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Four California school districts are undergoing a federal compliance review regarding their policies on gender identity and sexual orientation, as announced by the Department of Justice. The districts involved are San Francisco USD, Graves Elementary, Santa Rita USD, and Soledad USD. The review will assess whether these districts have properly informed parents about their rights concerning student disclosures and participation in sports. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon emphasized that the DOJ "will not tolerate local school authorities trampling on the rights of parents." In contrast, advocates like Tony Hoang from Equality California argue that mandatory notifications could endanger LGBTQ+ students' privacy. The review follows ongoing legal disputes over California's gender identity policies, including a lawsuit filed by California State Attorney General Rob Bonta against the federal government.

 

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New results from the 2025 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Long-Term Trend assessment show encouraging signs of recovery in reading and math among nine-year-olds, while achievement among 13-year-olds remains stagnant, extending a decade-long decline in academic performance. Nine-year-olds improved in both subjects compared with 2023, with the largest gains coming from the lowest-performing students, suggesting that achievement gaps may be beginning to narrow after widening during and after the pandemic. In contrast, 13-year-olds showed no statistically significant improvement in either reading or math, with scores remaining near levels last seen decades ago. Education officials said the results indicate both progress and continuing concern. Reading scores for 13-year-olds are now roughly comparable to those recorded in 1971, while math performance has failed to recover from a decline that began around 2012. Experts pointed to several possible factors behind the stronger performance among younger students, including the nationwide adoption of evidence-based literacy instruction under the "science of reading" movement. The results also highlight differences in how age groups experienced pandemic disruptions. Today's nine-year-olds were preschool-aged when COVID-19 began, while current 13-year-olds spent much of their elementary education during the pandemic.

 

Education Week News

NPR

The 74

A new federal school choice law signed by President Trump will create the first nationwide voucher-style education program, but unlike many state-level initiatives, it will also allow public school students to benefit. The Education Freedom Tax Credit will fund scholarships for private school tuition, tutoring, special education services, and other educational expenses through a generous federal tax credit system. The New York Times reports that, at a closed-door event at the Treasury Department on Tuesday, Kevin Salinger, a Trump administration official, said that public school families can use the funds for services such as tutoring and supplemental support, while public schools may also be able to receive funding by offering eligible programs. The initiative is designed in part to attract bipartisan support, with Democratic governors in New York and Colorado already opting in and others reconsidering earlier opposition. Supporters argue the program could provide new resources for students without reducing existing public school funding, while critics, including teachers’ unions, contend it still diverts public support toward private education and could ultimately undermine traditional public schools. The program is expected to begin next year, with final regulations due in September.

 

New York Times

Black and Latino teens in California are experiencing significant mental health challenges, with 94% of youth aged 14-25 reporting concerns such as stress and anxiety, according to the 2026 Children Now report. Families face barriers in accessing mental health care, including insurance denials and financial constraints. Advocates like Kelly Hardy emphasize the need for mental health resources in schools and communities, highlighting the importance of legislation like Senate Bill 363, which aims to improve access to treatment. Dr. David C. Turner III pointed out that systemic issues contribute to poor mental health outcomes for these youth, stating: “The overcriminalization of young people in schools oftentimes forces them to disengage from education.” The call for better support systems is urgent as these teens navigate their mental health challenges.

 

The Sacramento Observer

Westsideconnect.com

Lanisha Barney, a former kindergarten teacher at David Lubin Elementary School in Sacramento, has filed a lawsuit against Sacramento City USD, alleging racial discrimination, denial of disability accommodations, and wrongful termination. Barney claims that her predominantly minority class was segregated from other kindergarten classes taught by white teachers, stating, “It was really heartbreaking to see my students playing on one side of the playground while the two other kindergarten classes were on the other side.” After raising concerns with the school principal, Barney faced retaliation, including being barred from speaking with other teachers. The lawsuit seeks over $35,000, but Barney's attorney, Erik Oh, emphasized that the goal is to address the systemic racial discrimination rather than a specific monetary amount.

 

The Sacramento Bee

R.D., a former Piner High School student, has filed a lawsuit against Santa Rosa City Schools, alleging that a wrestling coach groomed her while she was a minor and that staff failed to report the abuse as required by law. The complaint, filed on May 11, names the school district and two individuals, Virginia Bagley and Tony Albini, who are said to have known about the inappropriate relationship but did not intervene. R.D.'s attorney, Elan Zektser, emphasized the lawsuit aims to highlight violations of California's Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, stating: “Our client was a minor student who was groomed and sexually abused by a school employee.” The allegations include negligence and failure to protect R.D. from abuse, which was reportedly known among students but went unaddressed by the school.

 

Press Democrat

The San Carlos School District is set to revert to a state funding designation for the upcoming fiscal year, as discussed in a board meeting on June 4. Chief financial officer Ralph Crame explained that the district's current community funded status is influenced by one-time supplemental taxes from property reassessments. The district anticipates generating approximately $56.5m in revenue for Fiscal Year 2026-27, with expenditures estimated at $55.7m, leaving an ending fund balance of $10.7m. However, a significant budget strain is expected by Fiscal Year 2028-29 due to the expiration of a voter-approved parcel tax, which currently contributes $3m annually towards teacher salaries. To address this, the Board of Trustees has approved a November election to renew the parcel tax, which could raise about $4.4m annually if successful.

 

San Mateo Daily Journal

Tom McCoy, who has been the superintendent of Oxnard UHSD since 2020, will start his new role as the superintendent of Burbank USD on July 1. The Oxnard board is set to vote on his successor, Virginia Kelsen, on June 24. McCoy expressed his appreciation for the community, stating: “There are great people in our community,” and emphasized the importance of trust in leadership. Burbank Unified has faced challenges, including budget issues and a recent scandal involving embezzlement, which motivated McCoy to apply for the position. Board president Abby Pontzer Kamkar highlighted McCoy's experience and his potential to rebuild trust and improve academic outcomes in Burbank.

 

Ventura County Star

Orestimba High School celebrated the graduation of over 220 seniors last Friday at Warrior Stadium. The ceremony, lasting more than two hours, highlighted individual achievements and included light-hearted reflections from student speakers.

 

Westsideconnect.com

Mexico City will suspend school classes on June 11 for Mexico’s opening World Cup match against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, as officials seek to reduce congestion, improve road safety, and manage tourist traffic. President Claudia Sheinbaum also ordered federal workers in the city to work from home and urged private, and social sector employers to allow remote work for non-essential administrative roles. The decree is intended to improve mobility and accessibility during the tournament’s opening day. Essential services will continue operating, while office-based public-sector work should be done remotely. The move follows an earlier, abandoned proposal to end Mexico’s school year early because of extreme heat, and the country’s role as World Cup co-host.

 

The Modesto Bee

New York Times

Japan’s education ministry plans to introduce a pilot program in fiscal 2027 to provide basic Japanese-language instruction for children of foreign nationals, as the number of students requiring language support in public schools has reached a record high. The initiative will help students develop the language skills needed for school life and classroom learning, while enabling the ministry to establish best-practice guidelines and teaching materials for local authorities. The number of public school students needing special Japanese-language instruction rose to 84,759 in fiscal 2025, double the level recorded nine years ago, with around 10% not receiving adequate support due to staffing shortages. Under the pilot, selected local governments will test different approaches, including centralized lessons at designated schools or public facilities in urban areas and online instruction in rural regions, with the findings informing future national guidance.

 

The Japan Times