PODCAST · news
Education Beat
by EdSource
A podcast that gets to the heart of schools in California and beyond, bringing you the personal stories behind the headlines, from preschool to college. Join the team at EdSource each week to hear the voices that are too often drowned out in the broader conversation: parents, teachers, and the students themselves.
Episodes
-
Goodbye, Education Beat
In this final episode, John Fensterwald interviews Zaidee Stavely about the essence of Education Beat, and we share memorable moments from over the years.
-
The long road to college graduation for one immigrant family
This episode returns to the Ruiz Gutiérrez family, whose college dreams were temporarily derailed when their dad was forced to remain in Mexico in 2019.
-
Kids and teens turn to AI for emotional support
Liliana Messinger was in fourth grade when she first turned to an AI chatbot for help with panic attacks. Over the years, she turned to AI again and again.
-
Play and potty training: The realities of California's TK rollout (rebroadcast)
Some teachers — and principals — are not educated about important aspects of early education, like play, make-believe and help in the bathroom.
-
Should the University of California bring back the SAT?
Many professors say more students are arriving to college so poorly prepared that they can't solve middle-school math equations. Is reinstating the SAT the answer?
-
What California can learn from Texas about bilingual education (rebroadcast)
Award winning episode rebroadcast: Texas offers more bilingual education than California and backs it up with more funding. How did that happen?
-
More than 400 California children deported by the Trump administration. Here's how classmates grieved one
One 9 year-old's deportation triggered a wave of grief and anger among her classmates in West Contra Costa Unified School District.
-
California's first transgender school board member is in a deeply red county
In a deeply red county in California's far north, a transgender school board member has mostly been received with acceptance and respect.
-
Inside a preschool where students with disabilities are fully included
Step inside a Paso Robles school to learn how inclusive classrooms are supporting students with disabilities and why it matters for both students and districts.
-
Childcare providers struggle as four year-olds enroll in TK
For 27 years, Yolanda Thomas has cared for children from birth to 12 years old. But many parents are now choosing to unenroll their kids at four to attend transitional kindergarten.
-
What a California State University's new polytechnic status means for its future
As a California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt now offers new degrees and career possibilities for graduates and aims to attract more students.
-
Health insurance costs hit teachers and districts hard
Teachers say escalating costs are swallowing their raises, while district leaders say schools can't shoulder the cost as they grapple with declining enrollment.
-
Hot classrooms, leaky roofs — one student's fight for better school facilities (Rebroadcast)
At Coachella Valley High School, where Miliani Rodriguez is a senior, the air conditioning often breaks. When it rains, the ceilings leak. So she's suing the state.
-
How a father's detention shaped his son's educational career
Jair Solis became his family's first-ever college graduate, a milestone that had felt out of reach because of the long-lasting fallout from his dad's detention.
-
How Los Angeles Unified fire academies build leadership skills for any career
Students at four Los Angeles high schools are learning firefighting and emergency medical skills as part of the school district's career and technical education pathways.
-
California high school student journalists face censorship, investigations
The high school student newspaper the Redwood Bark in Larkspur, California has recently faced pushback and censorship from the district administration. And it's not the only one.
-
College students repackage dining hall food waste to feed hungry peers
Students at college campuses across California recover hundreds of pounds of unserved food from dining halls to serve to their hungry classmates.
-
Educators call for deeper reflection after Cesar Chavez allegations
As schools remove statues and names from buildings, educators raise deeper questions about how schools can confront underlying issues of power, sexism, sexual violence and historical legacy.
-
John Fensterwald on what's at stake for California schools in the 2026 election
EdSource Editor-at-Large John Fensterwald explains how this election could reshape California schools.
-
A University of California in the heart of farm country aims to attract more students
Some students are attracted to the small student population, the accessible rent prices and the research opportunities at UC Merced.
-
School screen time is rising. California parents are asking where to draw the line
Julie Edwards' daughter brought home a Chromebook from school in second grade to work on math and reading. But soon she was watching Youtube videos.
-
Fresno Unified and teachers union join forces to put a roof over families' heads
Fresno Unified and the Fresno Teachers Association are housing 20 families and offering classes and supports to help them get ahead.
-
Student filmmakers chase career dreams at Hollywood High
Students at Hollywood High School's New Media Academy learn video production and animation. They produce their own films and get the opportunity to build connections with entertainment industry professionals.
-
California teachers on the picket line amid shrinking school budgets
Teachers are striking for better pay, benefits and class size. But school districts say their budgets are extremely tight and they're contemplating layoffs.
-
When teens counsel teens: Why peer support programs are growing
At Antioch High School, peer advocates mentor freshmen, meet with students who've been found with alcohol or drugs, and facilitate conflict resolution.
-
Arizona State University fights for California financial aid
Arizona State University wants Cal Grants for its California-based students, but California officials say its not eligible.
-
Sexual abuse claims threaten school district budgets, even when not accused
California's Assembly Bill 218 made it possible for childhood abuse victims to sue public agencies up to their 40th birthday or five years after discovering the abuse.
