Local News Matters

Last year was tumultuous for California K-12 schools and their 5.8 million students — at least at the federal level. President Donald Trump slashed funding to schools, set about dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, and launched an immigration crackdown that left countless families afraid to send their children to school.

In hopes of boosting reading scores, California also rolled out a mandatory dyslexia screener and passed a law to overhaul literacy instruction. The new curriculum doesn’t go into effect until 2028, but many schools are already implementing and using the dyslexia screener to get extra help to children who struggle with reading disorders. California also passed a law creating an Office of Civil Rights, intended to eliminate discrimination in K-12 schools, especially antisemitism. The new law, which stems from a surge in antisemitic incidents statewide, is expected to provide more transparency and accountability in how schools handle discrimination complaints.