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Tag: school

  • Charter school to close after nearly 25 years, leaving 200+ students searching for new schools

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    More than 200 students at Legends Academy Charter School are facing uncertainty after the school’s board voted to close the Orlando campus just weeks before students are set to return from winter break.The school’s board of directors voted 4-2 Monday to shut down the charter school, citing unsustainable financial challenges. Legends Academy has served the community for nearly 25 years.Parents say the timing and lack of notice made the decision especially difficult for families.“Disgraced is the only word that I have,” said Saleena Simmons, whose son attended the school for four years.Simmons said her son was devastated when he learned he would not be returning to Legends Academy.“He was sobbing. My son does not cry,” she said. “He couldn’t even enjoy his Christmas because the only thing he’s thinking about is he won’t have his friends from school.”Simmons said parents received notice of the board meeting just before winter break, leaving little time to process or prepare for the closure. With her son just one semester away from high school, she worries about how quickly students will be placed elsewhere.“They’re going to help us with withdrawal paperwork, but nothing was based on getting these kids into classrooms immediately,” Simmons said.According to the school’s website, Legends Academy had 214 students enrolled. As of our check on Monday, the website no longer lists academic or enrollment information, displaying only a notice about Monday’s board meeting.In the meeting, board chair Frank Mitchell said the decision was made due to ongoing financial issues.“We do have the financial issues ahead of us, and we do have to make a decision,” Mitchell said. “We need to act so we can provide for the transition period and the next steps.”The school’s board of directors sent this statement to WESH2 News: “For nearly 25 years, Legends Academy has been a place of learning, growth and community for students and families, made possible by the dedication of its educators and staff. After careful review of the school’s financial condition and long-term viability, the Board of Directors made the difficult decision to close the school due to unsustainable financial challenges. This decision was not made lightly and does not diminish the impact the school has had on generations of families. The Board is working closely with the School District to complete the required closure process and support families as they plan next steps.”Simmons said the closure impacts more than just students.“It’s 200-plus students. It’s all of the staff,” she said. “These people are displaced. They don’t have a job.”The school said it is working with Orange County Public Schools to complete the closure process and plans to support families as they determine next steps.

    ORLANDO, Fla. —

    More than 200 students at Legends Academy Charter School are facing uncertainty after the school’s board voted to close the Orlando campus just weeks before students are set to return from winter break.

    The school’s board of directors voted 4-2 Monday to shut down the charter school, citing unsustainable financial challenges. Legends Academy has served the community for nearly 25 years.

    Parents say the timing and lack of notice made the decision especially difficult for families.

    “Disgraced is the only word that I have,” said Saleena Simmons, whose son attended the school for four years.

    Simmons said her son was devastated when he learned he would not be returning to Legends Academy.

    “He was sobbing. My son does not cry,” she said. “He couldn’t even enjoy his Christmas because the only thing he’s thinking about is he won’t have his friends from school.”

    Simmons said parents received notice of the board meeting just before winter break, leaving little time to process or prepare for the closure. With her son just one semester away from high school, she worries about how quickly students will be placed elsewhere.

    “They’re going to help us with withdrawal paperwork, but nothing was based on getting these kids into classrooms immediately,” Simmons said.

    According to the school’s website, Legends Academy had 214 students enrolled. As of our check on Monday, the website no longer lists academic or enrollment information, displaying only a notice about Monday’s board meeting.

    In the meeting, board chair Frank Mitchell said the decision was made due to ongoing financial issues.

    “We do have the financial issues ahead of us, and we do have to make a decision,” Mitchell said. “We need to act so we can provide for the transition period and the next steps.”

    The school’s board of directors sent this statement to WESH2 News:

    “For nearly 25 years, Legends Academy has been a place of learning, growth and community for students and families, made possible by the dedication of its educators and staff. After careful review of the school’s financial condition and long-term viability, the Board of Directors made the difficult decision to close the school due to unsustainable financial challenges. This decision was not made lightly and does not diminish the impact the school has had on generations of families. The Board is working closely with the School District to complete the required closure process and support families as they plan next steps.”

    Simmons said the closure impacts more than just students.

    “It’s 200-plus students. It’s all of the staff,” she said. “These people are displaced. They don’t have a job.”

    The school said it is working with Orange County Public Schools to complete the closure process and plans to support families as they determine next steps.

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  • Being a principal just got harder–and here’s why

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    eSchool News is counting down the 10 most-read stories of 2025. Story #3 focuses on challenges in school leadership.

    This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

    There is a squeaky old merry-go-round in my neighborhood that my own children play on from time to time. Years of kids riding on it have loosened its joints so it spins more freely and quickly. The last time they played on the merry-go-round, my children learned the important lesson that the closer to the center they sit the more stable and in control they feel.

    While being a school leader has always felt like being on a spinning piece of playground equipment, leading since the inauguration of President Donald Trump has made me feel as if I moved from the center to the edges in this merry-go-round metaphor. Immigration raids and attacks on civil liberties have made the work feel blindingly fast.

    The school I serve has a large population of immigrant students. Teens who just weeks ago felt like our school was a safe and secure place now carry a new level of concern into our classrooms and hallways. My school has seen a significant drop in attendance since January with parents and guardians citing the desire to keep their children home instead of sending them to school and putting them in harm’s way as ICE raids happen across the city.

    Our staff feels the impact of the rhetoric and policy shifts out of Washington as well. They fear for the physical and emotional safety of our students when they leave the school.

    For my part, I wonder if my decisions that prioritize equity and inclusion will make me the target of criticism–or worse, an investigation. This year, we have had ongoing professional development opportunities to teach staff how they can better support our queer students and employees. Each time we engage in these discussions, I find myself worrying about the repercussions.

    But I am determined that the programs and people in place to support and protect our most vulnerable students will not go away. Rather, they will be reinforced. My role as a school leader is to create an environment so safe and accepting that students and staff never feel like they must look over their shoulder while they are at school. We want them to breathe easily knowing that, at least during the school day, they can be seen, safe, and successful.

    To be sure, this job has always been a juggle, which includes instructional leadership, behavioral support, budgeting, staffing, and–in my case–fighting the stigma of historically being identified as a low-performing school by the Colorado Department of Education. But the changes out of Washington have taken things to the next level. As I navigate it all, I do my best to be energetic, optimistic, and reliable. Each day is an exercise in finding joy in my interactions with students and staff.

    I find joy in seeing students cheer on their peers at basketball games. I find joy in watching a teacher sit with a student until they grasp a challenging concept. I find joy when I see staff members step in to teach a class for a colleague who is sick or just needs a break. I find joy and hope in my daily interactions with students and staff; they are the core of my work and are the bravest people I have worked with in my career.

    When I push my children on the merry-go-round, I tell them to get to the center because the spinning seems to slow down and the noise decreases. This is the same advice I would give to school leaders right now. Get right to the center of your work by being with students and staff as much as possible. Even at the center, the spinning does not stop. The raids, political attacks, and fear tactics do not decrease, but the challenge of facing them becomes a little more manageable. While every force out there may be pushing leaders away from the center of their work, prioritizing that values-based work reminds us exactly why we do what we do.

    Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

    For more news on school leadership, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership hub.

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    Chris DeRemer, Chalkbeat

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  • News We Love: Two friends celebrated at school after one saved the other from drowning

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    STREET MARKET ON OUR WEBSITE WKYC.COM. A YOUNG INDIANA BOY IS BEING CALLED A HERO AFTER SAVING HIS FRIEND FROM DROWNING AT AN INDOOR POOL. IT WAS HIS BIRTHDAY PARTY AND LIKE, I WAS EXCITED, SO I JUST JUMPED IN THE POOL. I SAW HIM LIKE, DROWNING. LIKE HE WAS LIKE, NOT SWIMMING. SO I HELD A HOLE, LIKE, GET HIM. AND THEN I GOT HIM. WELL, BRAXTON THOUGHT THE WATER WAS SHALLOW ENOUGH WHEN HE JUMPED IN. HIS FRIENDS SAW HIM STRUGGLING AND SWAM RIGHT TO HIM, LIFTING BRAXTON UP AND HOLDING HIM ABOVE THE SURFACE. EVENTUALLY, BOTH BOYS WERE ABLE TO GET OUT SAFELY. I WAS THANKING HIM HOW HE JUST SAVED MY LIFE AND I WAS LIKE, THANK GOD. LIKE GOD SENT HIM TO SAVE ME. FAMILY TO ME, HE’S MY BEST FRIEND AND I JUST LOVE TO BE WI

    News We Love: Indiana boy praised for heroic effort to save friend from drowning at birthday party

    Updated: 6:05 PM PST Dec 20, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    A young Indiana boy is being called a hero after saving his friend from drowning at an indoor pool.”It was his birthday party, and like I was excited, so I just jumped in the pool,” Braxton said.His friend Clark jumped into action when he noticed Braxton wasn’t swimming.”I saw him like, drowning, like he was, like, not really swimming. So I had to… to get him, and then I got him,” Clark said.Braxton said he thought the water was shallow enough when he jumped in.After Clark jumped in and pulled Braxton to the surface, the boys were able to get out safely.”I was thanking him how he just saved my life, and I was like, Thank God, like God sent him to save me,” Braxton said. “He’s like family to me. He’s my best friend, and I just love to be with him.”The boys were honored at their school’s character award ceremony.

