Credit: Katie Schneider Gumiran and Rosa Gaia for Conway Elementary
An instructional leader in a Bay Area school district told me last week that while they are a bright spot in improving reading for the last three years, they still haven’t recovered to pre-pandemic levels. “Our biggest pain point is writing. Our gaps start in ELA, but we see them in science and social studies too.”
This district isn’t alone; schools throughout California are struggling to improve writing across the curriculum. What might we do differently?
In their new book, Learning Together, Elham Kazemi and colleagues suggest school leaders work with teachers to analyze student writing more regularly. Reviewing a set of informational essays, or an extended project in biology, could be the center of more grade-level planning meetings or districtwide professional learning days.
The pioneer in this approach has been Ron Berger, one of the co-founders of EL Education, a national non-profit that partners with K-12 educators to transform their schools. Berger has been a mainstay of High Tech High’s Deeper Learning conferences in San Diego and has taught more than 300 workshops around the country, all of them closely examining examples of student work.
In Leaders of Their Own Learning, the instructional guide he co-authored, Berger tells the story of coaching a high school physics teacher who says, “The students’ lab reports are terribly written and it’s driving me crazy.”
Ron asks if she’s ever shown her students a model of a good lab report and she replies that she has not.
When given the chance to closely study an exemplary lab report, her students are surprised at the vocabulary and level of precision in it. A number laughed at how low their own standards had been.
“For all the correcting we do, directions we give, and rubrics we create about what good work looks like,” writes Berger, “students are often unclear about what they are aiming for until they actually see and analyze strong models.”
Ron Berger used to lug around a giant black bag of student essays, labs, and video presentations to discuss at workshops. Eventually, with support from the Hewlett Foundation, and collaborating with Steve Seidel at Harvard University, Berger built an online museum for displaying student work.
Models of Excellence showcases 500 examples of great student writing and other projects from around the U.S. and the world. California students have contributed sixty pieces, including a Kids Guide to California National Parks created by 2nd graders from Big Pine, and an analysis by 6th graders on the water quality of Lake Merritt in Oakland.
Here are three ways districts and schools across California can improve writing by studyingtheir own student work:
First, form a study group. In grade-level meetings or working across the district, teachers and a coach can assemble their own models of excellent student writing. The group can link the models to criteria which guide students’ efforts; the more concrete, the better. The study group can use the rubrics and student checklists developed by the Vermont Writing Collaborative for all genres of writing at all grade levels.
After teaching a lesson where third graders critiqued a fantasy story, Berger reflects, “It’s much more powerful to bring in models of great work. Then have the kids be detectives and have the excitement of discovering and naming the qualities of great writing — humor, powerful words, well-drawn character — in their own words.”
Second, get the feedback right. Dylan William writes in Embedded Formative Assessment that most feedback in schools is accurate, but falls short of showing the learner how to move forward. He tells of a science student who reads he needs to be more systematic. “If I knew how,” the student tells his teacher, “I would have done it the first time.”
Students can resist revising their work, so Berger suggests teachers and peers follow this mantra about feedback: “Be Kind, Be Specific, Be Helpful.” Keeping this in mind, writing three or four drafts of an essay becomes a part of the school culture.
Finally, make the writing visible. Tina Meglich, principal of Conway Elementary in Escondido, transformed her school by displaying curated student work throughout the library and hallways. “Kids will ask, ‘Who wrote that essay on Esperanza Rising?’ They’re fascinated by each other’s work, and they inspire one another to do better because of it.”
Analyzing student writing in this way not only raises the quality of the work, but it also instills in students a vision of what’s possible. “I believe that work of excellence is transformational,” Berger writes. “After students have had a taste of excellence, they’re never satisfied with less; they’re always hungry.”
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David Scarlett Wakelyn is a consultant at Upswing Labs, a nonprofit that works with school districts and charter schools to improve instruction. He previously was on the team at the National Governors Association that developed Common Core State Standards.
The opinions expressed in this commentary represent those of the author. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.
Many colleges and universities in California are currently expanding the ways students can receive credit for prior learning, an increasingly popular practice of awarding college credit to students for knowledge they acquired outside a college setting.
Proponents of granting credit for prior learning, often referred to by its acronym CPL, point out that Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests are very common ways that students receive credit for college classes before they attend college. But there is an effort to broaden the ways that students may be able to receive credit for what they’ve learned outside a college classroom, whether on the job, through volunteering or even a hobby, such as photography or playing an instrument.
In the past few weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom praised the notion of giving credit for prior learning as an important way to recognize the skills that adults pick up in the military or even volunteering through the California Service Corps.
Many educators say this is an important step toward promoting equity in their institutions. It’s a way to recognize the academic value of work, particularly for students who may have left college to work or started college later in life. Proponents say it can save students time and money, making graduation more likely.
Does my college or university offer credit for prior learning?
Because this is an arena of education that is rapidly evolving, it can be difficult for students to figure out whether they may qualify for credit. Right now, that depends on the policies at any given institution or academic department.
College advisers or faculty members are a good starting point. Veterans may also want to speak to the department that supports veterans. Many institutions are currently refreshing their policies for giving credit for prior learning and outlining them in their course catalogs.
How can credit for prior learning help students?
Students can fulfill general education or major requirements before even showing up to school. This means that they’re able to graduate with a degree or credential more quickly — which also means that they’re more likely to graduate. This can save students time and money.
A study by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning found that students who started school with 12 credits could save between $1,500 to $10,500 and nine to 14 months, depending on the institution.
The study found that 48% of students over 25 years old who had obtained credit for prior learning completed their degree or certificate within 7.5 years, compared with 27% of students who had no credit. The completion rate was even higher, at 73%, for credit received outside the military.
There are also important psychological benefits to students who start college with credit under their belts. These students begin their college careers with a sense of momentum and accomplishment, according to Tina Barlolong, career center co-coordinaor at Palomar College in San Marcos.
Are there any drawbacks?
Taking a college course just for the sake of taking a course has risks, and the same is true for pursuing credit for prior learning. It takes a lot less time and money than a full course, but students on financial aid or veterans on the GI Bill, for instance, could run out of funding before they’ve attained a degree if they pursue unnecessary credit.
Proponents of credit for prior learning encourage students to discuss their best options with a counselor, adviser or a faculty member in a student’s field of study. They can ensure that the credit in question will serve a purpose, such as fulfilling a general education or major requirement.
