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California
19th March 2026
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THE HOT STORY

LA teachers and workers unite for strike

United Teachers Los Angeles and Local 99 service workers announced a strike set for April 14 if no agreement is reached beforehand. This decision was made during a rally that drew thousands, highlighting the urgency of the situation. The strike could disrupt education for nearly 400,000 students in the Los Angeles USD, as over 60,000 essential workers, including teachers and support staff, would walk off the job. The unions are advocating for significant pay increases and stable work schedules, with Local 99 seeking a double-digit raise over a three-year contract. The district has faced budget challenges, with Superintendent Alberto Carvalho currently on leave amid an FBI investigation.

BLENDED LEARNING

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WORKFORCE

LAUSD teachers demand raises amid crisis

Lance Christensen, Vice President of Governmental Affairs and Education Policy at the California Policy Center, highlights the precarious financial situation of Los Angeles USD, which faces an $11.8bn unrestricted net deficit. Despite this, the United Teachers Los Angeles is demanding a 17% pay raise over two years, which Christensen describes as a "shakedown." He notes that the district's financial transparency is lacking, with delayed audits and dwindling federal funding. Additionally, the district is grappling with significant pension debt and legal liabilities, including $750m in bond measures for historical sexual assault claims. Christensen argues that the current demands from UTLA are excessive and could exacerbate the district's financial woes, stating: "This government union extortion exercise needs to stop now."

Natomas teachers end strike after deal

Teachers in Natomas have reached a two-year agreement with Natomas USD, ending a strike that left 16,000 students without classroom teachers for seven days. The deal includes improved compensation and health care benefits for educators. “This tentative agreement is an important step toward ensuring Natomas USD provides our students with the safe, stable, fully-funded schools they deserve,” said Natomas Teachers Association President Nico Vaccaro. Although normal school operations are not expected to resume immediately, teachers will return to classrooms on Friday, with substitutes and administrators assisting in the interim. The agreement follows a week of heightened tensions, including a student-led walkout and a parent sit-in at the district office.  

Parents rally against principal replacement

Parents of students at Browns Valley TK-8 School are voicing their opposition to Napa Valley USD's decision to replace Principal Meshach Osborne, who announced a leadership transition effective in the 2026-2027 school year. The petition has gathered 588 signatures, reflecting strong community support for Osborne amid concerns over transparency and potential retaliation for his advocacy for expanded facilities. The district is currently interviewing candidates for the principal position, with a hiring recommendation expected by the end of March.

NATIONAL NEWS

New definition of ultraprocessed foods coming

The Trump administration is advancing its "Make America Healthy Again" agenda by proposing a definition for ultraprocessed foods, a move supported by health experts and lawmakers. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. commented: "Our job is to make sure everybody understands what they're getting, to have an informed public." The initiative aims to address the health impacts of ultraprocessed foods, which are linked to obesity and chronic diseases. The Food and Drug Administration is working to provide clearer nutritional information, while the Department of Agriculture may use the definition to influence federal food assistance policies. Peter Lurie from the Center for Science in the Public Interest emphasized the need for a concrete definition to facilitate research and policy initiatives. However, challenges remain in reformulating school meals and addressing the operational limitations faced by schools.

Personal finance classes surge across U.S. high schools

Personal finance is increasingly replacing economics in U.S. high schools, with 39 states now requiring a standalone course for graduation, up from recent years, while only 22 states mandate economics, according to a forthcoming report from the Council for Economic Education. States including Texas, California, and Indiana have shifted toward practical financial education, reflecting demand for real-world skills such as budgeting, investing, debt management, and navigating rising student debt, which now totals $1.7 trillion. The change is driven by the growing financial complexity facing young people, from student loans to gambling and self-employment, as well as evidence that financial education improves decision-making, including during economic shocks.

TECHNOLOGY

AI weakens teaching craft

Daniel Buck argues that using artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce teachers’ routine workload can undermine the core work of teaching rather than improve it. He contends that tasks often labeled “administrative,” such as drafting emails, planning questions, and reviewing student work, actually drive reflection, judgment, and relationship-building. Buck, a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former school administrator, warns that outsourcing these activities also outsources the thinking behind them. As he writes: “Far from being side tasks, they are the work of teaching itself.” He also argues that AI-generated feedback can weaken trust and reduce teacher understanding of student needs. For practice leaders, Buck frames AI as a potential efficiency tool that may also erode professional judgment, training quality, and human connection if overused.

DISTRICTS

Palo Alto schools reject calculus push

The Palo Alto school board has voted 3-2 against requiring high schools to offer Multivariable Calculus, a decision that has sparked debate among students and parents. Board members Shounak Dharap, Shana Segal, and Josh Salcman expressed concerns about overriding educators' decisions, with Segal noting: "Directing that a specific course be offered at a specific school moves us, in my opinion, beyond governance and into operational decisions." In contrast, board members Rowena Chiu and Alison Kamhi advocated for the course, emphasizing the demand from students. The Paly Education Council opposed the course, citing concerns about student wellness and pressure.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Campus conflict: Jewish voices divided

Jewish students and faculty at UC campuses are expressing conflicting views on how to address antisemitism. A coalition of UC-wide signatories claims that Jewish students are experiencing "unprecedented harassment, intimidation, and exclusion" since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. In contrast, 117 UCLA faculty members have united against a Trump administration lawsuit alleging that UCLA has ignored severe antisemitism, arguing that it mischaracterizes pro-Palestinian activism. The AMCHA Initiative report, which documented a rise in antisemitic incidents, has prompted calls for improved university responses.

INTERNATIONAL

Korean bullying cases rise

Reported school bullying in South Korea has reached its highest level since surveys began in 2018, with 3% of students overall reporting victimization and rates rising for a second consecutive survey. Elementary school students recorded the highest incidence at 5%, compared with 2.4% in middle schools and 1% in high schools, with officials attributing this partly to greater sensitivity among younger pupils and broader reporting. Verbal abuse accounted for the largest share of cases at 40.3%, followed by group bullying and physical violence, while 1.1% of students admitted to being perpetrators, most of whom said they had apologized. In response, the Education Ministry is expanding preventative measures, including new restorative programmes for younger students, as part of efforts to strengthen support systems and improve handling of school violence cases.
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