    A young Indiana boy is being called a hero after saving his friend from drowning at an indoor pool.

    “It was his birthday party, and like I was excited, so I just jumped in the pool,” Braxton said.

    His friend Clark jumped into action when he noticed Braxton wasn’t swimming.

    “I saw him like, drowning, like he was, like, not really swimming. So I had to… to get him, and then I got him,” Clark said.

    Braxton said he thought the water was shallow enough when he jumped in.

    After Clark jumped in and pulled Braxton to the surface, the boys were able to get out safely.

    “I was thanking him how he just saved my life, and I was like, Thank God, like God sent him to save me,” Braxton said. “He’s like family to me. He’s my best friend, and I just love to be with him.”

    The boys were honored at their school’s character award ceremony.

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  • Chronic absenteeism could derail K-12 education

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    eSchool News is counting down the 10 most-read stories of 2025. Story #9 focuses on chronic absenteeism.

    Key points:

    The biggest problem in education is that kids aren’t showing up to school. Last year, 26 percent of students missed a month of class or more, leading to dramatic declines in academic performance. Chronic absenteeism accounted for 27 percent of the drop in math scores and 45 percent of the decline in reading scores from 2019 to 2022. Students who are chronically absent are 7x more likely to drop out before graduating, and while state and district leaders are scrambling for solutions, kids are falling further behind.

    Why chronic absenteeism is hard to solve

    In 2019, only 13 percent of students in the U.S. were chronically absent. Typically, these students missed school because of significant personal reasons–long-term illness, gang involvement, clinical depression, working jobs to support their families, lacking transportation, drug use, unplanned pregnancy, etc.–that aren’t easily fixed.

    However, since the pandemic, the rate of chronic absenteeism has doubled from 13 percent to 26 percent.

    The change is cultural. For the last hundred years, it was drilled into the American psyche that “school is important.” A great effort was made to provide bussing to any child who lived too far to walk, and the expectation was that every child should come to school every day. Cutting class was sure to land you in the principal’s office or potentially even lead to police showing up at your door.

    During the Covid-19 pandemic, this narrative flipped. As parents began working from home, their kids sat beside them. With lectures recorded and assignments posted online, attending class began to feel optional. When school doors reopened, many families didn’t fully come back. Common excuses like being tired, missing the bus, or simply not feeling like going were validated and excused rather than admonished. While students who skip school were once seen as delinquent, for many families it has become culturally acceptable–almost even expected–for kids to stay home whenever they or their parents want.

    Overwhelmed by the drastic rise in absenteeism, school staff are unable to revert cultural norms about attendance. And it’s not their fault.

    The root of the problem

    Each student’s situation is unique. Some students may struggle with reliable transportation, while others skip certain classes they don’t like, and others still are disengaged with school entirely. Without knowing why students are missing school, staff cannot make progress addressing the root cause of chronic absenteeism.

    Today, nearly 75 percent of student absences are “unexplained,” meaning that no authorized parent called or emailed the school to say where their children are and why they aren’t in class. This lack of clarity makes it impossible for schools to offer personalized solutions and keep students engaged. Unexplained absences only deepen the disconnect and limit schools’ ability to tackle absenteeism effectively.

    Knowing why students are missing school is critical, but also very difficult to uncover. At a high school of 2,000 students with 85 percent average daily attendance, 225 students will be absent each day without providing any explanation. In an ideal world, schools would speak with every parent to find out the reason their child wasn’t in class–but schools can’t possibly make 225 additional phone calls without 3-5 additional staff. Instead, they rely on robocalls and absence letters, and those methods don’t work nearly well enough.

    Normalize attendance again: It takes a village

    Improving attendance is about more than just allocating additional resources. It’s about shifting the mindset and fostering a culture that prioritizes presence. This starts with schools and communities making attendance a shared responsibility, not just a policy.

    First, schools must take the initiative to understand why students are missing school. Whether through modern AI-driven attendance systems or with more traditional methods like phone calls, understanding the root causes is critical to addressing the issue.

    Next, categorize and recognize patterns. Small adjustments can have big impacts. One district noticed that students who were 0.9 miles away from school were much more likely to not show up because their bussing policy was for families living 1 mile away from school or further. By changing their policy, they saw a surge in attendance. Similarly, pinpointing specific classes that students are skipping can help tailor interventions, whether through teacher engagement or offering additional support.

    Lastly, schools should focus resources on students facing the most severe challenges. These students often require personalized solutions, such as home visits for unresponsive parents or help with transportation. Targeted efforts like these create a direct impact on reducing absenteeism and improving overall attendance.

    When communities unite to make school attendance a priority, students receive the support they need to succeed. Tackling chronic absenteeism is not an easy task, but with focused effort and a culture of engagement, we can reverse this troubling trend and give students the foundation they deserve for future success.

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    Joe Philleo, Edia

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  • Altercation ends with gunfire near Richmond school

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    An altercation involving students and adults near a school Monday afternoon ended with gunfire, police said.

    Nobody was injured, but a building at the Sylvester Greenwood Academy in the 800 block of Chanslor Avenue was damaged. In a statement, police said somebody fired at least one shot after the confrontation happened.

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    Rick Hurd

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  • Why every middle school student deserves a second chance to learn to read

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    Key points:

    Between kindergarten and second grade, much of the school day is dedicated to helping our youngest students master phonics, syllabication, and letter-sound correspondence–the essential building blocks to lifelong learning.

    Unfortunately, this foundational reading instruction has been stamped with an arbitrary expiration date. Students who miss that critical learning window, including our English Language Learners (ELL), children with learning disabilities, and those who find reading comprehension challenging, are pushed forward through middle and high school without the tools they need. In the race to catch up to classmates, they struggle academically, emotionally, and in extreme cases, eventually disengage or drop out.

    Thirteen-year-old Alma, for instance, was still learning the English language during those first three years of school. She grappled with literacy for years, watching her peers breeze through assignments while she stumbled over basic decoding. However, by participating in a phonetics-first foundational literacy program in sixth grade, she is now reading at grade level.

    “I am more comfortable when I read,” she shared. “And can I speak more fluently.”

    Alma’s words represent a transformation that American education typically says is impossible after second grade–that every child can become a successful reader if given a second chance.

    Lifting up the learners left behind 

    At Southwestern Jefferson County Consolidated School in Hanover, Ind., I teach middle-school students like Alma who are learning English as their second language. Many spent their formative school years building oral language proficiency and, as a result, lost out on systematic instruction grounded in English phonics patterns. 

    These bright and ambitious students lack basic foundational skills, but are expected to keep up with their classmates. To help ELL students access the same rigorous content as their peers while simultaneously building the decoding skills they missed, we had to give them a do-over without dragging them a step back. 

    Last year, we introduced our students to Readable English, a research-backed phonetic system that makes English decoding visible and teachable at any age. The platform embeds foundational language instruction into grade-level content, including the textbooks, novels, and worksheets all students are using, but with phonetic scaffolding that makes decoding explicit and systematic.

    To help my students unlock the code behind complicated English language rules, we centered our classroom intervention on three core components:

    • Rhyming: The ability to rhyme, typically mastered by age five, is a key early literacy indicator. However, almost every ELL student in my class was missing this vital skill. Changing even one letter can alter the sound of a word, and homographic words like “tear” have completely different sounds and meanings. By embedding a pronunciation guide into classroom content, glyphs–or visual diacritical marks–indicate irregular sounds in common words and provide key information about the sound a particular letter makes.
    • Syllabication patterns: Because our ELL students were busy learning conversational English during the critical K-2 years, systematic syllable division, an essential decoding strategy, was never practiced. Through the platform, visual syllable breaks organize words into simple, readable chunks that make patterns explicit and teachable.
    • Silent letter patterns: With our new phonics platform, students can quickly “hear” different sounds. Unmarked letters make their usual sound while grayed-out letters indicate those with a silent sound. For students frustrated with pronunciation, pulling back the curtain on language rules provided them with that “a-ha” moment.

