Most of California is experiencing weather people the world over dream of. It’s spring time and a lot of people are on some sort of break, including our illustrious presidente, Will Swaim. For good or ill, he turned the reins over to me until our new Communications Director gets access to the email distribution list....
In some parts of the state, football is finally coming back. While this is going to be an unusual football season, high school football fans were looking forward to supporting their friends and family members on the football field. But in a surprise move, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) created guidelines that confused...
CLICK HERE to find our comprehensive California Book of Exoduses Intel Corporation announced this week it will invest $20 billion in semiconductor chip fabrication plants, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. This is a big deal given the current global shortage in semiconductor chips. But also, it is important because semi-conductors will be a big...
Welcome to your weekly roundup of news from the state that put the “weird” back in “weirdos.” If you like this, donate to and thank your friends at California Policy Center. If you hate it, please blame only me (your faithful scribe, Will Swaim) and check back in when our new communications director takes over...
There is going to be a school choice initiative on the state ballot in November 2022. While this is not an absolute certainty, the grassroots support for school choice is strong, and the infrastructure necessary to nurture a grassroots effort is now in place. The RecallGavin2020 campaign has proven the model, and fed up parents from Chula...
This week, the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) members have approved their reopening deal with LAUSD, which allows some elementary schools to reopen with a hybrid format as early as April 12. Middle and high schools will have to wait longer and would return to school in a glorified study hall format. While I...
In his 2021 State of the State Address, Governor Newsom’s focus, to the exclusion of nearly everything else, was to defend his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A quick review of the 3,634 word transcript indicates only 20 percent of his remarks had to do with anything else. It’s understandable that Newsom would focus on the pandemic....
With warmer, drier weather on the way, California public school districts worried about safely reopening classrooms could offer in-person classes outdoors, using tents or other temporary structures to ward off some of the elements. If restaurants and gyms have been able to serve customers outdoors under tents, why can’t public schools serve at least some...
As California is slowly reopening, this is an excellent opportunity to review the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, the framework that allows for businesses and schools to reopen in California. With the new update from the California Department of Public Health on Tuesday, forty-seven counties have reached the red tier, covering 89.7% of Californians. Five...
With a significant portion of the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package earmarked for K-12 public schools, concerns have arisen over potential misuse of those funds. As Fox News recently reported, “Multiple California school districts have discussed using state and federal COVID relief money to hand out bonuses for teachers and staff, with one district’s union even...
(Note: This piece, co-written with Lia Rensin, first appeared in various Southern California News Group newspapers.) On March 5th, the California Department of Education released a fourth draft of its Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. Not surprisingly, letters opposing Critical Race Theory and Critical Ethnic Studies comprised the #1 concern about the ESMC. And yet, more...
BY LEA STEELE Fresno County — Even though it happened 25 years ago, I remember it as though it were today. Sean, a 11-year-old boy, walked in my classroom and changed both of our lives forever. Although I was a young, inexperienced adult and new teacher, my “Spidey” senses alerted me whenever Sean’s stepmother was...
Testimony by our Chief Operations Officer, Lance Christensen to the Idaho Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee (March 4, 2021) Chair Patrick and honorable members of the committee, My name is Lance Christensen of the California Policy Center. Though I’m coming to you virtually from Sacramento, I’m a product of 3 generations of dry farmers...
Depending on who you ask, California’s K-12 system of public education would be doing just fine if taxpayers threw another $30 billion (or more) per year into its insatiable maw, or, it is a failed model mostly because the teachers’ union agenda has ruined everything, from a crippling administrative overhead to mandating a curricula more...