What are some common methods of receiving credit for prior learning?
It may be as simple as passing a challenge test required by a department. The College Board offers a way to test out of college-level material through its College-Level Examination Program, usually referred to as CLEP in the field.
Portfolio reviews are common in the arts. That means a professor or committee may review paintings, photography or graphic design before deciding to award a student credit. A portfolio could also be used to assess a student’s business skills.
Playing music or acting out a scene may be a way to earn credit in the performing arts. Beginning piano is a popular course.
Some students may have obtained a certificate or license in their job that is the equivalent of what they would learn in a college course. Certifications offered by Microsoft or Google that allow students to receive credit for basic computing are common.
The American Council on Education offers many colleges and universities guidance on how to award credit. That can include deciding whether military or corporate training meets academic standards.
Are veterans eligible for credit for what they have learned while in the military?
Yes. In fact, the study by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning found that 68% of students who received credit for prior learning earned it through the military.
Credit for prior learning has a long history among veterans. The military offers service members extensive training that tends to be highly standardized. When they are discharged, veterans receive a Joint Services Transcript, which translates military experiences into civilian language. This can be used for a resume or for receiving college credit. Veterans can also receive credit for college through free examinations called DSST tests.
Every public university or college in California accepts the Joint Services Transcript — though whether any given course is eligible for credit may depend on the institution or department.
Veterans may be able to get credit for physical education requirements, for instance. Depending on their training in the service, veterans may also receive credit for courses in engineering, law enforcement, computer science or health care.
One branch of the military bypasses this whole process: the Air Force has its own community college, so most of its members simply receive a college transcript upon being discharged.
Can I get credit for work experience?
Not exactly. The idea behind getting credit for prior learning is that it is awarded for learning and skills acquired, not just for work experience.
Someone working as an auto mechanic might have picked up a lot of knowledge and skills, but that experience may not correspond to everything covered in an automotive repair course, such as safety procedures, ethics and professionalism. Credit is granted for that knowledge and training — not just the years working in a given field.
How do California’s colleges and universities view credit for prior learning?
Thanks to legislation, community colleges and the campuses of California State University and the University of California all have policies on the books for credit for prior learning. But how those policies are implemented varies from system to system, school to school and even department to department.
All three systems will consider the veterans’ Joint Services Transcript and offer credit for any equivalent courses that are offered on their campus.
California’s community colleges have perhaps the most generous guidelines for awarding these credits. Colleges may award credit for skills learned through work experience, employer-training programs, military service, government training, independent study or volunteer work.
The community colleges have set an ambitious goal of ensuring that at least 250,000 Californians receive credit for prior learning by 2030. The Mapping Articulated Pathways Initiative supports community colleges in these efforts through training, technology and policy.
California State University overhauled its policies for granting credit for prior learning in 2023, and it has required each campus to have its own policies. The system does accept exams such as the CLEP and DSST for credit. It will also accept any training or instruction that corresponds to American Council on Education guidelines.
The University of California has the strictest guidelines on credit for prior learning. Its guidance states that credit will only be offered for courses that meet the same high standards of the UC system — this stance is typical of selective universities. It does not award credit for vocational or technical training or for results on CLEP or DSST tests. It will accept credit for courses on veterans’ Joint Services Transcript for any equivalent courses UC offers.
“The more traditional, the more selective an institution is, the more they tend to not have generous policies,” said Su Jin Jez, CEO of the nonprofit California Competes, a nonpartisan policy and research organization.
How much does getting this credit cost?
This is another factor that varies by institution. It might be free for students who have already matriculated. Many institutions charge a fee for tests or other assessments. Some might charge for each credit unit. Generally, it will be considerably cheaper than tuition. However, funding can become a barrier when financial aid does not cover these fees, according to a recent survey by the American Council on Education.
Will this credit transfer from one institution to another?
Theoretically, it should, just like any other course. When a student receives credit for prior learning through an institution, their transcript will show that they received credit for a specific course number.
But no matter how a student earns credit, transferring credits can be potentially tricky. It largely depends on the institution or major a student is transferring into.
Does giving credit to students for prior learning end up hurting college enrollment?
It may sound counterintuitive, but giving credit to a student for prior learning actually means it is more likely that the student will take more courses. The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning study found that students awarded credit for prior learning actually tended to earn 17.6 traditional course credits more than students without those credits.
La entrada a un aula se ve en la Escuela Preparatoria Palisades después del incendio de Palisades en el vecindario Pacific Palisades de Los Ángeles el 14 de enero de 2025.
In the aftermath of L.A.’s most destructive wildfires, air quality experts warn that families should be prepared for the “disaster after the disaster” — toxic pollutants, smoke and ash that contaminate the air for months, or even years, to come.
“People at higher risk include children, older adults, pregnant individuals and those with heart or lung conditions or weakened immune systems,” said Dr. Muntu Davis, health officer for Los Angeles County, in a smoke advisory issued through last Sunday. “Predicting where ash or soot from a fire will travel, or how winds will impact air quality, is difficult.”
As local leaders focus on rehousing some of the more than 100,000 people forced to evacuate, public health leaders emphasize that families, including educators and students, must also protect themselves from the long-term health effects of wildfires, especially those living or working near burned areas.
What pollutants are in the air?
The Palisades and Eaton fires — classified as wildland-urban interface fires, and now the largest urban fires in the country’s history — have spread a host of particulate matter, toxic pollutants and carcinogenic materials from fire and smoke-damaged urban structures, according to experts.
Short- and long-term exposure to particulate matter, one of the main pollutants from wildfires, can cause respiratory problems such as coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, bronchitis and reduced lung function, as well as cardiovascular problems such as heart failure, heart attack and stroke, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Household items, electrical wires and building materials damaged by fire contain dangerous and toxic compounds such as benzene, toluene, formaldehyde and xylenes, along with heavy metals such as lead, chromium and arsenic, some of which can travel over 150 miles from the sites of the fires, according to data from previous wildfires. These toxic pollutants, which are commonly found in ash and debris from burned structures, can cause severe long-term illnesses such as cancer, liver problems, respiratory problems, heart disease and learning disabilities.
Even if you live or work near the fires, it is imperative to limit children’s exposure to areas still polluted with debris, experts say.