    The impact on our students’ reading proficiency has been immediate and measurable, creating a cognitive energy shift from decoding to comprehension. Eleven-year-old Rodrigo, who has been in the U.S. for only two years, reports he’s “better at my other classes now” and is seeing boosts in his science, social studies, and math grades.

    Taking a new step on a nationwide level

    The middle-school reading crisis in the U.S. is devastating for our students. One-third of eighth-graders failed to hit the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) benchmark in reading, the largest percentage ever. In addition, students who fail to build literacy skills exhibit lower levels of achievement and are more likely to drop out of school. 

    The state of Indiana has recognized the crisis and, this fall, launched a new reading initiative for middle-school students. While this effort is a celebrated first step, every school needs the right tools to make intervention a success, especially for our ELL students. 

    Educators can no longer expect students to access grade-level content without giving them grade-level decoding skills. Middle-school students need foundational literacy instruction that respects their age, cognitive development, and dignity. Revisiting primary-grade phonics curriculum isn’t the right answer–educators must empower kids with phonetic scaffolding embedded in the same content their classmates are learning. 

    To help all students excel and embrace a love of reading, it’s time to reject the idea that literacy instruction expires in second grade. Instead, all of us can provide every child, at any age, the chance to become a successful lifelong reader who finds joy in the written word.

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    Kim Hicks, Southwestern Jefferson County Consolidated School

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  • Active shooter at Brown University; Police confirm multiple people shot, no suspect in custody

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    Police responded to an active shooting Saturday on campus at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, according to the school’s alert system. Police said there were multiple gunshot victims.The school sent a message warning of an active shooter near Barus & Holley — a building that houses the School of Engineering and the Physics Department. Another alert warned of shots fired near Governor Street.Earlier, the school said a person was taken into custody and then later corrected the alert, saying a suspect had not been detained. See the scene in the video above “Lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice. Remember: RUN, if you are in the affected location, evacuate safely if you can; HIDE if evacuation is not possible, take cover; FIGHT as a last resort, take action to protect yourself,” the alert read.Dozens of law enforcement officials, some with guns drawn, were seen in the area, escorting students to safety.”There is currently heavy Providence Police and Fire presence on Hope Street near Brown University. Please exercise caution and avoid this area until further notice,” Providence police posted on X.It’s not clear if anyone was injured.The Ivy League school is a private, nonprofit institution with about 7,300 undergraduates and just over 3,000 graduate students, according to its website.The Boston-area Hearst TV station WCVB will have more information as it becomes available.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Police responded to an active shooting Saturday on campus at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, according to the school’s alert system. Police said there were multiple gunshot victims.

    The school sent a message warning of an active shooter near Barus & Holley — a building that houses the School of Engineering and the Physics Department. Another alert warned of shots fired near Governor Street.

    Earlier, the school said a person was taken into custody and then later corrected the alert, saying a suspect had not been detained.

    See the scene in the video above

    “Lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice. Remember: RUN, if you are in the affected location, evacuate safely if you can; HIDE if evacuation is not possible, take cover; FIGHT as a last resort, take action to protect yourself,” the alert read.

    Dozens of law enforcement officials, some with guns drawn, were seen in the area, escorting students to safety.

    “There is currently heavy Providence Police and Fire presence on Hope Street near Brown University. Please exercise caution and avoid this area until further notice,” Providence police posted on X.

    It’s not clear if anyone was injured.

    The Ivy League school is a private, nonprofit institution with about 7,300 undergraduates and just over 3,000 graduate students, according to its website.

    The Boston-area Hearst TV station WCVB will have more information as it becomes available.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • Active shooter at Brown University; Police confirm multiple people shot, no suspect in custody

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    Police responded to an active shooting Saturday on campus at Brown University in Providence, according to the school’s alert system. Police said there were multiple gunshot victims.Earlier, the school said a person was taken into custody and then later corrected the alert, saying a suspect had not been detained.See the scene in the video aboveJust before 5 p.m., the school sent a message warning of an active shooter near Barus & Holley — a building that houses the School of Engineering and the Physics Department. “Lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice. Remember: RUN, if you are in the affected location, evacuate safely if you can; HIDE if evacuation is not possible, take cover; FIGHT as a last resort, take action to protect yourself,” the alert read.Dozens of law enforcement officials, some with guns drawn, were seen in the area, escorting students to safety.”There is currently heavy Providence Police and Fire presence on Hope Street near Brown University. Please exercise caution and avoid this area until further notice,” Providence police posted on X.It’s not clear if anyone was injured.The Ivy League school is a private, nonprofit institution with about 7,300 undergraduates and just over 3,000 graduate students, according to its website.WCVB will have more information as it becomes available.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Police responded to an active shooting Saturday on campus at Brown University in Providence, according to the school’s alert system. Police said there were multiple gunshot victims.

    Earlier, the school said a person was taken into custody and then later corrected the alert, saying a suspect had not been detained.

    See the scene in the video above

    Just before 5 p.m., the school sent a message warning of an active shooter near Barus & Holley — a building that houses the School of Engineering and the Physics Department.

    “Lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice. Remember: RUN, if you are in the affected location, evacuate safely if you can; HIDE if evacuation is not possible, take cover; FIGHT as a last resort, take action to protect yourself,” the alert read.

    Dozens of law enforcement officials, some with guns drawn, were seen in the area, escorting students to safety.

    “There is currently heavy Providence Police and Fire presence on Hope Street near Brown University. Please exercise caution and avoid this area until further notice,” Providence police posted on X.

    It’s not clear if anyone was injured.

    The Ivy League school is a private, nonprofit institution with about 7,300 undergraduates and just over 3,000 graduate students, according to its website.

    WCVB will have more information as it becomes available.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • Billionaire Palantir cofounder calls elite college undergrads a ‘loser generation’ as data reveals rise in students seeking support for disabilities | Fortune

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    That reality is showing up on a campus. A growing share of college students are seeking medical evaluations for ADHD, anxiety, and depression—and requesting academic accommodations such as extended time on exams and papers. At some of the country’s selective universities, the numbers are striking: more than 20% of undergraduates at Brown and Harvard are registered as disabled. At UMass Amherst, it’s 34%; Stanford, 38%, according to data analyzed by The Atlantic.

    While it’s clear that many students requesting accommodations do so for legitimate medical reasons and that increased diagnoses may reflect greater mental-health awareness, some experts have raised concerns about overdiagnosis and whether universities are making it too easy for students to qualify. And the debate has set off a wildfire on social media this week, catching the attention of high-profile business leaders, including Joe Lonsdale, the billionaire venture capitalist and Palantir cofounder.

    Lonsdale’s response offered no sympathy. “Loser generation,” he wrote in reaction to a graph showing the rising number of undergraduate students reporting disabilities.

    “At Stanford it’s a hack for housing though and at some point I get it, even if it’s not my personal ethics. Terrible leadership from the university.”

    He argued that families have been slowly using disability accommodations to give their children an academic advantage—when they might not actually need it.

    “Claiming your child has a disability to give them a leg up became an obvious dominant game theoretic strategy for parents without honor in the 2010’s,” Lonsdale wrote earlier this month on X. “Great signal to avoid a family / not do business with parents who act this way.”

    And while it’s unclear how many students, if any, are trying to game the system, Lonsdale has made his broader view clear: he doesn’t think universities are preparing young people—or evaluating them—in ways that matter.

    “No great companies are interested in the BS games played by universities,” he added.

    Fortune reached out to Lonsdale for further comment.

    Lonsdale’s complicated history with higher education

    Though a Stanford alum himself, Lonsdale has a complicated history with the institution and higher education more broadly.

    In the early 2010s, while serving as a mentor in a Stanford tech entrepreneurship course, Lonsdale was accused of sexual assault by a student—and banned from mentoring undergraduates for 10 years and from campus entirely. The assault charges were later dropped, but Lonsdale acknowledged violating a rule prohibiting consensual relationships between mentors and students.

    Less than a decade later, in 2021, Lonsdale cofounded his own school—the University of Austin—with Niall Ferguson, Bari Weiss, and others. The institution prides itself on freedom of speech and overcoming the “mediocrity” of traditional higher education. It welcomed its first group of undergraduates last fall and remains unaccredited.

    The school has drawn support from Lonsdale’s fellow Palantir cofounder and Stanford alum Alex Karp, who has also criticized the college system.

    “Everything you learned at your school and college about how the world works is intellectually incorrect,” Karp, Palantir’s CEO, told CNBC earlier this year.

    Instead, the 58-year-old said Palantir is building a new credential “separate from class or background,” that is the “best credential in tech.”