-
From housing to basketball, Fresno schools invest in the whole child
Fresno Unified invested $30 million in services that go beyond traditional academics, from housing assistance to music production and lunchtime sports.
-
How a California professor once coded secrets in music (rebroadcast)
In 1985, Merryl Goldberg went to the Soviet Union and met The Phantom Orchestra. To help them she made up a secret code, hidden in sheet music.
-
From a juvenile facility to a college dorm room
Fausto Lopez finished high school, got an associate degree and applied to attend a four-year college - all while inside juvenile detention.
-
This California Teacher of the Year embraces her dwarfism as a strength
We visited Heather Povinelli in her Monrovia classroom, where we spoke about how she got back into teaching, how she creates an inclusive classroom, and what she learned conducting research about other teachers with dwarfism.
-
The John Fensterwald forecast: What's coming for California schools in 2026
It's time for John Fensterwald's annual predictions for what's in store for education in 2026.
-
How one student got her middle school to change its name (rebroadcast)
Betty Reid Soskin was the nation's oldest national park ranger. She passed away on Dec. 21 at 104 years old. To honor her, we bring you an episode from 2021, about how a California school came to be renamed after her.
-
How one bilingual educator's childhood trauma fuels his fight for inclusion
In the bilingual education world, José Medina is a superstar. A former teacher turned principal turned researcher, he spreads his message of respecting students' languages on social media and in schools across the country.
-
How a small rural school district is setting an example for school counseling statewide
A tiny school district in rural Merced County has invested heavily in school counseling. And UCLA researchers have recognized the results.
-
Learning to read while locked up
A new literacy intervention program is being rolled out in San Diego, Alameda, San Mateo and Riverside counties, to help teenagers in juvenile detention grasp the basics of reading.
-
Kids enroll in this school just for the lunch (rebroadcast)
Come prepare a meal with the fifth and sixth graders of Pacific Elementary, in Davenport, California, where the district attracts students just for the lunch.
-
Some school lunches are getting a makeover. Will federal cuts set them back?
One district moved from packaged pizza and chicken nuggets to coconut rice with red lentil dal on its school lunch menu.
-
A mentorship program fights for survival under the Trump administration
Many mentoring and tutoring programs in K-12 schools rely partially on federal grants through AmeriCorps — funding that President Donald Trump has proposed entirely eliminating.
-
California gears up for a big shift in how we teach kids to read
A new law aims to get more teachers instructing kids in how to sound out words to be able to access the joy of reading.
-
Hot classrooms, leaky roofs — one student's fight for better school facilities
Miliani Rodriguez attends Coachella Valley High School, where the AC often breaks in over 100-degree heat and when it rains, the ceilings leak.
-
Trump's cuts to Hispanic-Serving Institutions hit community college student programs hard
California community colleges rely on this funding for programs such as support for students pursuing science degrees and dual enrollment for high school students taking college classes.
-
After a classmate is deported
After a student at Maywood Academy High School in Los Angeles is arrested and deported by immigration authorities, a community grapples with the aftermath.
-
How one student became a powerful voice for others with disabilities
Saran Tugsjargal found herself wondering who would stand up for students like her. Little did she know that she would become that person.
-
Rural schools lose a lifeline to mental health support after Trump cut funding
Schools across California could lose hundreds of mental health workers, after the Trump administration cut federal grants.
-
California high schoolers get a crash course in finance
Meet Allison Saiki, who teaches students how to manage money, pay rent and open retirement accounts, with a class currency she calls "Saiki Cents."
-
How a charter school serving adults became embroiled in scandal and sparked calls for reform
An audit found the charter received millions in funding for which it was not eligible, assigned teachers to classes they were not credentialed to teach, and avoided standardized testing, in addition to spending on items like a trip to Paris and leasing a ballpark.
-
School leaders grapple with Supreme Court decision on religious rights
The Mahmoud v. Taylor case involved storybooks with LGBTQ themes, but legal experts say that the case has much broader implications that could affect subjects like literature, history and science.
-
Play and potty training: The realities of California's TK rollout
California schools need a whole new understanding of the importance of play – and potty-training – in TK classrooms.
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
A podcast that gets to the heart of schools in California and beyond, bringing you the personal stories behind the headlines, from preschool to college. Join the team at EdSource each week to hear the voices that are too often drowned out in the broader conversation: parents, teachers, and the students themselves.
HOSTED BY
EdSource
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Education Beat have?
Education Beat currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Education Beat about?
A podcast that gets to the heart of schools in California and beyond, bringing you the personal stories behind the headlines, from preschool to college. Join the team at EdSource each week to hear the voices that are too often drowned out in the broader conversation: parents, teachers, and the...
How often does Education Beat release new episodes?
Education Beat has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Education Beat?
You can listen to Education Beat on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Education Beat?
Education Beat is created and hosted by EdSource.
URL copied to clipboard!