How can I know if the air quality is safe for my family?
The air quality index uses air monitoring devices to measure the amount of particulate matter (microscopic particles that can lodge in the lungs) in various populated areas. Families can see the level of exposure for their particular locations on the map — from good (green) air quality to hazardous (maroon) air quality — and when to limit outdoor exposure and wear a protective mask accordingly.
AirNow.gov measures real-time, reliable data for particulate matter present in smoke and dust.
Fire.airnow.gov measures the main type of particulate matter present in smoke and depicts areas of major concern around the fires.
Air quality index does not measure everything
“The AQI (air quality index) does not measure the contaminants and pollutants we care deeply about,” said Jane Williams, executive director of California Communities Against Toxics.
In fact, pollutants such as dioxins — known to cause severe liver, endocrine, immune and developmental problems — can chemically bind to and travel in the air with smoke particles without being detected by monitoring devices.
“You can look at AQI and see that there’s only particulate matter in an area today,” Williams said. “Problem is, these toxic compounds have adsorbed (latched) onto the particulate matter there, which is how, for example, the health impacts from (9/11) spread so far.”
Experts caution that while the index accurately measures particulates, it does not depict the presence of larger toxic chemicals from fires — such as asbestos from old homes, plastic, lead and copper — which increase the risk of acute and chronic health problems. Families should take extra precaution if they see or smell smoke, ash or live in and around neighborhoods with dangerous air quality levels.
How are children affected by these pollutants?
Children are at a higher risk of negative health outcomes such as acute respiratory infections, asthma and decreased lung function due to air pollution and smoke inhalation. One study found particulate matter from wildfires to be 10 times more harmful to children than particulate matter from non-wildfire sources. Inhaling toxic pollutants has also been linked to severe chronic respiratory, cardiovascular, immune and endocrine illnesses in children.
Acute symptoms of smoke inhalation include coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing and chest tightness, eye burning, chest pain, dizziness or lightheadedness and exacerbated symptoms for children with pre-existing conditions like asthma. Children from low-income neighborhoods are also at higher risk of experiencing these symptoms due to higher rates of air pollution near their homes.
How do I stay protected from wildfire smoke?
Children and adults should wear masks and limit outdoor activity near wildfires for at least two weeks after the fire is out, according to experts from the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
When outside, children and adolescents should wear a tight-fitting KN95 mask, N95 mask or P100 respirator. For young kids, only KN95 masks come in children’s sizes.
Make sure the mask is certified by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), has two straps and tightly fits over the nose and under the chin. Surgical masks, dust masks, bandannas and other makeshift masks do not protect from wildfire pollutants.
Free N95 masks are available for pickup at Los Angeles public libraries, Los Angeles recreation centers, Los Angeles senior centers and local nonprofits. And Los Angeles Unified (LAUSD) students also have masks available at school, according to a district spokesperson.
Keep outdoor exposure to a minimum and, if possible, run an air conditioning system with a clean, high-efficiency air filter at home to prevent smoke and ash from entering indoors. If your child’s school has reopened, check that it has proper air filtration systems installed. If they do not have proper ventilation, contact your school district or a local clean air advocacy group, such as Coalition for Clean Air, to advocate for upgrades. In the meantime, schools can also pick up free air purifiers from donation sites across the county.
Schools in and around evacuation zones should also limit or cancel outdoor activities such as recess.
If your home has been affected by the fires, avoid bringing polluted ash and dust back to spaces shared with children. Remove shoes at the doorway, and wash and change out of clothing before you have contact with children.
If your child has problems breathing, refuses food and water or experiences other health problems potentially related to smoke inhalation, remove them from a smoke-contaminated place and seek medical help immediately.
A parent and child embrace as students are welcomed to Brentwood Elementary Science Magnet on Jan. 15.
Credit: Mallika Seshadri / EdSource
Tanya Reyes, a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, initially tried to befriend her reality.
But when her husband sent her a video of her Altadena home up in flames, and she heard him cry, she had to press pause.
“I’ve only watched parts of it, but I know at one point he starts crying. … It just felt surreal,” Reyes said. “We’re worried about our neighbors, worried about who’s safe, the peacocks that lived on our street.”
“I’m from Maui, so it feels like Lahaina, all over again.”
Tanya Reyes received this video from her husband, Antonio, which shows their house engulfed in flames.
It was Wednesday, Jan. 8 — roughly 24 hours after she, her husband and three daughters unknowingly left their home for good and drove to a relative’s house in West Hollywood with just two items each and a few critical documents.
When it was finally time to break the news to her three daughters, Reyes asked: “What’s the most important thing that we have?”
She hoped the kids would come back with “each other.”
Instead, her daughters said: “A house!’”
“And then we told them, and my eldest daughter just kind of wanted to keep watching the video that he (her husband) had taken. And then, she started journaling ‘The day I lost my house,’ Reyes said.
“And then that night, from like 3 to 4:30 in the morning, my 3-year-old, who normally sleeps, spent the hour and a half telling me everything that she missed.”
Reyes, who works with pregnant girls and young mothers, is among thousands of teachers, staff and students across Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD )and Pasadena Unified reeling from evacuations and losses associated with the Palisades and Eaton fires that have ravaged nearly 60 square miles, including at least 10 schools — all while schools are reopening and attempting to restore a sense of normalcy to children who have lost everything.
Pasadena Unified looks to a gradual reopening
Reyes isn’t just a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She’s also a mom of two students in Pasadena Unified, the hardest hit by the Eaton fire.
Longfellow Elementary, her daughters’ school, is one of the lucky ones that’s still standing.
Five district-run schools and three of its charters schools are either seriously damaged or destroyed.
More than 1,300 employees in Pasadena Unified lived in evacuation zones, and Jonathan Gardner, the president of United Teachers of Pasadena, the teachers union, told The New York Times that roughly 300 had lost their homes.
The vast majority of students were displaced, too. Of Pasadena Unified’s 14,000 students, about 10,000 had to leave their homes, according to a district media release.
“In times of hardship, our district community has always shown remarkable strength and unity, and this time is no different,” board President Jennifer Hall Lee said in a statement.
“The challenges of the Eaton Fire have tested us in unthinkable ways,” she added. “Yet I am still struck by how much resilience and compassion I have seen from our community. This has truly been a testament to the spirit of Pasadena Unified.”