    “If you did not go to school, or you went to a school that’s not that great, or you went to Harvard or Princeton or Yale, once you come to Palantir, you’re a Palantirian,” Karp said during an earnings call earlier this year. “No one cares about the other stuff.”

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    Preston Fore

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  • A smarter path to standards-based success: How Superior Public Schools united curriculum and data

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    Key points:

    Creating consistency between classrooms and ensuring curriculum alignment school-wide can be challenging, even in the smallest of districts. Every educator teaches–and grades–differently based on their experience and preferences, and too often, they’re forced into a solution that no longer respects their autonomy or acknowledges their strengths.

    When Superior Public Schools (SPS), a district of 450 students in rural Nebraska, defined standards-referenced curriculum as a priority of our continuous improvement plan, bringing teachers in as partners on the transition was essential to our success. Through their support, strategic relationships with outside partners, and meaningful data and reporting, the pathway from curriculum design to classroom action was a smooth one for teachers, school leaders, and students alike.

    Facing the challenge of a new curriculum

    For years, teachers in SPS were working autonomously in the classroom. Without a district-wide curriculum in place, they used textbooks to guide their instruction and designed lesson plans around what they valued as important. In addition, grading was performed on a normative curve that compared a student’s performance against the performance of their peers rather than in relation to a mastery of content.

    As other educators have discovered, the traditional approach to teaching may be effective for some students, but is inequitable overall when preparing all students for their next step, whether moving on to more complex material or preparing for the grade ahead. Kids were falling through the cracks, and existing opportunity gaps only began to grow.

    SPS set out to help our students by instituting standards-referenced instruction at both the elementary and secondary levels, allowing us to better identify each child’s progress toward set learning standards and deliver immediate feedback and intervention services to keep them on the path toward success.

    Take it slow and start with collaboration

    From day one, school leaders understood the transition to the new curriculum needed to be intentional and collaborative. 

    Rather than demand immediate buy-in from teachers, administrators and the curriculum team dedicated the time to help them understand the value of a new learning process. Together, we took a deep dive into traditional education practices, identifying which set students up for success and which actually detoured their progress. Recognizing that everyone–teachers included–learns in different ways, administrators also provided educators with a wide range of resources, such as book studies, podcasts, and articles, to help them grow professionally.

    In addition, SPS partnered with the Curriculum Leadership Institute (CLI) to align curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices across all content areas, schools, and grade levels. On-site CLI coaches worked directly with teachers to interpret standards and incorporate their unique teaching styles into new instructional strategies, helping to ensure the new curriculum translated seamlessly into daily classroom practice.

    To bring standards-referenced curriculum to life with meaningful insights and reporting, SPS integrated the Otus platform into our Student Information System. By collecting and analyzing data in a concise manner, teachers could measure student performance against specific learning targets, determining if content needed to be re-taught to the whole class or if specific students required one-on-one guidance.

    With the support of our teachers, SPS was able to launch the new curriculum and assessment writing process district-wide, reaching students in pre-K through 12th grade. However, standards-reference grading was a slower process, starting with one subject area at a time at the elementary level. Teachers who were initially uncomfortable with the new grading system were able to see the benefits firsthand, allowing them to ease into the transition rather than jump in headfirst. 

    Empowering educators, inspiring students

    By uniting curriculum and data, SPS has set a stronger foundation of success for every student. Progress is no longer measured by compliance but by a true mastery of classroom concepts.

    Teachers have become intentional with their lesson plans, ensuring that classroom content is directly linked to the curriculum. The framework also gives them actionable insights to better identify the skills students have mastered and the content areas where they need extra support. Teachers can adjust instruction as needed, better communicate with parents on their students’ progress, and connect struggling students to intervention services.

    Principals also look at student progress from a building level, identifying commonalities across multiple grades. For instance, if different grade levels struggle with geometry concepts, we can revisit the curriculum to see where improvements should be made. Conversely, we can better determine if SPS needs to increase the rigor in one grade to better prepare students for the next grade level.

    While the road toward standards-referenced curriculum had its challenges, the destination was worth the journey for everyone at SPS. By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, 84 percent of K-5 students were at or above the 41st percentile in math, and 79 percent were at or above the 41st percentile in reading based on NWEA MAP results. In addition, teachers now have a complete picture of every student to track individual progress toward academic standards, and students receive the feedback, support, and insights that inspire them to become active participants in their learning.

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    Tricia Kuhlmann and Jodi Fierstein, Superior Public Schools

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  • List of school closings for Thursday as winter snowstorms hit

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    Numerous school districts have opted to close classrooms on December 11 as winter storms slam multiple regions across the United States.

    The ongoing winter storms sweeping across the Midwest and Eastern United States have triggered widespread school closures this week, disrupting education and daily routines for families across several states.

    Safety concerns remain paramount as road conditions could be hazardous due to snow accumulation along with frigid temperatures.

    The storms are active and regions around the Great Lakes have seen a decent amount of storm activity, Scott Kleebauer, National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist for the agency’s Weather Prediction Center, told Newsweek on Wednesday. “Portions of Virginia and West Virginia have already seen their yearly snow fall or close to it,” he added.

    Below is a list of school closures on Thursday, according to numerous local media outlets as of 10:20 p.m. ET Wednesday.

    Virginia

    • Grayson County Public Schools

    Michigan

    • Our Lady of Sorrows, Archdiocese of Detroit
    • Pontiac School District
    • Anchor Bay School District
    • Richmond Community Schools
    • Memphis Community Schools and Adventures Daycare
    • Walton Charter Academy, National Heritage Academies
    • Bad Axe Public Schools
    • Caseville Schools
    • Cass City Schools (Daycare open)
    • Elkton Pigeon Bay Port Laker Schools
    • Harbor Beach Community Schools
    • North Huron Schools (Early Learning Center closed)
    • Owendale-Gagetown Schools
    • Ubly Community Schools
    • Unionville-Sebewaing Area Schools
    • Huron Technical Center
    • Akron-Fairgrove Schools
    • Caro Schools
    • Kingston Schools (Daycare closed)
    • Mayville Community Schools
    • Millington Public Schools
    • Reese Public Schools
    • Tuscola Technology Center
    • Vassar Schools
    • Verona Mills School

    Numerous states are under winter weather advisories and warnings, spanning from parts of Indiana up to Maine. Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa are also facing weather alerts, the NWS says.

    NWS Blacksburg posted to X on Wednesday: “Along with the snow in the mountains this evening and tonight, there will be strong wind gusts, reaching 35-50 MPH at times. This will cause blowing snow, significantly reducing visibility. Use extreme caution if you must be on the roads tonight or Thursday morning!”

    Additional localized closings and delays may be reported by school districts or through media partners as the storms evolve. Officials recommend checking district websites, local news and emergency alert systems for the most current information.

    With storm warnings extending into Thursday and the weekend, forecasters predict continued cold and the possibility of snow into Friday. Public safety officials and school administrators will likely continue monitoring road conditions and weather forecasts, issuing further closure or delay guidance as necessary.

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  • High school bullying is up, attendance down as ICE raids sow ‘climate of distress,’ study says

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    High school principals across California and nationwide say raids by Immigration, Customs and Enforcement have provoked a “climate of distress” among immigrant students who have been bullied on campus and whose attendance has dropped, according to a study released Tuesday.

    Seventy percent of public high school principals surveyed said students from immigrant families expressed fears for themselves or their families because of ICE crackdowns or political rhetoric related to immigrants, according to the report by researchers at UCLA and UC Riverside.

    The findings echo the narrative of what schools and districts have reported across Southern California since President Trump took office in January and began aggressive immigration raids.

    One California principal told researchers she has seen staff members “breaking down in tears about a student.”

    “It just doesn’t feel very American,” she added.

    John Rogers, a UCLA education professor who co-authored the report, said it was “striking” that principals “across every region in the country spoke of fear and concern in their school communities related to immigration enforcement.”

    The researchers surveyed 606 public high school principals from May to August to understand how schools have been affected by Trump’s immigration enforcement. More than 1 in 3 principals, about 36%, said students from immigrant families have been bullied, and 64% said their attendance has dropped.

    A drop in attendance has been verified by other researchers who collected data from California’s Central Valley and the Northeastern states. There’s also been a decline in K-12 enrollment that appears to number in at least the tens of thousands, affecting cities including Los Angeles, San Diego and Miami, based on figures provided by school district officials.

    Principals, including in Minnesota, Nebraska and Michigan, noticed an uptick in students using hostile and derogatory language toward classmates from immigrant families. Some said a political climate that has normalized attacks on immigrants was to blame.

