We assessed college students' perceptions of safety related to concealed carry of firearms on a university campus. Explicit assessments were collected before passage, before implementation, and after implementation of the law; implicit assessments were collected before and after implementation. For comparison, we included college students from a…

Data estimates 11.2% of college students experience sexual assault at some point during their postsecondary education. The prevalence of this issue and the resulting impact on students' lives and educational outcomes highlights the importance of examining the role of federal, state and institutional action in preventing and addressing issues of…

With a new Governor, State Superintendent, and Legislators in Sacramento and a diminished federal role in education, there is an opportunity for California's leaders to take stock of recent educational reforms and make necessary improvements. Several high-profile reforms over the past few years, including the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF)…

Key findings from the current survey: (1) Most Californians say charter schools are an important option for parents in low-income areas--but many express concern that charters divert funding from traditional public schools; (2) More than half of residents across regions say teacher salaries in their community are too low; and (3) Majorities…

Appropriate course enrollment maximums are an essential aspect of guaranteeing the quality of instructional programs. Colleges must consider many factors in establishing these enrollment limits, including legal codes, student and instructor safety, instructor workload, and the fiscal viability of the institution. However, the primary basis of any…

Recent violence in schools and on college campuses has brought into sharp focus the need to address mental health issues in educational settings. Getting students with mental health problems the help they need, without stigmatizing mental illness, may help prevent future tragedies. Children with mental health problems face a host of challenges,…

For children to be successful, schools must provide a safe and secure environment in which teachers can teach and students can learn (Skiba & Sprague, 2008). In California, state regulations require that schools maintain an appropriate school climate on campus, in classrooms, and at school sponsored events (California Education Code 35294).…

"Stress factor" is defined as any internal or external influence that makes it more difficult for a school or district to carry out its basic mission of providing a high quality education to all its students, as well as to ensure that its students succeed on state and federal accountability measures. This report identifies 11 such stress…

The California State Assembly is presently considering AB 2034 which would prohibit school districts, county offices of education (COEs), or charter schools that elect to fingerprint volunteers from allowing individuals who have been convicted of specific sex, drug or violent offenses to volunteer in schools. This policy brief aims to inform…

This article investigates California laws AB 537: The Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000, and the recently enacted AB 394: Safe Place to Learn Act. Both demand that gender identity and sexual orientation be added to the lexicon of anti-harassment protection in public education. However, despite these progressive measures, schools…

Schools in California being built to resist damage by earthquakes are part of a program to meet building standards established in 1933. The three new schools presented reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the program. (Author/MLF)

For decades, educators have wrestled with how to handle the increasingly diverse religions of an increasingly diverse student body. Sometimes, the line between church and state--what schools can and cannot do under the Constitution--can feel confusing and slippery. Today, religion has become a subject one high school teachers describes as even…

Two underground schools in Santa Ana are an interesting solution to California's need for new schools that will resist earthquakes. (Author)

This publication is a guide for California colleges and universities wishing to prepare for earthquakes. An introduction aimed at institutional leaders emphasizes that earthquake preparedness is required by law and argues that there is much that can be done to prepare for earthquakes. The second section, addressed to the disaster planner, offers…

This guidebook shows how schools can form partnerships with law-enforcement agencies and communities to develop a comprehensive safe-school plan. The planning guide is based on four principles: that safe schools are caring schools, are built through cooperative efforts of all stakeholders, communicate high standards, and stress prevention. This…