A lot lies ahead on Pasadena Unified’s road to recovery. To begin a phased reopening, 10 of the district’s schools and programs that collectively serve over 3,400 students will reopen on Thursday, prioritizing schools that are furthest away from the fires and deemed safe through testing by the California Office of Emergency Services.
A large-scale cleanup is also underway, involving the district’s maintenance and operations team and more than 1,500 contractors, according to the district.
So far, 82 tons of debris have been removed from schools, according to a media release issued Tuesday evening.
Pasadena Unified’s maintenance and operations team, working alongside more than 1,500 contractors, has been clearing debris and conducting extensive sanitization efforts to meet environmental and safety tests after the devastation caused by the Eaton fire.Credit: Pasadena Unified School District
Meanwhile, the district welcomed back about 2,700 teachers, staff and administrators on Wednesday morning.
“I’m really proud of my Longfellow Elementary,” Reyes said.
And when the staff at the low-income community school found out Reyes and her family had lost everything, they jumped in to help.
“They sent out emails of everyone you could be in contact with: ‘here’s this person; here’s Connie; here’s Monica; here’s who can help you if you need help with anything.’”
Palisades Charter High School seeking a home
Known for its appearances in films such as “Carrie” and “Freaky Friday,” Palisades Charter High School is a long way from reopening.
Roughly 40% of the campus was damaged or destroyed by the fires, according to the Los Angeles Times — but the school’s leaders are still seeking a temporary place to call home.
In the meantime, students will learn online.
“We have a unique opportunity to show the strength and resilience of our community in the face of adversity,” said Pamela Magee, the school’s principal and executive director, in a Jan. 13 media release.
“By coming together, we can ensure our students can stay in their learning environment, with their friends and mentors, at a time when they need it most.”
Students embark on a new normal at Los Angeles Unified
At 11:15 a.m. on Jan. 7, teachers and staff at Marquez Elementary School were informed they had to evacuate the school immediately.
A dark cloud of smoke hovered above the yard where everyone convened. They could see fires on the hillside.
Students, who ranged from 4-year-olds to third graders “were put on a school bus and sent out over to another school, where the parents were told they could pick them up,” said Wendy Connor, a veteran first grade teacher. “Half of (the kids) are crying. Half of them aren’t. They’re all trying to help each other.”
Just over a week later, 353 of the 722 students who attended LAUSD’s Marquez Elementary and Palisades Charter Elementary resumed their school year — but there was nothing normal about their circumstances.
Parents carry books and supplies into Brentwood Elementary Science Magnet on Jan. 15. Credit: Mallika Seshadri / EdSource
Their schools had been burnt down. Some of them had also lost their homes, and now the students found themselves on a new campus altogether.
But the students made their transition as one class to Brentwood Elementary Science Magnet and Nora Sterry Elementary School. They are still learning from the same teachers and are studying alongside their same classmates.
“Not one of them has said, ‘I don’t want to be here,’ or ‘I want to be with my mommy or my daddy,’” Connor said. “They’re all just like, ‘Oh, where do I line up? Let’s go! We’re ready to go!’”
However, she added, many students who lost their homes have not yet returned. And many parents and school employees remain concerned about the toll the fires will have on students’ mental health in the short term and the long run.
The district has compiled resources for LAUSD communities to access mental health resources, among other wraparound supports, including telehealth options, a 24/7 support line and access to wellness centers.
Debra Duardo, Los Angeles County superintendent of schools, also emphasized the need to curb students’ social media use, so students are not watching videos repeatedly of homes and familiar spaces being burnt to ash.
She also said it is critical for parents and adults to stay calm and model positive coping strategies.
“They’re resilient, like you wouldn’t believe,” said Cecily Myart-Cruz, the president of UTLA, the district’s teachers union, speaking during an elementary school visit. “My son lost his father two years ago, just unexpectedly. And I’m in the throes of the ebbs and flows of grief. And that’s what I saw today.”
A first grader now at Nora Sterry Elementary drew his home surrounded by fire after returning to class on Jan. 15.Credit: Mallika Seshadri
Teachers and staff across the district are struggling, too.
Of the 10% of UTLA’s members that had been assessed as of Jan. 15, Myart-Cruz said 539 members had been displaced, and the homes of 136 members were either destroyed or damaged.
Meanwhile, more than 100,000 teachers reported experiencing medical complications as a result of the fires, including respiratory issues, and more than 1,000 said they are unable to work because they are dealing with other extenuating circumstances, like helping family members who have lost their homes, according to Myart-Cruz.
While Connor’s home and family are safe, she admits to having much higher stress levels and a higher heart rate at times.
Connor grew up in the Palisades — and is coming to terms with her loss — her childhood home, her old school and Marquez Elementary all gone.
But she is holding onto a glimmer of hope — three classrooms in the middle of Marquez Elementary remain standing. Her old room was one of them.
“I’ve been anxious trying to … go into the room and see if there’s anything I could save,” Connor said. “And then, I just had to put most feelings aside, so that I could get the (new) classroom ready and get going for the kids.”
Paradise Elementary in Butte County was one of nearly 19,000 structures destroyed in the November 2018 Camp fire.
Credit: Julie Leopo / EdSource
Diann Kitamura was superintendent of Santa Rosa City Schools in 2017 when the Tubbs fire became the most destructive fire in state history, burning through nearly 37,000 acres and destroying two school structures, plus the homes of about 800 students and 100 staff.
That record was broken the following year, when the Camp fire tore through Butte County, including the town of Paradise, where eight of nine school structures were damaged or destroyed; more than 50,000 people were displaced, and 85 people were killed. Meagan Meloy heads the homeless and foster youth services department at the Butte County Office of Education, which stepped in to support the thousands of students who were suddenly homeless from one day to the next.
Now, more than seven years for Kitamura and six years for Meloy after leading their Northern California school districts through the fire recovery efforts, they discuss lessons they learned and offer tips to the districts dealing with the aftermath of the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County on how they could ease the suffering of their communities.
At the time of the Tubbs fire, there had been no recent fires impacting schools on that scale, and Kitamura had no model to guide her and her team. She now extends support to other districts going through their own recovery process.
Both Kitamura and Meloy say they believe their experiences can help school leaders across Los Angeles County as they deal with the widespread devastation of the Palisades and Eaton fires.
