📱⚖️As schools wrestle to balance cellphones’ benefits with harms, our latest brief with the UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning offers evidence-based recommendations to help education leaders make informed, developmentally appropriate decisions: tinyurl.com/na2t39hh

Our student homelessness research was featured in a CalMatters article on CA’s proposed College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2026. The measure would fund building repairs and expand affordable student housing. Read the article: tinyurl.com/7rdpc54m Explore our research: tinyurl.com/tbxvaj62

This month’s featured article focuses on the Black high school boys' experience and how community schools can provide support, leadership, and culturally relevant instruction so that Black students’ full strengths are recognized and affirmed. Explore the research library: tinyurl.com/ypy27esa

CTS research was cited in The Associated Press on the aftermath & impact of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. Our research shows this surge in housing instability is common after disasters and qualifies as homelessness under federal law. Read the full AP story: tinyurl.com/3rey4sfj

Join the 21CSLA State Center Webinar on 10/16 with REACH Network (UCLA CTS + UC Berkeley CREEO). We’ll explore how restorative leadership and equitable student discipline practices can transform school culture + advance equity, especially for Black students. Register at: tinyurl.com/3numau2s

What happens when dual-language immersion programs only provide enrichment for some students, instead of opportunity for all? @edweek.org talked with CTS Faculty Co-Director and UCLA professor Lucrecia Santibañez about her recent research on dual-language immersion programs. tinyurl.com/ra5hdjnp

5 years after COVID, we are just beginning to understand its impact on students and the education system. A new @tcrecord.bsky.social issue explores equity, policy & student wellbeing featuring research from Tyrone Howard, Joseph Bishop, and Lucrecia Santibañez & Anna Markowitz. tinyurl.com/235765x6

Cuts to teacher education & DEI initiatives make every dollar count to promote a diverse educator workforce. Our CA Educator Diversity Funding Guide maps nearly $300M in opportunities to recruit, prepare & retain diverse educators—so classrooms reflect & uplift all students. 🔗 tinyurl.com/3ta5et9k

Deadline Extended! CA PreK–12 schools can still apply to the GENIUS Initiative Coaching & Support Network Key Dates SOI Due: Oct 30, 2025 (11:59 PM PST) Notification: Nov 2025 Virtual Orientation: Dec 2, 2025 Tier I Institute: Jan 12–14, 2025 Apply at tinyurl.com/3erx6d2k Learn more at geniused.org

Federal cuts to teacher prep programs are shrinking teacher diversity + straining recruitment, especially in rural & high-poverty schools. Senior Project Scientist Stanley L. Johnson Jr. warns these rollbacks risk long-term inequities. Read more: tinyurl.com/j9tajxpk Our brief: tinyurl.com/yc8eedb2

“Youth Involvement in School Decision-Making during the Pandemic” traces a school’s move from surveys to youth-led activities, surfacing both promise & tensions of shared leadership. With the new school year underway, we’ll feature monthly articles to inspire your work. Explore: tinyurl.com/4r4k9d77

Federal rollbacks to teacher prep programs threaten progress as teacher shortages grow and student populations become more diverse. Our new policy brief explains why strengthening these pipelines is imperative and what can be done to protect these pathways. Read here: tinyurl.com/2ba8s6mz

We’re proud to support Los Angeles community schools through our role in the Greater LA R-TAC! 🌟 Check out our first-ever Impact Report on 2023–24 community schools implementation—work that continues to guide our support today. 📥 Read our Impact Report: transformschools.ucla.edu/wp-content/u...

Tyrone Howard was recently featured in Spectrum News 1, highlighting LAUSD’s rising test scores & the challenges the district still faces as we head back to school, including declining enrollment and the expiration of COVID-19 relief funding. Read the article at tinyurl.com/38kz3z6b

At CTS, we stand with the Consortium for Multilingual Learner Success in advancing policies & practices that ensure every learner can see their language as an asset & their voice as a source of power. Download resources to support multilingual learners: tinyurl.com/MLL-resources

CTS Senior Project Scientist Stanley L. Johnson Jr. presented at the 5th Annual CABSE Institute in Napa alongside LACOE colleagues Kanika White and Pamela Gibbs. Their session explored how leadership and policy reform can transform juvenile court schools to better support vulnerable students.

🗳️ Vote for our proposed SXSW EDU 2026 panel featuring Stanley L. Johnson, Jr. The session, Tomorrow’s STEM Workforce Needs SEL Today, will highlight national efforts to build inclusive STEM pathways. Vote now by clicking the link and tapping the heart in SXSW PanelPicker! bit.ly/3JjsyDS

Tyrone Howard delivered a powerful keynote at LACOE’s GENIUS Initiative Conference, centering his message on advancing equity for Black students. He calls out systemic barriers facing Black students & urges educators to create classrooms where they can thrive. Learn more at tinyurl.com/5er9bpyr

Mayra Cazares-Minero was interviewed by Univision on the rise in student homelessness. In LA, 3 in 4 unhoused students are Latinx. Mayra stressed the need to remove the stigma & enforce the McKinney-Vento Act. Watch the video & read our new brief on student homelessness at linktr.ee/Transformsch...

Joseph Bishop was featured in a CalMatters article on CA’s growing student homelessness crisis, where they saw a 9.3% increase. Bishop calls for sustained funding to keep students connected to school and support services. Read the article and our new brief at linktr.ee/Transformsch...