    The vast majority of principals surveyed, nearly 78%, said their campuses created plans to respond to visits from federal agents and nearly half have a contingency plan for when a student’s parents are deported.

    In this effort, schools in Los Angeles County have been leaders, taking quick and unprecedented steps to protect and reassure families. L.A. Unified, for example, has provided direct home-to-school transportation for some students.

    Their fears are not without cause. In April, Los Angeles principals turned away immigration agents who tried to enter two elementary schools, claiming to be conducting a wellness check with family permission. School district officials said no such permission had been granted.

    At a public meeting in November, L.A. school board member Karla Griego reported that a parent was taken into custody on his way to a school meeting about an updated education plan to manage his child’s disabilities.

    Charter schools have taken measures to reassure families as well. In the days following a major ICE raid in L.A., attendance rates at Alliance Morgan McKinzie High School in East L.A. slipped from the typical high-90% range to the low 90s, principal Rosa Menendez said.

    “A lot of our families have been really impacted and terrified,” Menendez said. “A lot of our kids are afraid to come to school.”

    As ICE raids escalated last summer, the charter school ramped up supervision, posting staff members around bus and train stations to watch students arrive and leave. The school will stay open during winter break, offering sports, video games and arts and crafts so students have a safe place to go.

    Immigration enforcement is personal for Menendez, who is a child of Salvadorean immigrants and has undocumented family members.

    “Coming off the heels of COVID, we were trying to keep our kids safe and healthy, and now it’s a whole other layer of safety,” Menendez said. “But we’re also worrying about our own families … It does add a very intense layer of stress.”

    Earlier this year the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying ICE does not “raid or target schools.” However, the Trump administration in January rescinded long-standing protections for “sensitive” locations that since 2011 had prevented ICE from arresting people in schools and churches.

    A double duty to protect and teach

    In addition to the survey, the researchers conducted 49 follow-up Zoom interviews with principals chosen to reflect a diverse mix of schools. Names were withheld over concern that their schools could become targets for immigration enforcement.

    One California principal, whose school is located in a predominantly immigrant neighborhood, told researchers her school’s sense of safety evaporated in the spring when news of nearby ICE raids broke during an assembly.

    This account was an echo of the unease that spread through a spring graduation ceremony at Huntington Park High School when an ICE raid began at the adjacent Home Depot.

    The principals noted that parents have felt torn between keeping themselves and family members safe and supporting their children’s education. In L.A. high schools, many parents elected not to attend graduation last spring.

    Immigration enforcement isn’t just affecting students. Many school staff members feel a “double sense of duty” to protect as well as teach, the California principal said.

    This administrator also said teachers have joined local immigrant rights networks, walking the blocks in the neighborhood before school each day to ensure there is a safe pathway to campus. One teacher, whose father is undocumented, frequently worries about suspicious cars in the school’s parking lot, the principal said.

    “[W]e always want to make sure we’re not caught off guard,” she said. On top of longstanding fears of a potential active shooter situation, she now worries daily that ICE agents will show up. “It’s a lot,” she added.

    Maria Nichols, president of Associated Administrators of Los Angeles and a former LAUSD principal, praised the district for taking quick action to provide school leaders with protocols to follow in case of a raid. But she said the job of a principal has become even more taxing because LAUSD staffing cuts reduced the number of assistant principals.

    “The leader, of course, is responsible for the logistics, protocols and procedural matters, but … also has to uplift their school and their community,” Nichols said. “They’re dealing with a crisis right now and it is a very, very difficult and heavy toll at a time where we have less human capital at schools.”

    School leaders across the country echoed the sentiments of the California principal.

    One Idaho principal told the researchers she worries each day that ICE agents would show up with a judicial warrant to detain students. “As the building leader,” she said, “I feel like I’m responsible for their safety. I hate that, because I don’t feel I’m able to protect them.”

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    Iris Kwok, Howard Blume

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  • School Specialty LLC Announces Acquisition of Nasco Education U.S.

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    Greenville, Wis – December 8, 2025 – School Specialty®, a leading provider of learning environments, supplies and science curriculum to the preK-12 education market, today announced the acquisition of Nasco Education U.S., a trusted name in specialized, curated education solutions for K-12 schools. This strategic acquisition enhances School Specialty’s ability to serve its core customers by enhancing its value proposition to schools across the country.

    “We estimate that nearly two-thirds of Nasco Education U.S.’s customers are already School Specialty buyers,” said Ryan Bohr, CEO of School Specialty. “Like School Specialty, Nasco Education U.S. has been an industry fixture of supplying schools for decades. Combining our companies will bring procurement efficiencies to our customers and expand the scope of products available to them.”

    School Specialty has more than 60 years of leadership in transforming classrooms into future-ready learning spaces for preK-12 educational institutions, serving five in every six school districts nationwide and curating products from hundreds of trusted brands. Nasco Education U.S.  offers a broad selection of specialized products, including hands-on, activity-based resources that support instruction across subjects like science, math, and the arts. Both companies share a deep commitment to providing high-quality, relevant resources that empower teachers and students.

    Both organizations will operate independently for the near term.  School Specialty expects to integrate the businesses gradually to ensure a seamless experience for the longstanding customers of both organizations. 

    “Together, we will be able to provide even greater support, innovation, and value to schools nationwide, helping them deliver the best possible learning experiences for their students,” said Ryan Bohr, CEO of School Specialty.

    About School Specialty, LLC 

    With a 60-year legacy, School Specialty is a leading provider of comprehensive learning environment solutions for the pre-K12 education marketplace in the U.S. and Canada. This includes essential classroom supplies, furniture and design services, educational technology, sensory spaces featuring Snoezelen, science curriculum, learning resources, professional development, and more. School Specialty believes every student can flourish in an environment where they are engaged and inspired to learn and grow. In support of this vision to transform more than classrooms, the company applies its unmatched team of education strategists and designs, manufactures, and distributes a broad assortment of name-brand and proprietary products. For more information, go to SchoolSpecialty.com.

    About Nasco Education U.S.

    Nasco Education U.S. is a leading developer and distributor of instructional materials, offering a wide range of hands-on learning products for the preK-12 education market with 80+ years of experience. Nasco Education U.S. provides schools and educators with the educational materials needed to create impactful classroom experiences that enhance student engagement and academic performance. For more information, go to NascoEducation.com.

    eSchool News Staff
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    ESchool News Staff

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  • Solving the staffing crisis is key to the Science of Reading movement

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    Key points:

    As someone who’s dedicated my career to advancing the Science of Reading movement, I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to help every child become a strong, fluent reader. We’ve made incredible strides in shifting the conversation toward evidence-based instruction, but I know we’re at a critical inflection point. While we–obviously–continue our work helping schools and districts adopt SOR, there’s an issue that stands in the way of real, sustained, progress: the staffing crisis and leadership churn that are leaving our educators overwhelmed and skeptical toward “change.” Without addressing these deeper structural issues, we risk stalling the momentum we’ve worked so hard to build.

    The hidden costs of constant turnover

    The data on teacher and leader turnover is bleak, and I’ve seen how it undermines the long-term commitment needed for any meaningful change. Consider this: Roughly 1 in 6 teachers won’t return to the same classroom next year, and nearly half of new teachers leave within their first five years. This constant churn is a massive financial burden on districts, costing an estimated $20,000 per teacher to recruit, hire, and onboard. But the real cost is the human one. Every time a new leader or teacher steps in, the hard-won progress on a literacy initiative can be jeopardized.

    I’ve watched districts spend years building momentum for the Science of Reading, providing extensive training and resources, only to see a new superintendent or principal arrive with a new set of priorities. This “leader wobble” can pull the rug out from under an initiative mid-stream. It’s especially frustrating when a new leader decides a program has had “plenty of professional learning” without taking the time to audit its impact. This lack of continuity completely disrupts the 3-5 years it takes for an initiative to truly take hold, especially because new teachers often arrive with a knowledge gap, as only about one-quarter of teacher preparation programs teach the Science of Reading. We can’t build on a foundation that’s constantly shifting.

    Overwhelmed by “initiative fatigue”

    I know what it feels like to have too much on your plate. Teachers, already juggling countless instructional materials, often see each new program not as a solution but as one more thing to learn, implement, and manage. Instead of excitement, there’s skepticism–this is initiative fatigue, and it can stall real progress. I’ve seen it firsthand; one large district I worked with rolled out new reading, math, and phonics resources all at once.