Former State Superintendent Tom Torlakson, center, and former Santa Rosa City Schools Superintendent Diann Kitamura, right, at the Hidden Valley Satellite school, Santa Rosa, after the school was destroyed in the Tubbs fire in 2017.Credit: Diann Kitamura
Kitamura said it’s important to understand that the impact of fires goes beyond the people whose homes burned down: “Even if their school didn’t burn, their home might have burned; even if their home might not have burned, their school had burned.”
She added that despite the complex tasks involved, leaders should stay focused on what most matters. “It was really my own common sense and my deep, deep, deep care and love for my students, my staff and my families that guided the decisions every step of the way of how I was going to operate,” Kitamura said.
To ensure the physical and emotional well-being of their school communities, Kitamura said, leaders must think of a wide range of tasks, including making sure the business department is creating budget codes specific to disaster-related expenses, determining what instructional materials were destroyed and need replacing, identifying what resources the Federal Emergency Management Agency can offer, beefing up air quality monitoring across the areas that burned, figuring out if the insurance policies are adequate, and more.
“It’s going to be a long process, and it’ll come in waves,” said Meloy of fire recovery efforts in Butte County.
‘Create some kind of normality for students as soon as possible’
Meloy said the immediate need after a fire is to ensure the safety of all students and staff, and she highlighted the importance of finding a place and time for the greater school community to gather, given the impact of such a crisis.
“It maybe can’t happen immediately, but as soon as possible, when it’s safe and feasible, provide opportunities for the school community to just come together, support one another socially, emotionally,” she said. “Create some kind of normality for students as soon as possible.”
Meagan Meloy working at the Local Assistance Center after the Park fire in Butte County during the summer of 2024.Credit: Meagan Meloy
Use systems that are already in place to help as many families as possible. For instance, students whose families lose their homes to fires are likely to qualify for resources available to students experiencing homelessness. That’s because homelessness among children and youth is defined broadly under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which mandates that every school district, county office of education and charter school hire a local liaison to ensure that homeless youth are identified and education services are coordinated to increase these students’ chances of succeeding academically.
This federal law defines homeless students, in part, as “children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals.”
Districts typically already have systems in place for this student group to ensure students have stability across three basic needs: shelter, food, and gas — the same needs that Kitamura noted are most urgent for students displaced by fires.
But Meloy, who has worked with the county education office for 21 years, offers a warning about the language used when communicating with families about their children’s education rights while they search for stable, permanent housing.
“A lot of the families that lost their homes in the Camp fire had never experienced homelessness before and weren’t comfortable with self-identifying. (Consider) using terms like ‘displaced,’ ‘temporary,’ ‘not stable’ rather than that label of homeless or homelessness that can be kind of off-putting to people. They may not want to even think of themselves as fitting under that category,” Meloy said.
While students displaced by fires may be eligible for student homelessness resources, schools and districts are often limited in the amount of funding available for this student group and in how funding can be used.
For example, homeless liaisons cannot typically purchase gas gift cards to hand out to families who need help transporting their children to school.
To meet some of the needs that education funding typically cannot be applied to, Meloy and her team relied on funding from a local foundation, North Valley Community Foundation, which received donations from a wide range of sources.
“Without that, I don’t know how we would have met the need for transportation,” she said.
Schools in Los Angeles County can also tap into the network of partners that liaisons and other school staff often work with. Both Meloy and Kitamura noted that their schools faced difficulties managing an influx of physical donations after fires.
Meloy said while some donations such as school supplies were helpful for her team of liaisons, they were not “really best equipped to” sort through donations like food and clothing.
It’s best for liaisons to work with “partner agencies who already have storage and systems for disbursing other items” so that they and other school staff can “stay focused on the school stuff,” she said.
It can also be helpful to communicate to the public that cash donations are most helpful in recovery efforts.
“I know that sounds maybe not appropriate … but in Santa Rosa City Schools, I had to haul out nine truck and trailer loads of stuff, and people who are displaced, they have no place to hold stuff,” said Kitamura, who is now the deputy superintendent of equitable education services with the Sonoma County Office of Education. “What they need is food, shelter and gasoline in most cases right now.”
Meloy also underscored what she called “secondary homelessness.”
For example, a family with sufficient home insurance might be able to purchase another home that had previously been a rental, which might then cause a group of renters to go on the search for housing.
“It’s families who maybe were not directly impacted in the sense that they lost their home in the fire, but it ripples out into the housing market and pushes people out,” Meloy said.
Addressing both physical and emotional needs
With the majority of Paradise Unified schools destroyed, enrolling students at neighboring schools became a primary task for Meloy and her staff.
To streamline the process, Meloy’s department asked every school district to identify an enrollment point of contact for families displaced by the Camp fire. Families were asked to text or call 211, the state’s local community services number, to be connected with a district point of contact, who worked with each family to help them decide where to enroll their children.
As student enrollment was handled in Butte County, Meloy noticed that the trauma that students had experienced became clearer and that the wide range of support, from mental health counseling to transportation to tutoring, might become difficult to track over time.
Meloy’s recommendation to L.A. County education staff is to create a filter in the district’s student information system that can be applied to students who were affected by fires. With this filter, school staff can have “some kind of a system where those students can then be flagged for extra support” over several years.
That filter can become particularly helpful when students’ trauma around fires is triggered by conditions similar to those that can spark fires. For example, Kitamura’s students dealt with power shut-offs during strong winds, poor air quality, and smoke traveling from other regional fires for years following the Tubbs fire. “The trauma from the fires is exacerbated” each time, said Kitamura.
Meloy said staff should be “prepared to see behaviors that would be consistent with someone who has experienced trauma.” In her case, she saw some students begin acting out in class by fighting or throwing things, while some other students became more shut down, dissociating while in class, and being extra quiet.
“Understand that it’s a trauma response,” said Meloy. “If it’s a windy day, it’s probably going to be, years from now, a tough day at school.”
To support Los Angeles County schools with mental health counseling, Kitamura is currently recruiting a group of counselors from across several Northern California schools who are prepared to offer counseling for students.
“I only learned after experience with the fire to do these kinds of things for other districts,” said Kitamura, who is in contact with the LA County Office of Education regarding this effort.
Meloy offered a reminder to not underestimate the trauma that staff membrs have also experienced: “In a classroom with students who have experienced this trauma, when you’ve experienced it yourself, it can be really overwhelming, so don’t forget about the staff and the support they need.”
