Education Beat

By EdSourceNews Education

Education Beat episodes

May 30, 2024Staffing shortages undermine transitional kindergarten rollout
California lawmakers set the average class size for transitional kindergarten, a new grade for four-year-olds, at 24 kids, with 1 adult for every 12 students.
It’s generally agreed upon in early education field that smaller class sizes and more adults make for higher quality preschool, with more one-on-one attention and better supervision. In many preschools licensed by the state, one adult is required for every 8 children.
But some districts are not staffing their TK classrooms to meet the 1:12 ratio, or they’re going over the class size. Some teachers say it's a safety issue.
Guests:
David Hunter, Transitional kindergarten teacher, Fresno Unified
Lasherica Thornton, Reporter, EdSource
Read more from EdSource:
These districts and charters were fined for violating TK requirements
TK staffing ratios are often unmet, teachers say; why some districts escape fines
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
13 min
May 16, 2024Student journalists on the frontlines of protest coverage
As a wave of protests on university campuses call for a ceasefire in Gaza and for universities to divest from companies with military ties to Israel, student journalists have emerged as crucial sources of information.
At some schools, student journalists are the only regular source of news on campus grounds, especially when campuses have shut down to non-students. In some cases, they’ve scooped mainstream media, with the most accurate, up-to-date coverage.
Increasingly, student journalists are doing this work under threats of arrest and violence.
Guests:
Chris Woodard, Managing editor, The State Hornet
Betty Márquez Rosales, Reporter, EdSource
Mallika Seshadri, Reporter, EdSource
Read more from EdSource: As protests surge across college campuses, student journalists report from the front lines
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
22 min
May 09, 2024How can California teach more adults to read in English?
California has one of the lowest rates of English literacy in the U.S. Almost one third of adults in the state can do little more than fill out a basic form or read a very simple piece of writing in English. Many of them are immigrants.
Experts say programs aimed at addressing poor literacy reach only a fraction of adults who need help. One way to reach them is to bring classes directly to the workplace.
Guests:
Marcelina Chamu, Janitor
Emma Gallegos, Reporter, EdSource
Read more from EdSource: When you can't read a medicine bottle: California immigrants struggle with low English literacy
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
16 min
May 02, 2024Hundreds of teachers in limbo after spike in pink slips
Almost 2,000 teachers across California received notices they might be laid off this year, a huge increase compared to last year. School districts are facing budget cuts, with federal Covid relief funding expiring, enrollment declining and state funding leveling off.
Although some who got these "pink slips" will ultimately be asked to stay on, teachers say the threat of being laid off is demoralizing and layoffs affect the ability of districts to recruit new teachers.
With California experiencing an ongoing teacher shortage, what is the impact of this flood of pink slips on schools and teachers?
Guests:
Jacob Willis, Second grade teacher, San Diego Unified School District
Diana Lambert, Reporter, EdSource
Read more from EdSource: Anxious California teachers with pink slips await word on jobs next school year
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
13 min
April 25, 2024Beyond a bed: What this L.A. home offers young adults experiencing homelessness
Sam Prater knows what it feels like to be homeless. After he dropped out of high school, he was evicted twice in his hometown of Detroit. So when he saw homeless students being offered just 14 days in college dorms in California, he knew he had to try something different.
Prater's organization now has four homes in L.A. that offer wraparound services to young people experiencing homelessness, to help them jump-start their lives and their college education. A visit offers a peek at what these homes offer.
Guests:
Sam Prater, Founder, Los Angeles Room & Board
Betty Márquez Rosales, Reporter, EdSource
Read more from EdSource: 'No place like this.' L.A. home helps young adults live beyond survival mode
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
20 min
April 18, 2024Plagued by delays and errors, California’s colleges navigate FAFSA fiasco
Financial aid and admissions officers across California's colleges and universities are navigating longer hours and more stress, as they deal with unprecedented havoc in this year's rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.
Hear from financial aid workers as they help students and their families navigate the application morass.
