On Our "Virtual Route 66" While on the Education Beat: On the Week That Was

 As 2023 kicks into high gear, we present the following snapshot :

California education issues to watch in 2023 --and predictions of what might happen By John Fensterwald and Yuxuan Xie, EdSource 2023's big questions: How much will TK-12 state funding be cut? What will the final math framework look like? Will districts find tutors, after-school staff? Will the Newsom administration act decisively on early literacy? Read more

Cal state teaching assistants and other student employees could follow UC to a strike By Ashley A. Smith, EdSource Struggling with living expenses, 11,000 CSU student academic workers prepare to bargain Read more

Predictions for California education in 2023

It’s January, time to reflect on the past months and look ahead at the coming year. At EdSource that means veteran reporter John Fensterwald is making predictions.  Every year, John gets out his crystal ball and tells us a fortune – what he thinks might or might not happen in California education in the new year. We also check in with some other reporters about what stories they will cover this year. Guests: John Fensterwald, Editor-at-large, EdSource Carolyn Jones, Reporter, EdSource Emma Gallegos, Reporter, EdSource Ashley A. Smith, Reporter, EdSource

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California education news: What's the latest? 28-year Marin County Schools Superintendent praised for pandemic leadership as she leaves office Mastermind of college admissions scandal sentenced to prison, ordered to forfeit millions of dollars  Pasadena Unified sued by Latino civil rights group over school closures

Our picks from other sources

California campuses try to lower college costs with free transit By Carmen Gonzalez, Calmatters, Jan. 5

Should class participation be graded? By Susan D'Agostino, Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 4

Former Riverside County school counselor arrested on suspicion of sexual assault By Cindy Von Quednow, KTLA, Jan. 2

Are college e-scooter bands an overreaction to safety concerns? By Laura Spitalniak, Higher Ed Dive, Jan.5

Marin's departing schools superintendent lauded for leadership By Keri Brenner, Marin Independent Journal, Jan. 1

What is ChatGPT and how is it used in education? By Mark Lieberman, Education Week, Jan. 4

4-year-old boy leaves Sacramento-area school for hours before staff realized he was gone By Jonathan Ayestas, KCRA, Jan. 4

Also of interest The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is hosting webinars on Tuesdays in January from 3-4:30 p.m. ET. The series includes "Learning How States, Districts, and Educators are Strengthening Kindergarten," and "Closing the Gap: Improving Attendance for Our Youngest Learners." Register here. New America and the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) will host a webinar titled "Bright Spots: Strategies and Success Stories on Building a System for Full Access to ECE for Birth to Five" on Jan. 18 from 2-3:30 p.m. ET. Register here. Linked Learning Alliance will host an in-person conference titled "Our Golden Opportunity: Creating Coherence in College and Career Readiness" in San Diego from February 14 to 17. Register here. Edition #687 Wednesday, January 4, 2023     Making the Case for Community College Baccalaureates Community College Baccalaureate degrees should be offered where there is compelling evidence that they can benefit current and future students.  Based on data from a recent research, Debra Bragg and Tim Harmon offer methods to identify when more bachelor’s degrees are needed and why community college baccalaureates can meet that need.              What Can We Learn about Adolescent Black Girls’ Use of Social Media for In-School Learning? In this new brief, Jimmeka Anderson  explores Black girls’ use of informal literacy practices on social media and the implications of this use for in-school learning.          What Can We Learn from Rhode Island’s New Data on Students Experiencing Foster Care? A growing number of states have implemented data-sharing agreements to better track and assess the unique needs of students in care. What can we learn from this new evidence? An article by Dr. Mauriell H. Amechi.         Online Short-Term Pell Could Open the Floodgates to Predatory Actors Expanding short-term Pell to online programs creates even a greater risk of abuse by predatory actors, argues Wesley Whistle.          Online Short-Term Pell Raises Concerns Further About Quality and Value Wesley Whistle explains why expanding Short-Term Pell to online programs heightens the equity concerns of enacting short-term Pell.         Community Colleges Have a Completion Problem Alarmingly, 57% of students who entered community college in 2016 had not completed any degree within six years. Here, Chris Geary shares recommendations to ensure more students can access the economic benefits of college completion.         Nothing Has Changed with Financial Aid Offers. Congress Must Act. Despite extensive guidance, a strong code of conduct, and best practice consumer research, a new report by the GAO shows that nothing has changed with financial aid offers.  Rachel Fishman explains what can be done.