Kitamura also recommended that the LA education office “beef up” on air quality monitoring; “make sure they are ready to go; make sure they are accurate, and make sure that the places you’re measuring are close to the places where the most burn happens.”
Lessons in preparation
Kitamura and Meloy also noted that once the emergency was over, they moved to planning for future fires.
Kitamura’s district, for example, established a redundant server in a separate location so officials could still communicate with their school community in the event that their primary servers went down or were burned.
Meloy noted the lack of dedicated, ongoing funding for the work that homeless liaisons do — and how it undermines all planning. Both Kitamura and Meloy called on legislators to provide funding support for students displaced by fires, given that the issue now surges regularly across the state.
“It is no longer, sadly, an isolated, once-in-a-decade event. It is continuing to happen. I had been thinking about, from the homeless liaison perspective, wildfires being a rural issue,” Meloy said. “But it’s really everywhere. I would love to see some dedicated funding for that.”
As Kitamura put it: “There will be more wildfires. There will be more crises. So … we better plan accordingly.”
Nothing about being a home-hospital teacher is normal.
A Los Angeles Unified educator drives nearly 22 miles from one student’s home in Venice Beach to another’s in East Los Angeles — and another 20 miles to Maravista, lugging tote bags with school supplies, books, plants and paintbrushes.
Each bag is dedicated to one of her students — from transitional kindergartners to high school seniors gearing up for graduation and new beginnings.
What her students have in common is illness, ranging from leukemia to eating disorders. And she is one of many teachers tending to their education at the one-of-a-kind Berenece Carlson Home Hospital School.
“In a student’s very, very trying times,” said the teacher who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), “no matter what kind of condition the student is in or has been diagnosed with, we become part of the students’ weekly or daily” life.
The school, established in 1970, is intended to provide an education for LAUSD students who are ill or receiving medical treatment and unable to stay in school, sometimes for several years.
It also enables students to receive a more individualized education; teachers can meet students at home or in the hospital for roughly five hours each week.
Classes usually focus on math and English, but sometimes they extend to other subjects or topics that students are interested in.
“She really went above and beyond for both of us,” said Karina Rodriguez, the mother of one of the anonymous teacher’s students. “What she did for my daughter, she did for me. She’s my child.”
But the school has been engulfed in conflict between some teachers who teach in person and those who taught through an online option called the Carlson Home Online Academy, or CHOA, which, according to a district policy bulletin, was established in 2018 to give “homebound students synchronous home instruction in a web-based classroom setting.”
Conflict surrounding the online academy
Despite the work of dedicated instructors, both the in-person and online programs at the Berenece Carlson Home Hospital School have struggled for years with waves of instability, including the recent closure of the online program (CHOA), which has deprived some students who are ill of the individualized education they need.
In 1999, when the California Department of Education began tracking campuses by school type, Carlson was classified as a special education school, according to a spokesperson for the agency. A decade later, the Department of Education added a designation for home-hospital schools, but LAUSD did not reclassify Carlson as a “Home and Hospital” program until last July.
That reclassification came amid pressure from a group of teachers teaching in-person, who began sounding alarms, claiming during the fall of 2023 that Carlson’s online program violated the state’s education code requiring home-hospital schools to operate in person.
The teachers also claimed in emails to district officials that many students in need of in-person instruction were automatically funneled into the online program — and that more than 80 students went without adequate instruction for about two months. EdSource reviewed the emails.
“They tell families there are no teachers available,” said Lisa Robertson, who, since 2009, has taught in the homes of students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“The families are dealing with the crisis of having a sick child,” she said. “And then, they’re lost in the system.”
Conflict between some home-hospital teachers and those who supported the online program mounted. Another criticism of the online program is that several of its teachers rely on lessons from Edgenuity, an online learning platform, which some hospital-home teachers say places excessive demands on some students with severe illnesses.
Online instructors maintained that their program enabled students to take classes in more subject areas than the in-person program, providing them with a better track to graduate — all while giving them additional flexibility beyond what is provided through LAUSD’s other virtual academies.
“I’ve had cancer,” Robertson said. “There is no way I could have gotten up at 8 in the morning and sat through six hours clicking away at a computer.”
But Kevin Byrd, who taught in the online program, said the program allowed educators to support several students taking different subjects — say, biology, chemistry and health — simultaneously, adding that even though students worked remotely, the online program helped students build camaraderie among their peers.
“There was an understanding about the students, even in middle school, that we’re all kind of supporting each other,” Byrd said. “And just because we have this condition doesn’t really affect our ability to learn.”
The aftermath of CHOA’s closure
Amid the claim that the online program violated California’s education code, the Los Angeles Unified School District closed the online program altogether in July. The closure, however, left about 170 sick students and several educators unsure of where to go next.
“Programming previously offered through the Carlson Home Online Academy was discontinued for the 2024-25 school year as CDE (California Department of Education) clarified that virtual instruction is not part of a home hospital program,” an LAUSD spokesperson wrote in a statement to EdSource. “Home hospital instruction is to be provided on an individual basis aligned with the hours set forth by law.”
Online teachers caught a whiff of their program’s impending closure in late March and immediately started a petition to keep it open; that petition received more than 600 signatures.
“It’s good to have several options, especially for these students who need to be accommodated and have special circumstances,” said Byrd, who started the petition.
“The fact that the second-largest district in the country and the largest in the state is limiting an option for these types of students is really discouraging.”
Since the online program’s closure, most of its former teachers like Rene Rances have become home-hospital teachers — but others have opted to leave Carlson altogether and teach elsewhere. Rances said he is considering leaving the district, too.
“It’s very, very demoralizing,” he said.
A spokesperson for LAUSD maintained, however, that the district’s changes are in keeping with California’s laws; they also said in a statement to EdSource that families whose children were in the online program were informed of their options “through letters, emails, phone calls, and several community meetings.”
Those options included Carlson’s home-hospital programs or enrolling at one of the district’s virtual academy schools, which don’t always provide the same level of flexibility to take varying course loads, said Tammy Koch, Carlson’s counselor.
Koch confirmed that some students left the online program — only to be referred back to the in-person home-hospital program.