Why has California seen heavier impacts from the FAFSA delays? And what is the state doing to mitigate the fallout?
Guests:
Kamila Juarez, graduating senior, Grace Davis High School
Sonia Jethani, director of financial aid and scholarships at CSU East Bay
Jeanette Phillips, director of financial aid and scholarships at Cal Poly Pomona
Jessica Wagoner, senior associate vice president for enrollment management and services at Cal Poly Pomona
Read more from EdSource:
California’s universities navigate unprecedented FAFSA mistakes and delays
FAFSA delays make it difficult for students to finalize college decisions
Education Beat is a weekly podcast. This episode is hosted by EdSource’s Ashley A. Smith and produced by Coby McDonald.
12 min
April 11, 2024How Fresno Unified is getting missing students back in class
Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, many California students have struggled to attend class regularly. Recent data shows that even last school year, when kids were back in person and there were fewer Covid regulations, nearly a quarter of students statewide missed more than 10% of the school year.
But some school districts, like Fresno Unified, have managed to bring many of their missing students back to class. What's their secret?
Guests:
Abigail Arii, Director of Student Support Services, Fresno Unified School District
Noreida Pérez, Attendance Manager, Fresno Unified School District
Betty Márquez Rosales, Reporter, EdSource
Lasherica Thornton, Reporter, EdSource
Read more from EdSource:
Calls, home visits, counseling help get California students back to school
Interactive Map: Chronic absenteeism up in nearly a third of 930 California districts
California’s dramatic jump in chronically absent students part of a nationwide surge
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
18 min
April 04, 2024How can we get more Black teachers in the classroom?
A growing body of research shows that having a Black teacher increases students' scores on math and reading tests and increases the chance that they will graduate from college.
California has been trying to recruit and retain Black teachers for years, but the percentage of Black teachers still lags behind the percentage of Black students.
What’s keeping Black teachers from getting to and staying in the classroom? And how can we do more to support them?
Guests:
Alicia Simba, Teacher, Oakland Unified School District
Diana Lambert, Reporter, EdSource
Read more from EdSource:
Disrespect, low pay, lack of support keep Black teachers out of the profession
Bias, extra work and feelings of isolation: 5 Black teachers tell their stories
California, districts try to recruit and retain Black teachers; advocates say more should be done
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
17 min
March 28, 2024California college savings accounts aren’t getting to all the kids who need them
If you or your child were enrolled in a California public school in first grade through high school in 2021-22, you might have money for college waiting for you.
More than a year and a half ago, California launched a big initiative to help children from low income families save money for college. It’s called the California Kids Investment and Development Savings program, or just CalKIDS.
The program has the potential to serve 3.6 million kids, but only a tiny fraction of those have signed up to activate their accounts.
Who’s eligible for CalKIDS? And what needs to happen to get the word out to more families?
Guests:
Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, Board trustee, Fresno Unified School District
Lasherica Thornton, Reporter, EdSource
Read more from EdSource:
What to know about free money waiting in state-funded savings accounts | Quick Guide
Few low-income Californians claiming kids' free money in college savings accounts
Find out if you or your child is eligible here
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
18 min
March 21, 2024How improv theater class can help kids heal from trauma
A catastrophic forest fire roared through Northern California’s Butte County in 2018, taking 86 lives and destroying countless homes in the town of Paradise.
To help kids cope with their fear, grief and loss, the county office of education sent a team of artists into the schools. One of those teaching artists shares how he's seen theater help children heal from trauma.
Guests:
Chris Murphy, Trauma-informed teaching artist, Butte County Office of Education
Karen D'Souza, Reporter, EdSource
EdSource Roundtable: Raising the curtain on Prop 28: Can arts education help transform California schools?
Read more from EdSource: Can arts education help children heal from trauma?
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
19 min

About Education Beat

From the publisher's feed

A podcast that gets to the heart of schools in California and beyond, bringing you the personal stories behind the headlines, from preschool to college. Join the team at EdSource each week to hear the…