    To prevent this, we need to follow the principle of “pull weeds to plant flowers.” Being critical, informed consumers of resources means choosing flowers (materials) that are:

    • Supported by high-quality, third-party research
    • Aligned across all tiers of instruction
    • Versatile enough to meet varied student needs
    • Teacher-friendly, with clear guidance and instructional dialogue
    • Culturally relevant, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of students

    Now, even when a resource meets these standards, adoption shouldn’t be additive. Teachers can’t layer new tools on top of old ones. To see real change, old resources must be replaced with better ones. Educators need solutions that provide a unified, research-backed framework across all tiers, giving teachers clarity, support, and a path to sustainable student progress.

    Building a stable environment for sustained change

    So, how do we create the stable environment needed to support our educators? It starts with leadership that is in it for the long game. We need to mitigate turnover by using data to understand why teachers are leaving and then acting on that feedback. Strengthening mentorship, clarifying career pathways, and improving school culture are all crucial steps.

    Beyond just retaining staff, leaders must foster a culture of sustained commitment. It’s not enough to have a few “islands of excellence” where a handful of teachers are getting great results.

    We need system-wide adoption. This requires strong leaders to balance support and accountability. I’ve seen how collaborative teams, engaged in problem-solving and data-based decision-making, can transform a school. When teachers see students as “our students” and not just “my students,” shared ownership grows.

    A leader’s job is to protect and sustain this vision, making sure the essential supports–like collaborative planning time, ongoing professional development, and in-classroom coaching–are in place. But sustaining change goes beyond daily management; it requires building deep capacity so the work continues even if leadership shifts. This means hiring, training, and retaining strong educators, investing in future leaders, and ensuring committed advocates are part of the implementation team. It also requires creating a detailed, actionable roadmap, with budgets clearly allocated and accountability measures established, so that any initiative isn’t just a short-term priority but a long-term promise. By embedding these structures, leaders can secure continuity, maintain momentum, and ensure that every step forward in literacy translates into lasting gains for students.

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    Laura Stewart, 95 Percent Group

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  • How one school reimagined learning spaces–and what others can learn

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    Key points:

    When Collegedale Academy, a PreK–8 school outside Chattanooga, Tennessee, needed a new elementary building, we faced a choice that many school leaders eventually confront: repair an aging facility or reimagine what learning spaces could be.

    Our historic elementary school held decades of memories for families, including some who had once walked its halls as children themselves. But years of wear and the need for costly repairs made it clear that investing in the old building would only patch the problems rather than solve them. At the same time, Southern Adventist University–on whose land the school sat–needed the property for expansion.

    Rather than cling to the past, we saw an opportunity. We could design a new, future-focused environment on our middle school campus–one that reflected how students learn today and how they will need to learn tomorrow.

    Putting students first

    As both a teacher and someone who helped design our middle school, I approached the project with one condition: every design choice had to prioritize students and teachers. That philosophy shaped everything that followed.

    My search for student-centered design partners led us to MiEN. What impressed me most was that they weren’t simply selling furniture. They were invested in research–constantly asking what classrooms need to evolve and then designing for that reality. Every piece we chose was intentional, not about aesthetics alone, but about how it could empower learners and teachers.

    Spaces that do more

    From the beginning, our vision emphasized flexibility, belonging, and joy. Every area needed to “do more,” adapting seamlessly to different uses throughout the day. To achieve this, we focused on designing spaces that could shift in purpose while still sparking curiosity and connection.

    Community hubs reimagined: Our cafeteria and media center now transform into classrooms, performance stages, or meeting spaces with minimal effort, maximizing every square foot.

    Interactive, sensory-rich design: An interactive wall panel with a ball run, sensory boards, and flexible seating encourages students to collaborate and explore beyond traditional instruction.

    Learning everywhere: Even hallways and lobbies have become extensions of the classroom. With mobile whiteboards, soft seating, and movable tables, these spaces host tutoring sessions, small groups, and parent meetings.

    Outdoor classrooms: Students gather at the campus creek for science lessons, spread out at outdoor tables that double as project workspaces, and find joy in spaces designed for both inquiry and play. Walking into the building, students immediately understood it was made for them. They take pride in exploring, rearranging furniture, and claiming ownership of their environment. That sense of belonging is priceless and drives real engagement in the learning.

    Supporting teachers through change

    For teachers accustomed to traditional layouts, the shift to flexible spaces required trust and support. At first, some colleagues wondered how the new design would fit with their routines. But once they began teaching in the space, the transformation was rapid. Within weeks, they were moving furniture to match their themes, discovering new instructional strategies, and finding creative ways to engage students.

    The beauty of this approach is that it doesn’t dictate a single method. Instead, it enables teachers to adapt the space to their vision. Watching colleagues gain confidence and joy in their teaching reinforced our original intent: create an environment that empowers educators as much as it excites students.

    A partnership that mattered

    No school leader undertakes a project like this alone. For us, partnership was everything. The team that supported our vision felt less like outside vendors and more like collaborators who shared our dream.

    They weren’t just delivering products; they were helping us shape a culture. Their excitement matched ours at every step, and together, we turned ideas into realities that continue to inspire.

    Immediate and lasting impact

    The outcomes of the project were visible from day one. Students lit up as they explored the new features. Teachers discovered fresh energy in their classrooms. Parents, many of whom remembered the old building, were struck by how clearly the new design signaled a commitment to modern learning and to prioritizing their children’s futures.

    Financially, the project was also a smart investment. Multi-purpose areas and durable, mobile furnishings mean that every dollar spent generates long-term value. And because the spaces were designed with flexibility in mind, they will remain relevant even as instructional practices evolve.

    Looking ahead

    The success of our elementary project has created momentum for what’s next. Collegedale is already planning high school renovations guided by the same student-first philosophy. The excitement is contagious, not just for our community but for how it models what schools can achieve when they align design with mission.

    For me, this project was never just about furniture. It was about creating a culture where curiosity, creativity, and joy thrive every day. With the right partners and a clear vision, schools can build environments where students feel they belong and where teachers are empowered to do their best work.

    As education leaders consider their own building projects, my advice is simple: design for the learners first. When students walk into a space and know, without a doubt, that it was built for them, everything else follows.

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    Beth Stone, Collegedale Academy

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  • More California students than ever are heading out of state for college. Here’s why

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    Javier Perez, a senior at Benjamin Franklin Senior High School in Highland Park, dreams of studying computer science at Dartmouth College.

    “For me, it’s really important to be surrounded by the right people,” said Perez, who earlier this year spent two days on the New Hampshire campus during a spring college tour and said he felt a “genuine connection” with the people he met. Plus, he likes cold weather.

    He’s hardly alone. A Public Policy Institute of California report released this month found that the share of college-bound California high school graduates enrolling in out-of-state colleges has nearly doubled in the last two decades, rising from 8.5% in 2002 to 14.6% in 2022.

    West Coast and Southwest colleges in particular seek out students in population-rich California in their recruitment efforts. Making the move more enticing is that many public universities participate in a program offering Californians discounted tuition at public colleges in the West.

    In 2022, nearly 40,000 California high school grads enrolled in out-of-state colleges, roughly a third of whom flocked to Arizona, Oregon or New York, the researchers found in their analysis of enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics. In 2002, the number was closer to 15,000.

    In Arizona, the most popular universities included Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University — known for its online programs — and the University of Arizona. Oregon State University drew the highest number of Californians in that state.

    California grads who moved to New York for college were drawn to smaller, competitive private liberal arts colleges, usually with heftier tuitions than California’s public universities. Because of limitations in national enrollment data, the study couldn’t account for scholarships, making it hard to determine whether the California students were choosing out-of-state options because of financial aid incentives.

    The researchers found that most students leaving California attend colleges less selective on average than the competitive University of California system. About half attend colleges more selective than the California State University system, which will soon automatically admit students who meet requirements at 16 of its campuses.

    Lynda McGee, a recently retired Los Angeles Unified School District college counselor who spent more than two decades at Downtown Magnets High School, said she sees the trend as a positive development. She said she often urged students to look beyond California, as she felt out-of-state campuses would expose them to a more diverse range of people and experiences.

    Arizona State, the University of Arizona and Oregon State have strong name recognition, actively recruit in California and feel less intimidating to students because they’re relatively close to home, she said. Oregon State’s athletics programs are a particular draw.

    Under the right conditions, and after taking into account financial aid or merit-based scholarships, private colleges can sometimes end up costing less than a California public university, said Erica Rosales, executive director of College Match, a mentoring program for low-income students in Los Angeles.

    “For a low-income, first-generation student, a private institution that meets full need without loans is often the most affordable and most supportive option available,” Rosales said in an email.

    Rosales, who has spent nearly two decades helping students navigate the college admissions process, noted that Cal Grant income ceilings leave out some middle-class families unable to afford to send their children to a UC or CSU campus. Financial aid at CSU campuses typically covers tuition, not room and board, according to Rosales.