“We had students that sometimes can’t handle a full course load. … Sometimes, I had students taking three classes. Sometimes, they took four,” Koch said, referring to her students who used to be enrolled in the online program. “But you don’t have that flexibility at a virtual academy,” she said, because students have to take a full course load there. “It’s just not the same.”
However, as I began to review the materials, I realized how groundbreaking this course could be for students. It became clear that it was a worthwhile challenge.
Now, nearly six months into teaching this course online to high school students around the state, I’m further convinced of its value. My students applauded the use of music to bridge the past and present and immersed themselves in research to complete their final projects. One student said the final project “felt culturally enriching,” while another said it gave them “a profound understanding of history as a whole.” The course also challenges us as educators and sparks vital conversations among students.
It’s understandable that the debate around AP African American Studies has made teachers reluctant to offer to teach the course. But California is at the forefront of introducing more inclusive coursework into its high schools, including the 2021 mandate that all students complete an ethnic studies course as a part of graduation requirements, a requirement that AP African American Studies would satisfy. This curriculum is essential, but it also raises the question: How do we prepare teachers — especially those who aren’t history specialists — to deliver it effectively?
Teaching any new course comes with its own learning curve, but this one presents unique demands. Unlike established courses where lesson plans are well-worn, this one is brand new.
The interdisciplinary nature of the curriculum invites teachers across subject areas to lean into their own expertise while exploring new subject areas. It also allows for a diversity of perspectives, enriching the learning experience for both teachers and students. As an English teacher, I found the course’s focus on argumentation, critical reading and writing skills familiar, even as I navigated less familiar topics like African empires and diaspora.
When I developed the course with UC Scout, a University of California program hosted at UC Santa Cruz that provides free online A-G and AP curriculum to California public school teachers, we had the advantage of a methodical course development process that included collaboration with subject-matter experts, instructional designers and visual media experts. Together, we crafted video lessons and learning materials that brought this interdisciplinary course to life. But many brick-and-mortar teachers are navigating this course in real time without the support I had.
Fortunately, the College Board has provided a robust set of materials, and there’s also a vibrant community of educators online sharing resources and strategies as well as offering additional support for one another on social media and on the AP Community forum. These spaces are invaluable for exchanging ideas and troubleshooting.
Still, this course demands more than typical preparation. Its sensitive and complex material — including slavery, segregation, war and migration, among others — requires a level of intentionality that goes beyond the basics. For example, we knew some images included in the course, especially from the Reconstruction era, should be handled with greater sensitivity. We included content warnings, alternatives (transcriptions) and image blurring to ensure our students felt as much comfort as possible while learning history that can be uncomfortable and upsetting. For considerations like this, and others that may arise while teaching this course, teachers need not only resources, but also ongoing professional development and support from their schools to succeed.
For teachers diving into this course — or those considering it for next year — here are a few lessons I’ve learned:
Leverage existing resources: There are free resources, like the course offered by UC Scout, that can assist program development and provide a strong foundation that can save teachers time as they build out lesson plans.
Collaborate and connect: Engaging with other teachers, whether through formal AP communities such as AP Summer Institutes or Pre-AP Community or informal networks, like the AP African American Studies Facebook group, is critical. Becoming an AP reader is also a great opportunity to engage with other teachers of the course. These conversations often yield insights that can make teaching this course more effective.
Seek administrative support: School leaders play a key role in supporting teachers by providing training, allocating resources and fostering a culture that embraces new courses like this one.
Much like my first semester students found, the course content can be life-changing in its potential to recast and dispel cultural and racial misconceptions. It strengthens their sense of identity. What an amazing privilege to lead students in this endeavor.
Teaching AP African American Studies has reminded me of an essential truth about education: It requires continuous reflection and growth. While this is my first time teaching this course, I already see areas to strengthen for next year. That’s the nature of teaching — constant evolution to better meet the needs of our students.
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Karsten Barnes is a high school English teacher at UC Scout. He teaches AP African American Studies, a course he helped develop, online to California students whose schools don’t currently offer the class.
The opinions expressed in this commentary represent those of the author. EdSource welcomes commentaries representing diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.
An evening stroll down Cours Mirabeau in Aix-en-Provence in December.
Courtesy: Layla Bakhshandeh
I had never thought about studying abroad until two of my best friends went abroad and told me about their experiences in Spain. The paella. The nightlife. The making of new friends who end up feeling like family. The next day, I signed up to study in France.
The golden ticket landed in my lap midway through the winter quarter of my junior year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo: I had been accepted into a language and culture program in the south of France for the fall 2023 semester.
Along with my acceptance came a long list of forms and seminars that all the more than 1,000 Cal Poly SLO “Global Mustangs” had to complete. After all these training sessions, I felt equipped to deal with the culture shock I would feel there, and I was as prepared as one can be when I arrived.
What I was not prepared for was the unexpected culture shock that I faced when I returned to the United States. This “reverse culture shock” brought feelings of depression and confusion. I wondered how it was possible to feel so unsettled when returning to California, the place I spent my entire life, especially when my arrival in France didn’t result in any significant feelings of displacement.
Very quickly, the south of France felt like home. Daily routines formed as my French language skills progressed. International friends nestled their way into my heart, and French cheeses riddled my creaky apartment’s mini fridge.
Living in a new culture forced me to reflect on my own identity and experiences. I did miss my family and friends back in California, but that longing for loved ones was overshadowed by the glow of my new life in Aix-en-Provence.
I realized later on that it wasn’t my life that was glowing, it was me.
This inner glow was a result of massive self-growth and self-discovery that opened up for me when I moved across the world alone. In France, I was learning more about who I was and the person I wanted to be. Constant cross-cultural experiences and openness to new ideas brought me a sense of extreme fulfillment.
At times, I felt like I was trying on a new life; but just when it felt right, it began to unravel. My studies abroad were over, and I had to return to California.
The real difficulties unveiled themselves when I returned home and started my winter quarter in San Luis Obispo, and I realized I was experiencing “reverse culture shock,” which the U.S. State Department defines as the psychological, emotional and cultural aspects of reentry. (I first heard the term through a Cal Poly study-abroad training session.)
And that’s how I felt. Confusion, discomfort and depressive feelings fogged my everyday actions. I missed the constant stimulation of my time in France. After growing immensely on a personal level, while I was abroad, I felt unsure of who I was in a town that had not changed at all since I left. My major classes suddenly felt insignificant, and I couldn’t tell if my friends really knew me anymore.
