May chemical leak forced 13 schools to close
A volatile, highly flammable chemical tank at a Garden Grove aerospace facility prompted officials to close 13 GGUSD schools on May 22, 2026.
Read the full storyCalifornia school board news
Saturday, October 24, 2026
Alum Rock Union Elementary School District
Board to consider salary increases across district employee groups
Alum Rock Union Elementary School District
District proposes more after-school places at Adelante and a three-day program at Renaissance
Acalanes Union High School District
Miramonte High School pool deck renovation is under way
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The policy desk
What’s moving in phones
The debate over phones, screens and the school day.
The policy desk
What’s moving in AI
How artificial intelligence is changing classrooms and school rules.
The policy desk
What’s moving in student voice
Students speaking up, organizing and helping shape their schools.
The news desk
Latest California stories
Anaheim Union High School District
District proposes joining litigation over alleged social-media and video-game harms
The Oct. 15 agenda proposes authorizing Anaheim Union to pursue claims against social-media and video-game companies over alleged harms to students and district programs. The proposed contract gives outside counsel 30% of any recovery; the firms would advance litigation costs, and the district generally would owe no fees if there is no recovery.
Alum Rock Union Elementary School District
District schedules response to threatened Brown Act lawsuit over video conferencing
The Board has scheduled a discussion and possible approval of a response to Chrystine Villarreal’s allegations that actions at its September 17 meeting concerning video conferencing violated the Brown Act. The October 15 special-meeting agenda says the cease-and-desist correspondence raises one potential lawsuit; no violation or lawsuit outcome is established in the agenda.
Sutter Union High School District
Board to consider initiating social-media addiction litigation
The board agenda schedules a closed-session discussion of initiating litigation in one potential case concerning adolescent social-media addiction and personal-products liability. The agenda does not report a decision or identify the potential defendants or claims.
Oakland Unified School District
OUSD agenda proposes redevelopment of Sobrante Field
OUSD’s Oct. 14 agenda proposes authorizing Oakland to conditionally award Oakland United the right to redevelop and operate Sobrante Field, while district staff negotiate a sublease. The proposal would rehabilitate the 195,000-square-foot grass field, then replace it with artificial turf, lighting and other improvements; it also offers free after-school programs projected to serve 600+ students weekly.
Oakland Unified School District
OUSD proposes $41.2 million for expanded out-of-school learning
OUSD’s Oct. 14 agenda proposes accepting $41,174,339 in new state funding for its 2026–27 Expanded Learning Opportunities Plan. The plan would provide after-school, weekend, intersession and summer programming for TK–6 students who want it, totaling 205 days of supplemental out-of-school time.
Oakland Unified School District
OUSD proposes violence-intervention and life-coaching services at Rudsdale
OUSD is seeking approval for a $352,185.90 violence-intervention and prevention agreement at Rudsdale Continuation High School, running October 19, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The proposal funds two full-time roles—a Violence Interruption Specialist and a Life Coach—with safety planning, conflict mediation, and individualized coaching for at least 10 students.
San Francisco Unified School District
SFUSD votes to replace elementary-school lottery with neighborhood assignments
The Board voted 5–2 to develop a system that guarantees elementary students a neighborhood-school seat while preserving access to citywide programs. It would replace the current lottery for students entering in 2028–29. The detailed policy still needs a final vote, scheduled for April 2027.
Palo Alto Unified School District
Board adopts draft priorities for major upcoming budget cuts
Palo Alto Unified adopted draft budget guardrails and priorities to guide reductions planned for the 2027–28 and 2028–29 school years; no specific cuts were approved at this meeting. The district will bring forward reduction options, with board action on staffing reductions expected by February and March.
More from the news desk
Franklin-McKinley Elementary School District
District considers 7.42-acre site for proposed Communications Hill school
The district held a public hearing on a proposed agreement to receive about 7.42 acres on Communications Hill for a new school. The board did not approve the agreement at this meeting; staff said it would return for board approval on October 27, and an illustrative timeline puts site possession in 2031.