    The promise of full financial-need coverage is why Perez, who grew up in Guatemala and immigrated to the U.S. three years ago, is aiming to attend a private liberal arts college. He learned about his options through College Match. The program funded a two-week East Coast college tour this year and provided him with a laptop for his applications.

    Javier Perez, 18, takes public transit to a library. His three-hour round-trip commute to and from school involves a bike ride, two trains and a bus.

    (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

    Perez said leaving California would enable him to experience life in a small college town surrounded by nature. He’d like to spend his days focusing on his studies instead of commuting to school. His current commute from his Koreatown home to his Highland Park campus takes three hours round-trip, and involves a bike ride, two trains and a bus.

    Perez, an ambitious programmer who leads his school’s competitive robotics team, intends to apply to 22 colleges, including Stanford University, Caltech and a handful of UCs and CSUs.

    But his hopes are set on moving to the East Coast, as reflected by many of the schools on his list: Middlebury College, Boston College, Bowdoin College, Columbia University, Brown University and his dream school, Dartmouth College.

    “I just want to explore as much as I can in my college life,” Perez said.

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    Iris Kwok

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  • Will California’s new K-12 antisemitism law make up for Trump’s civil rights cuts?

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    At a time when the federal government is dismantling civil rights protections in K-12 schools, California is expanding them — although some wonder how far the state will go to combat discrimination in schools.

    A new law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last month, creates an Office of Civil Rights within the California Department of Education. The office will have a staff of at least six, including an antisemitism coordinator, who will educate school districts about the harms of bias and investigate discrimination complaints.

    “I think it’s a good idea and the state of California will pull it off. The risks are small and the possibility for good is large,” said Gary Orfield, co-director of the Civil Rights Project at UCLA. “But for it to be successful, it has to have real responsibility and real power.”

    The new law stems from a surge in antisemitic incidents in California last year following the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. Authored by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay), the law is intended to eliminate anti-Jewish and other bias in the classroom and ensure that students of all ethnicities and religions feel protected.

    But the road to Newsom’s desk was not smooth. The bill faced tough opposition from the California Teachers Assn. , the state’s largest teachers union, which argued that the law would limit teachers’ right to free speech by curbing their ability to discuss the conflict in Gaza or other topical issues. The union declined to comment for this article.

    Zbur, who was among the law’s authors, said the new Office of Civil Rights and the antisemitism coordinator are not intended to punish teachers. The idea, he said, is to help schools stamp out bullying, discrimination and other acts targeting specific groups of students.

    “The idea that this law is about policing is hogwash,” Zbur said. “It’s intended to be productive, to provide districts with resources so they can prevent students from being harmed in school.”

    Federal layoffs and closures

    Discrimination has long been illegal in California schools. Individuals who feel they’ve been discriminated against can file complaints with the state’s Civil Rights Department or with their local school district. But much K-12 anti-discrimination enforcement has fallen on the federal government’s Office of Civil Rights. Created in the mid-1960s, the office investigates complaints about a range of issues, such as school segregation, unfair discipline practices and whether students with disabilities or English learners are receiving the services they’re entitled to.

    In March, the Trump administration announced it was laying off nearly half of the U.S. Department of Education workforce and closing numerous branches of the Office of Civil Rights, including the one in California. That’s meant a steep decline in the number of cases and long delays for those the office investigates. In the three months after the Department of Education cuts, for example, the office received nearly 5,000 complaints but investigated only 309.

    On Tuesday, the Department of Education went even further, spinning off some of the agency’s largest responsibilities to other federal departments — including much of the administration of elementary and high school funding. Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s conservative vision for the country that so far Trump has followed, calls for the Office of Civil Rights to become part of the Department of Justice and for it to “reject gender ideology and critical race theory.”

    The U.S. Department of Education didn’t respond to a request for comment.

    ‘Cutting off funding, that’s what works’

    California’s new Office of Civil Rights will have a director and several coordinators who will oversee anti-discrimination cases based on race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and religion. The director and anti-discrimination coordinators will be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Legislature, likely after Jan. 1.

    The office will provide schools with materials about preventing discrimination, and work with districts that have been the subject of complaints from students, families or the public. In serious cases, the office will recommend more intensive assistance to the state Department of Education to correct problems. For districts that persistently flout anti-discrimination laws, “the department may use any means necessary to effect compliance,” according to laws already in place. That may include cutting funding for textbooks or other materials found to be discriminatory.

    The office will also submit an annual report to the Legislature on the overall picture of discrimination in schools, including the number of complaints, how they were resolved, and their outcomes.

    But to be successful, the office will have to be nonpartisan, transparent and fair, Orfield said. Cases against a school should include strong evidence, and schools should have the opportunity to defend themselves and appeal a verdict if they believe it was wrongly issued.

    And the office should not shy away from cutting funds to schools that don’t comply, he said. In the 1960s and ‘70s, the federal Office of Civil Rights cut funds to more than 100 schools in the South that refused to desegregate — a move that may have been the only way to force compliance, Orfield said.

    “Cutting off funding, that’s what works,” he said. “Although if you’re going to have sanctions, there must be due process.”

    Photo ops and reports?

    Mark Rosenbaum, senior special counsel for strategic litigation for the public interest law firm Public Counsel, agreed that enforcement will be the key to whether the new office is effective.

    “If the office just issues reports and does photo ops, we don’t need another one of those,” Rosenbaum said. “The issue is whether or not they can enforce these rights across the board.”

    He’d also like to see the office take a more proactive approach instead of only responding to individuals’ complaints. Education itself, he said, is a civil right, and too many students are not receiving the high-quality lessons in safe, well-equipped schools that they’re entitled to.

    Still, he’s happy to see the office get off the ground, particularly in light of the federal cuts to civil rights enforcement.

    “There’s an urgency for California to fill a void,” Rosenbaum said. “It should have happened decades ago, but it’s a good start.”

    Jones is a reporter for CalMatters.

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    Carolyn Jones

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  • 3 reasons to switch to virtual set design

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    Key points:

    If you’ve attended a professional show or musical recently, chances are you’ve seen virtual set design in action. This approach to stage production has gained so much traction it’s now a staple in the industry. After gaining momentum in professional theater, it has made its way into collegiate performing arts programs and is now emerging in K-12 productions as well.

    Virtual set design offers a modern alternative to traditional physical stage sets, using technology and software to create immersive backdrops and environments. This approach unlocks endless creative possibilities for schools while also providing practical advantages.

    Here, I’ll delve into three key benefits: increasing student engagement and participation, improving efficiency and flexibility in productions, and expanding educational opportunities.

    Increasing student engagement and participation

    Incorporating virtual set design into productions gets students excited about learning new skills while enhancing the storytelling of a show. When I first joined Churchill High School in Livonia, Michigan as the performing arts manager, the first show we did was Shrek the Musical, and I knew it would require an elaborate set. While students usually work together to paint the various backdrops that bring the show to life, I wanted to introduce them to collaborating on virtual set design.

    We set up Epson projectors on the fly rail and used them to project images as the show’s backdrops. Positioned at a short angle, the projectors avoided any shadowing on stage. To create a seamless image with both projectors, we utilized edge-blending and projection mapping techniques using just a Mac® laptop and QLab software. Throughout the performance, the projectors transformed the stage with a dozen dynamic backdrops, shifting from a swamp to a castle to a dungeon.

    Students were amazed by the technology and very excited to learn how to integrate it into the set design process. Their enthusiasm created a real buzz around the production, and the community’s feedback on the final results were overwhelmingly positive.

    Improving efficiency and flexibility

    During Shrek the Musical, there were immediate benefits that made it so much easier to put together a show. To start, we saved money by eliminating the need to build multiple physical sets. While we were cutting costs on lumber and materials, we were also solving design challenges and expanding what was possible on stage.

    This approach also saved us valuable time. Preparing the sets in the weeks leading up to the show was faster, and transitions during performances became seamless. Instead of moving bulky scenery between scenes or acts, the stage crew simply switched out projected images making it much more efficient.

    We saw even more advantages in our spring production of She Kills Monsters. Some battle scenes called for 20 or 30 actors to be on stage at once, which would have been difficult to manage with a traditional set. By using virtual production, we broke the stage up with different panels spaced apart and projected designs, creating more space for performers. We were able to save physical space, as well as create a design that helped with stage blocking and made it easier for students to find their spots.

    Since using virtual sets, our productions have become smoother, more efficient, and more creative.