It felt like I was viewing my old life through a new lens, unsure of how to move in my new environment. In rushed feelings of isolation and identity confusion. This, coupled with my heavy course load, made it difficult to even think about my time away.
But burying your memories and experiences only makes it harder to adjust to life back in your home country. I realized I had to force myself to integrate my experiences in France with my life back in California.
Here are some ways I worked through my reverse culture shock:
Journaling: Writing about my time away helped me remember all the core memories and experiences that helped me grow. Putting pen to paper helped me to process all the events I had experienced.
Sharing stories with friends: Telling anecdotes from your travels brings old memories to light. Sharing these stories with friends and loved ones made me feel more understood.
Joining a reentry group or finding friends who are also returning from studying abroad: Connecting with others in the same situation as I made me more comfortable opening up and reflecting on my time abroad. It was also a great way to hear about other people’s experiences with the phenomenon of reverse culture shock.
Taking time to reflect on experiences abroad gives students the opportunity to piece together their time away. It can help students identify the qualities and growth that they experienced abroad, and incorporate these aspects throughout their journey in their home country.
It is easy to fall back into old habits when surrounded by old environments, but reminding myself of the lessons I learned helped bring the glow back.
•••
Layla Bakhshandeh is a senior journalism and graphic communication student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and a member of EdSource’s California Student Journalism Corps.
The opinions expressed in this commentary represent those of the author. EdSource welcomes commentaries representing diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.
“I am an immigrant, and I didn’t come here to do anything bad,” Mejias said. “They think that anybody who comes here, that is not from the U.S., has bad intentions. People don’t immigrate just because they want to leave their country. They immigrate because they want to change their future. They want to work and have a different life.”
Mejias’ goal is to transfer to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo following the completion of the required computer science transfer courses at Saddleback College. Then Mejias wants to find remote work and return home to Venezuela.
“I really miss my country, my people,” Mejias said. “I will see if I come back,” he added, because the changing social climate and attitude toward immigration in the U.S. has contributed to Mejias’ hesitation about a future visit to the states.
He also feels more comfortable in California. “I’ve been to different states, and there you see people (who are possessive of) their territory. They carry guns and everything. I’m like, ‘Oh, I am going back to California,’” Mejias said. “I think because I am here in California, I feel way way more safe than being in any part of the U.S.”
Third graders read along as teacher Patty Lopez reads a text about plastic straws aloud.
Credit: Zaidee Stavely / EdSource
A few years ago, I met a first-grade English learner in a bilingual program who was learning to read in Spanish. The student, who I’ll call Elena, and her mother were from Guatemala. Elena’s mother only had a second-grade education, but she knew that one facet of Elena’s education was the gateway to all future opportunities: learning to read.
Elena had started school late, and her mother was taking no chances. She worked with Elena to teach her some basics — how letters formed syllables and syllables formed words. Elena was able to read by the end of first grade, but the outcome could have been very different without her mother’s efforts. Whether she knew it or not, what Elena’s mother taught Elena aligns with decades of reading research on how the brain learns to read — regardless of native language.
Unfortunately, most children from low-income communities like Elena’s do not share her story. Millions of California students fail to make adequate progress in reading. Today, only one-third of economically disadvantaged Latino students and one-fourth of economically disadvantaged African American students meet or exceed grade-level standards in English language arts. This is not because they are incapable of learning, but largely because they are not taught using effective practices supported by a broad consensus of reading researchers and experts.
These practices include a strong emphasis on foundational literacy skills, typically known as phonics and decoding, and an emphasis on developing language, comprehension and knowledge.
But foundational literacy skills are not given enough attention in California, leaving too many students with a weak or nonexistent foundation for literacy development and academic success.
Literacy achievement in California is alarming. Fewer than half of California students meet or exceed grade-level standards in English language arts. For decades, California students have been either smack in the middle or, more often, trailing national reading achievement. In the most recent national assessments, California’s fourth-grade students’ scores were below 36 other states in reading proficiency. And, according to research from the Stanford Education Data Archive, California has one of the largest gaps in fourth-grade reading proficiency between low-income and non-low-income students in the nation.
The real-world consequences of poor literacy skills are devastating for both individuals and society as a whole:
Our state has invested millions of dollars in literacy over the past decade, but we are still not seeing an adequate return. This is, in part, because much of the policy to date has consisted of mixed and confusing recommendations from the state. We have failed to put into practice the best knowledge we have about promoting literacy development.
Meanwhile, states like Mississippi have gone from significantly below average in reading proficiency and among the worst in the nation to significantly above the national average and one of the most improved, after passing comprehensive early literacy policies that align with reading research. The average low-income California fourth grader is a full year behind their counterpart in Mississippi.
California now has the potential to make similar progress and take a positive step forward if elected leaders in Sacramento choose to vote for Assembly Bill 1121. The bill could help align decades of interdisciplinary reading research with reading instruction by providing paid professional development for elementary school educators in more effective literacy practices and requiring school districts and charter schools to adopt English language instructional materials from a new State Board of Education list aligned with evidence-based means of teaching literacy (identified in current law).
Even with advanced language skills and vast knowledge, you can’t be a successful reader if you can’t pull words off a page quickly, effortlessly and accurately. Similarly, you can’t be a successful reader if you lack the language and knowledge to make sense of words.
AB 1121 will help move us toward a more comprehensive approach to reading instruction, emphasizing the importance of developing the neural pathways between sounds, letters, and meaning that are necessary for the brain to learn to read.
Building these pathways is essential for those learning in any language. Research around the world demonstrates there are many commonalities in learning and teaching to read in any language, whether it’s a language one already knows or is simultaneously learning. English learners have much to gain from implementing known effective approaches to teaching reading, which include what Elena’s mother did instinctively to help her build a strong foundation of literacy.
In the Information Age, reading is the gateway to all future opportunities. Our students don’t have time to waste while we, the adults they’ve entrusted with their education, continue to fight fruitless “reading wars.” If we care about our children’s futures, and our state’s, we must push for effective reading instruction in all classrooms by passing AB 1121.
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Claude Goldenberg, a former first grade and junior high teacher, is Nomellini & Olivier Professor of Education, emeritus, at Stanford University. His areas of expertise are literacy education and English language learners.
The opinions in this commentary are those of the author. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.