Franklin-McKinley Elementary School District
Board approves five-year charter renewal for Rocketship Mosaic Elementary
The board approved a five-year renewal for Rocketship Mosaic Elementary, allowing the charter to continue operating under a new five-year term. District staff said monitoring will continue through monthly submissions, including budget and teacher-credentialing information.
Moraga plans $16 million modernization phase at Camino Pablo and Los Perales
Phase 2 Measure D modernizations at Camino Pablo and Los Perales remain a district priority, with construction targeted to start in June 2027. The planning budget is $8 million per campus—$6 million in estimated construction costs and $2 million in soft costs—with design completion targeted for October 2026 and state review submission for late November.
San Francisco Unified School District
SFUSD reports $35 million unrestricted operating deficit in 2025-26 close
SFUSD’s 2025-26 year-end close showed a $35 million deficit in unrestricted operations, even though total fund balances remained positive. The district reported an ending fund balance of about $302 million, down from $429 million at the start of the year; the board approved the close packet unanimously.
Board to consider floriculture textbook for Lindhurst High floral-design classes
The October 13 agenda proposed adopting *Floriculture: Design & Merchandising*, Fourth Edition, for use at Lindhurst High School in 2026–27. The proposed text covers floral design principles, flower care, arranging techniques, career opportunities and floristry operations.
Board to consider updated student-data privacy agreement for vendors
The October 13 agenda proposed adopting CA-NDPA version 1.5 for use with all future vendors and partners that receive MJUSD student data. The district says the updated agreement is intended to meet state and federal privacy requirements and address emerging risks, including educational AI.
San Ramon Valley Unified School District
Board to consider assistant principal appointment at Dougherty Valley High
The October 13 agenda lists an appointment of an assistant principal at Dougherty Valley High for consideration in closed session. The agenda does not identify the candidate or establish whether the appointment was approved.
Dublin Unified School District
Board to discuss $44.2 million in facilities-plan allocations
The board is scheduled to consider giving staff direction on conceptual Facilities Master Plan funding allocations totaling $44,155,000. The agenda says the money would be divided among facilities project buckets, but does not identify project-level amounts or approve a final allocation.
Pleasanton Unified School District
Board adopts districtwide policy on artificial intelligence
The board adopted Policy 441, a new districtwide policy guiding artificial-intelligence use, without modifications. Staff said more detailed administrative rules will follow, including guidance shaped by the district’s AI focus group.
Pleasanton Unified School District
Board confirms Lisa Padway as Vintage Hills principal
Trustees reported unanimous approval of Lisa Padway’s appointment as principal of Vintage Hills. Padway, a former vice principal at the school, said she had begun leading the campus over the summer.
Willows Unified School District
Unaudited report flags a $687,556 classroom-compensation shortfall
Willows Unified’s 2025–26 unaudited financial report records classroom compensation at 51.27%, below the 55% threshold shown for unified districts. It calculates a $687,555.55 deficiency and warns that future state apportionments may be affected for districts not exempt from the requirement.
Willows Unified School District
WUSD proposes two new supplementary novels for Willows High School
The October 8 agenda proposes adding Tommy Orange’s *There There* and Colson Whitehead’s *The Nickel Boys* to Willows High School’s supplementary novels list. The recommendation is for English classes in grades 9–12 and followed an advisory review and a public-review period from August 28 to September 28, 2026.
RVSD proposes changes to instructional-material complaint policy
The Board agenda proposes a first reading of revisions to Board Policy 1312.2 on complaints about instructional materials, with a vote planned for October 21. The proposal would require adopted materials to be factually accurate and aligned with standards, route discriminatory-bias complaints through the district’s uniform complaint process, and clarify that parents may opt students out of specified content.
Gridley Unified School District
Agenda proposes new novel for Sycamore Advanced ELA 8
The Oct. 7 agenda proposes adding Suzanne Collins’s *Sunrise on the Reaping* to Sycamore’s approved novels list for Advanced ELA 8. Its proposed use is limited to that course and is intended to increase rigor while building on students’ prior exposure to *The Hunger Games*.
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