What We Read: June 2025 Edition
Gov. Newsom’s May Revision Changes Fiscal Outlook • Statewide Literacy Trends • LAUSD Enrollment and Safety • Supreme Court Rejects Religious Charter • Chronic Absenteeism Continues
GPSN in the News: Summer of Joy
GPSN hosted our third annual Summer of Joy Professional Development Summit with LAUSD this month, welcoming nearly 700 summer staff for a powerful day of learning and inspiration. This year, 100% of participants agreed they learned something new to apply this summer.
Read more about the Summer of Joy PD Summit here.
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Gov. Newsom’s Budget Revision Maintains Roughly Level Funding for Schools as LAUSD Board Studies New Budget
Context: Gov. Newsom released his May Revision to the state budget this month. The revised proposal includes updated economic forecasts and policy adjustments ahead of the legislature’s June 15 deadline to pass a final budget.
Why this matters: “Schools and community colleges can expect the same funding in 2025–26 that they received this year, plus a small cost-of-living adjustment,” writes EdSource. The revised budget maintains investments in key programs, including transitional kindergarten (TK) expansion, a 10:1 student-to-adult ratio in TK classrooms, and additional summer and after-school opportunities.
The California Budget & Policy Center notes that falling state revenues, due partly to federal economic policy, would have triggered school funding cuts, but the Prop. 98 reserve will cover the gap. The plan also continues universal school meals and avoids significant cuts to TK–12 and community college funding.
What’s Next: The legislature must pass the final budget by June 15. LAUSD will propose its stabilization plan in June, with a scheduled opportunity for revision in December.
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California Update: Homelessness on the Rise, Changes to Reading Curriculum, and a New Measurement System
Enrollment changes continue, while mental health funds are unspent
Public school enrollment in California stabilized at over 5.8 million students this year after years of pandemic-driven declines. But homelessness among students jumped by more than 9% for the second straight year, even as federal support shrinks.
Meanwhile, a $4.7 billion pandemic-era youth mental health fund remains underused, with only 14 districts launching services. A group of lawmakers has requested bridge funding in response to state administrative delays in allowing schools to bill for expanded mental health services.
Literacy screeners and the science of reading take center stage
With NAEP scores still trailing pre-pandemic levels, especially for underserved students, California will now require all public schools to administer an early literacy screener by June 30th. The legislature is also advancing a bill promoting phonics-based “science of reading” instruction, though it stops short of mandating it.
New Cradle to Career dashboard connect schools to long-term outcomes
California families can now view post-graduation outcomes—including college enrollment, completion, and wages—for about 3.5 million high school graduates. The new state dashboard aims to give communities a clearer picture of long-term success across districts.
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LAUSD roundup: Enrollment, Safety, and Supporting Parents
Board member points to declining enrollment
In a recent interview, Board Member Tanya Ortiz Franklin acknowledged declining enrollment over two decades and rising costs, saying, “It doesn’t make sense to keep the same number of campuses.” She noted the difficulty of discussing school changes with communities worried about losing their neighborhood schools. Ortiz Franklin also addressed rising student safety concerns and how the board is responding.
Students report safety concerns during their commutes
Coverage from LAist and Boyle Heights Beat highlighted the voices of LAUSD students who commute across the city. Roosevelt High School student Andrea Quintana described inconsistencies in neighborhood safety and school security, especially during daily commutes.
Paid leave policy under review to better support staff and parents
Many LAUSD staff members don’t qualify for California’s paid family leave program, weakening recruitment and retention. In response, the board passed a resolution to study employee leave needs and existing policies this month, aiming to adopt a comprehensive support plan by November.
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U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Religious Charter School
Context: Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could have allowed public funding for a proposed Catholic charter school in Oklahoma.
This month, the Court issued a 4–4 ruling, rejecting the Catholic charter school.
Why this matters: Education experts warned that a ruling in favor of the school could upend charter laws across the country. Some Court watchers believed the justices were open to the school’s arguments.
Instead, the Court’s decision blocks the Oklahoma Catholic charter from opening. The deadlock affirms that charter schools remain public but does not set a national precedent.
What’s next: More cases involving public funding of religious schools will likely reach the Court in the coming years.
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Gender Gap, Chronic Absenteeism, and Pandemic Learning Loss Continue to Hurt Student Achievement Nationwide
Context: Pandemic school closures that began in 2020 caused widespread learning loss, with students falling further behind the longer they spent in remote instruction. While Los Angeles has seen some gains since, student performance still lags behind pre-pandemic levels.
Why this matters: New national test data shows the gender gap in math has widened significantly, with girls falling further behind after returning to in-person learning. At the same time, chronic absenteeism remains a major barrier to recovery. Education leaders at the American Enterprise Institute are urging schools to “reset basic expectations for attendance.”
What’s next: LAUSD continues to struggle with chronic absenteeism, with schools reporting decreased attendance out of fear of immigration enforcement at the start of the Trump administration. LAUSD especially saw lowered attendance at two schools after federal agents visited the schools to conduct “wellness checks” on students. In the legislature, a bill aims to protect California schools from defunding caused by low attendance rates amid recent immigration raids, which passed out of the Education Committee earlier in May.
January’s wildfires have also significantly impacted attendance this semester.