    Expanding educational opportunities

    Beyond the practical benefits, virtual set design also creates valuable learning opportunities for students. Students involved in productions gain exposure to industry-level technology and learn about careers in the arts, audio, and video technology fields. Introducing students to these opportunities before graduating high school can really help prepare them for future success.

    Additionally, in our school’s technical theater courses, students are learning lessons on virtual design and gaining hands-on experiences. As they are learning about potential career paths, they are developing collaboration skills and building transferable skills that directly connect to college and career readiness.

    Looking ahead with virtual set design

    Whether students are interested in graphic design, sound engineering, or visual technology, virtual production brings countless opportunities to them to explore. It allows them to experiment with tools and concepts that connect directly to potential college majors or future careers.

    For schools, incorporating virtual production into high school theater offers more than just impressive shows. It provides a cost-effective, flexible, and innovative approach to storytelling. It is a powerful tool that benefits productions, enriches student learning, and prepares the next generation of artists and innovators.

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    Jared Cole, Churchill High School, Livonia Public Schools

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  • 100 Learning Spaces Transformed, $5 Million Invested: School Specialty and College Football Playoff Foundation Celebrate Impact Across Schools Nationwide

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    New media center at North Dade Middle School marks milestone in initiative revitalizing learning environments to benefit the entire learning community

    GREENVILLE, WI– November 21, 2025 – School Specialty and the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation today announced the completion of a media center makeover at North Dade Middle School, marking the 100th learning space transformed in collaboration with the Extra Yard Makeover initiative. As a part of their nationwide effort to enhance learning environments for students and educators alike, the two organizations have now invested over $5 million into reinvigorating classrooms across the country.

    Miami will host the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship in January, and as part of its legacy work in the community, the CFP Foundation has committed to delivering more than 30 Extra Yard Makeovers alongside School Specialty to revitalize innovation spaces across schools in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. With this latest round of makeovers, the CFP Foundation will have helped enrich learning environments in every Miami-Dade middle school.

    “Changing our middle school libraries into modern learning spaces has had a tremendous impact on engagement and learning outcomes,” said Dr. Jose L. Dotres, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. “In addition to renovation, the transformation is an investment in our teachers, our students and our future. These new innovative spaces support hands-on learning for students of today and tomorrow, so they can develop greater curiosity for learning and lifelong skills.”

    These makeovers transform static spaces into flourishing learning environments, providing upgrades like flexible furniture, technology, supplies and even fresh paint or murals. Each school receives the School Specialty proprietary Projects by DesignⓇ experience, which includes comprehensive consultations to determine the type of space that best supports students, educators and the broader school community. Past rooms made over include STEM labs, broadcast classrooms, libraries, media centers, makerspace rooms, teachers lounges, wellness spaces, sensory rooms, multi-purpose rooms, an esports room and a mariachi room.

    “The transformation of our media center is truly invaluable to our students and staff,” said Nicole Fama, Executive Director at Phalen Leadership Academies, which received a makeover in 2024. “We are profoundly grateful to the College Football Playoff Foundation and School Specialty for this investment. Before the media center, we lacked a space that truly fostered community. Now, everything happens here—from senior breakfasts and college athlete signing days to family game nights and teacher appreciation events. It has become the heart of our community, a space we didn’t realize we needed until it was here.”

    These makeovers serve to benefit both students and teachers, allowing schools to improve their offerings, inspire innovation and modern learning, and directly counter some of the top issues in education today.

    “Addressing teacher burnout and maximizing student engagement starts with the physical environment,” said Jeremy Westbrooks, Director of Strategic Account Development at School Specialty. “The physical classroom is an educator’s primary tool, and by modernizing these spaces, the CFP Foundation and School Specialty are delivering a critical resource that empowers teachers to stay focused on their students’ growth and long-term success.”

    “We’re proud to work alongside School Specialty to bring these meaningful makeover projects to life,” said Britton Banowsky, Executive Director College Football Playoff Foundation. “Their expertise in the design of the spaces and incredible generosity make it possible for us to turn vision into impact for teachers and students.”

    In addition to the CFP Foundation and School Specialty, these makeovers have been supported over the years by Bowl Games, Conference partners, Sponsors and host committees of each College Football Playoff National Championship. To date, makeovers have taken place in 18 states across 58 counties.

    To learn more about the College Playoff Foundation’s Extra Yard Makeover initiative, click here.

    To learn more about School Specialty, click here.

    About School Specialty, LLC 

    With a 60-year legacy, School Specialty is a leading provider of comprehensive learning environment solutions for the infant-K12 education marketplace in the U.S. and Canada. This includes essential classroom supplies, furniture and design services, educational technology, sensory spaces featuring Snoezelen, science curriculum, learning resources, professional development, and more. School Specialty believes every student can flourish in an environment where they are engaged and inspired to learn and grow. In support of this vision to transform more than classrooms, the company applies its unmatched team of education strategists and designs, manufactures, and distributes a broad assortment of name-brand and proprietary products. For more information, go to SchoolSpecialty.com.

    About the College Football Playoff Foundation

    The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation is the 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving as the community engagement arm of the College Football Playoff and works in partnership with institutions of higher education, sports organizations, corporations and non-profits to support educators and improve student outcomes. The purpose of the CFP Foundation lies in supporting PK-12 education by elevating the teaching profession. The CFP Foundation inspires and empowers educators by focusing its work in four areas: recognition, resources, recruitment and retention, and professional development. To learn more, visit cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.

    Media Contact
    Jon Kannenberg
    SchoolSpecialty@finnpartners.com

    eSchool News Staff
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    ESchool News Staff

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  • It’s high time to close the synthesized THC hemp legal loophole | Opinion

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    The industry is loaded with bad actors selling intoxicating, largely unregulated products.

    The industry is loaded with bad actors selling intoxicating, largely unregulated products.

    AFP via Getty Images

    End run

    The U.S. hemp industry brought the federal ban on itself by repeatedly fighting attempts at regulation. Thirty-nine state and territorial attorneys general recently submitted a letter to the Justice Department in support of the ban, including some from states where cannabis is legal. That should tell us something.

    The industry is loaded with bad actors selling highly intoxicating THC synthesized from hemp. Makers of hemp products thought they could circumvent decades of established law with a loophole and a chemistry set. It doesn’t work that way, as they’re finding out.

    – Michael Moreland, Arlington

    Editor’s note: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton did not sign the letter.

    Meet needs

    The Star-Telegram’s reporting shows how close to the edge many Fort Worth single mothers live. When more than one-third of single mothers with young children in Tarrant County are in poverty — and some neighborhoods approach 70% — every bit of support matters. (Nov. 16, 1A, “Report looks at how to help Tarrant County’s single mothers”) Rent takes more than half their income, child care is scarce and many lack health insurance.

    Cuts and tighter eligibility rules for Medicaid and SNAP in the One Big Beautiful Bill threaten the families highlighted in this report. Losing Medicaid means more mothers and children without basic care. Losing SNAP means less money for groceries in a city where food banks are already stretched thin. And as we saw during the federal government shutdown, even brief SNAP delays push families into crisis.

    Fort Worth single mothers work hard to keep their families afloat. Congress should strengthen Medicaid, SNAP and housing programs — not weaken them.

    – Craig C. Roshaven, Fort Worth

    Look at Houston

    In his Nov. 16 column “Weak arguments against state’s Fort Worth ISD takeover ignore a crisis” (6C), Ryan Rusak offers zero reasons that a state takeover of Fort Worth ISD would be effective. He calls for trust in a process overseen by a governor unabashedly hell-bent on supporting private and charter schools over public ones.

    Parents resisting the Texas Education Agency takeover care deeply about students in the Fort Worth district, where my own kids attend . We know a takeover is not the solution. It has already caused uncertainty and chaos , distracting from the marked progress under Superintendent Karen Molinar.

    We’ve seen what happened when the state took over the Houston ISD, and we know that test scores do not paint the full picture. Students and teachers are leaving that district at a significantly higher rate than they did before the takeover. If it was so effective, why?

    – Zach Leonard, Fort Worth

    Editor’s note: The writer is president of Families Organized and Resisting Takeover and wrote this on behalf of the group’s board.

    Tough love

    The state was right to take over the Fort Worth school district. Houston ISD appears to be an example of getting it done. I fear elected school board members eventually will return that district to personal fiefdoms and make it awful again.

    My parents divorced when I was 10, and I frequently switched schools. While my math skills were above average, my reading and writing skills were not. By the time I was 13 and back with my mom, they lagged so badly that I never caught up.

    Today, I’m a certified public accountant. Fort Worth, Houston and other struggling school districts have many students like me. Schools need tough love, and some students need to repeat grades until they can read and write at grade level.

    – Harvey Nelson, Katy

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