a math teacher who integrates data analysis into her teaching; Heather Povinelli, a second-grade teacher who advocates for inclusion; and Corina Martinez, a kindergarten teacher dedicated to social-emotional learning.

 

EdSource

Lessons That Drive Active Learning

Active learning is essential in mathematics, moving students beyond passive reception to actively build knowledge—a practice proven to improve understanding not only of math but across all areas of STEM.

The enVision+ California Mathematics lesson design ensures this engagement through three strategic lesson types:

Let's Investigate lessons drive student-led, open-ended exploration of real-world problems, fostering deep conceptual understanding and curiosity. These lessons are supported by the 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Discussions.

Let's Build lessons facilitate knowledge construction by having students solve a problem first, then immediately formalize that understanding through Visual Learning, using digital tools like virtual manipulatives.

Let's Model in 3 Acts lessons challenge students to apply their learning through an engaging, three-part mathematical modeling process in real-life contexts.

This intentional structure places students at the heart of learning, leading to better long-term retention, greater confidence, and stronger critical thinking skills.  

Download Resources to Try Now!

 

Two U.S. federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to use emergency funds to continue SNAP benefits for 42m Americans amid a government shutdown, though the timeline and extent of payments remain unclear. The U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting November 1, and said it lacked both the funds and the authority to pay them until Congress passes a spending bill to end the shutdown. However, on Friday, Judge Indira Talwani in Boston gave the administration until Monday to decide on issuing at least partial payments, while Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island mandated immediate disbursement and a compliance plan, citing the potential harm to individuals and local economies. Both judges indicated, however, that the administration had the ability to fund SNAP benefits in full if it used its discretion to tap other funding to cover the shortfall. Despite the rulings, delays in disbursing aid are expected due to logistical processing times.

 

AP News

NPR

New York Times

Reuters

In a significant gathering, hundreds of Santa Rosa's unionized teachers and staff recently convened to advocate for an external audit of district finances, expressing a lack of trust in the current leadership. "If we don't trust the district, and we don't … then we have to get people in here that can figure this thing out," said Lisa Vieler, California Teachers Association bargaining specialist. The Santa Rosa City Schools district risks state receivership if it fails to address a growing deficit. Interim Superintendent Lisa August indicated that $10m to $15m in cuts are necessary this school year, following previous layoffs. Teachers are being asked to consider concessions, including unpaid furlough days, to help mitigate the financial crisis. However, many are hesitant to agree without a clearer understanding of the district's financial status. Board President Roxanne McNally acknowledged the low public trust and is open to external audits to restore confidence.

 

The Sacramento Bee

In a unique approach to artificial intelligence (AI) education, Clayton Dagler, a certified teacher in both computer science and math at Franklin High School in Elk Grove, California, encourages his students to create their own AI tools rather than merely using existing technologies. His machine-learning class, one of the few in the nation, requires students to have a background in precalculus and often Advanced Placement Statistics. Dagler emphasizes the importance of understanding the mathematical principles behind AI, stating: "Some students will [have] careers in this and other students will have more of an understanding of how their world works, at a deeper level than everyone else." This foundational knowledge is intended to prepare students for a future where AI will significantly impact various industries.

 

Education Week News

Calistoga Junior-Senior High School has held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark its official opening. Members of the school board and the community gathered to celebrate the significant milestone. Itzia Enriquez, a key figure in the event, cut the ribbon, symbolizing the start of a new chapter for the school.

 

Press Democrat

In 2018, parents from Fresno's Hmong community expressed concerns about their children not learning the Hmong language, prompting Fresno USD to establish a dual-language immersion program. The program, which began at Balderas Elementary in 2020, offers instruction in both Hmong and English, utilizing a 50:50 model. Students learn Hmong from preschool through middle school, with plans to expand to high school.

 

The Fresno Bee

More than 100 elementary students were set to attend a Leadership Summit at Clovis High when an anonymous call reported a school shooting, prompting a lockdown. The lockdown was lifted after it was confirmed to be a hoax. Megan Evans, an advisor at Clovis Elementary, noted that students remained calm due to prior practice for such situations.

 

The Fresno Bee

SLO Classical Academy has initiated a $29m capital campaign to purchase and renovate a new facility on Broad Street, having already raised nearly $15m. The school, founded 20 years ago, aims to integrate its classical education model into a 52,000-square-foot space that will accommodate daycare, preschool, and K-8 programs, expanding its capacity from 430 to 500 students. The campaign aims to avoid raising tuition, currently ranging from $9,000 to $17,000, and has garnered support from families and local partners.

 

San Luis Obispo Tribune

In SLO County, statistics reveal that 60% of graduates struggle with math and nearly half are not reading at grade level. According to the California Department of Education's 2025 assessment results, only 54.2% of students met English language arts standards, while a mere 40.8% achieved proficiency in math. The situation is dire statewide, with over half of California's students unable to read at grade level and 62.7% lagging in math, despite the state spending $19,548 per student.

 

San Luis Obispo Tribune

Recent standardized test results reveal that Fresno County schools have made significant progress, with some districts achieving notable increases. Statewide, English language arts and math scores rose by approximately two percentage points, but local districts like Kingsburg Joint USD saw a remarkable jump in reading scores from 59.45% to 67.19%. Sanger USD, the largest district in the county, also reported gains, with reading scores climbing from 48.76% to 53.05%. “Proficiency is a certain bar that kids reach, but our expectation is that every child is going to grow,” said Tim Lopez, associate superintendent of Sanger Unified. Smaller districts, such as Clay Joint Elementary, experienced even larger improvements, with science scores increasing by nearly 25 percentage points. Overall, while many districts continue to recover from pandemic-related learning loss, these results indicate a positive trend in student performance.

 

The Fresno Bee

Alberta's Education Ministry has canceled all January Grade 12 diploma and Grade 9 achievement exams across the province due to a teachers' strike that began October 6 and ran until last Wednesday, when educators were ordered back to work. Students can choose to write the exams voluntarily in April or June 2026, while marks for students who choose not to take the tests will come entirely from school work. This exemption will be noted on transcripts and will not impact graduation or post-secondary applications. Normally, diploma exams are worth 30% of a Grade 12 student’s overall grade, with 70% of their mark coming from coursework and other tests.

 

Edmonton Journal

CBC News

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