Join Kathy Do and Joseph Bishop for a conversation on the neuroscience behind digital habits, self-regulation, and student well-being. Discover strategies and policies to support student attention, emotional regulation, and social connection. Register at tinyurl.com/mv7zs37t

A new policy brief highlights how dual language immersion programs can promote equity, integration, and opportunity when access is inclusive and intentional. The brief draws on two decades of data from LAUSD and offers key strategies to ensure all students are served. Read: tinyurl.com/uv6tfb72

The policy landscape around cell phone use in schools is shifting. Join me & @uclacts.bsky.social‬'s Joseph Bishop at the Aug 7th @uccsucollab.bsky.social webinar to learn how families, educators, & school systems can best support student learning & healthier digital habits! Register: bit.ly/455GEQL

We just launched the Community Schools Resource Repository 📚 Explore monthly research briefs aligned with the CA Community Schools Framework. Each brief offers actionable insights to support equity, coherence, and school transformation. Explore the repository at tinyurl.com/4etabcur

📣 Applications are open for the GENIUS Initiative! Participating schools will benefit from: ✅ Intensive coaching ✅ Professional learning 📌 Open to all PreK–12 CA public + charter schools 🌟 Priority for Equity Multiplier schools 🗓️ Apply by Sept 5 Learn more + submit a SOI at: tinyurl.com/2y966jzz

Our report, “The Ten Billion Dollar Deficit,” was featured on the CSBA blog. It explains how school non-completion, chronic absenteeism, & harsh discipline cost CA billions, & how equity-focused reforms can fix that. Read the article at tinyurl.com/5y6a7whz Read the report at tinyurl.com/4kj99v5e

As school boards gear up for the new year, UCLA CTS, UC Berkeley CREEO & CSBA share a new guide to support more equitable, restorative discipline across California. It outlines 5 priorities to help shift policies toward data-informed, student-centered practices. Read more: tinyurl.com/m2wp6s46

🎓🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Hui Huang on earning her doctorate from @uclaseis.bsky.social and starting a new role at Idaho State University as Associate Director for Strategic Enrollment Analysis! From UCLA to Idaho—your impact keeps growing, Dr. Huang. 👏

UCLA CTS joins the GENIUS Initiative to support equity for underserved students across CA. Learn more: seis.ucla.edu/news/ucla-ct... #UCLACTS #GENIUSInitiative

At the 2025 California Community Schools EMPOWER Summit, CTS community schools researchers presented “Connecting the Equity Dots,” highlighting lessons learned from the implementation of CMTSS. Learn about CTS’ role in the California Community Schools partnership: tinyurl.com/4r4k9d77

Student homelessness in the U.S. is at a record high, and the numbers are staggering 📈 Nearly 1.4 million students are navigating school without stable housing, a 25% surge since the pandemic, impacting attendance, discipline, and academic achievement. Read the brief: tinyurl.com/434bafr5

In our new report, we share key lessons from our role evaluating Phase II of California’s MTSS implementation over five years, revealing what it takes to build effective, equity-driven school systems. ➡️Read the full report: tinyurl.com/44tsec7m @uclaseis.bsky.social

New research from our CA MTSS Research Consortium partners at UPenn was featured in Penn Today highlighting how chronic absenteeism, discipline, and low graduation rates cost California over $10 billion yearly. Read the article here: tinyurl.com/4vhs8sj5 Read the report here: tinyurl.com/yc59ajjj

A new journal from CTS researchers explores how to create validating environments for foster youth in higher ed, building on our past research. Interviews with campus staff highlight high-impact practices. Read more: doi.org/10.1080/1949... Explore our foster youth research: tinyurl.com/58wc425u

Happy Pride Month! We believe that every student deserves to feel safe, supported, and celebrated at school, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation. Let’s continue working toward inclusive classrooms and affirming policies that allow LGBTQ+ students to thrive. #PrideMonth2025

As #FosterCareAwarenessMonth comes to a close, we uplift Among Us, our podcast that amplifies the stories and experiences of foster youth. Among Us centers those w/ lived experience & those working to transform the system. 🎙️Available on all major podcast platforms. Listen: tinyurl.com/AmongUsCTS

🎉 Congrats to CTS Faculty Co-Director Lucrecia Santibañez on being named a 2025 AERA Fellow! Her research focuses on improving teaching and learning for vulnerable student groups across the U.S., Latin America, and Southeast Asia, advancing equity in education worldwide.

This #FosterCareAwarenessMonth, we’re spotlighting funders working with youth to build systems that reflect their needs. Funders like the Hilton Foundation help elevate lived experience to drive real, lasting change. 🎧 Hear more: tinyurl.com/4sendnur

Our recent policy brief outlines how leaders can better support highly mobile youth with cross-sector solutions: 🏛️Cross-agency coordination 🗣️Youth voice in policymaking 📊Whole-child data systems 🛡️Stronger federal guidance & accountability 🛒Easier SNAP access Read more: tinyurl.com/tyzn5v4v

75K students do not finish high school in California every year, and this has a high economic cost. High absenteeism rates and harsh school discipline contribute to the toll on students and the state. The costs are too high to ignore. Read more: tinyurl.com/9fnzuns2 #EducationMatters

This #FosterCareAwarenessMonth, we're reflecting on what youth with foster care experience tell us, what the data reveals, & how we can create lasting, coordinated solutions across systems. Explore our research on students with foster care experience: tinyurl.com/2zc82h7a

🌸Happy AANHPI Heritage Month! We honor the students, educators, & families whose stories continue to shape & strengthen our education system. When students see their histories, cultures, & communities reflected in the classroom, it builds pride, belonging, & confidence.

How can school districts partner with local universities to improve teacher preparation programs? CTS researchers shared findings at AERA 2025 from an initiative between Pacific Oaks College & Pasadena USD to redesign their teacher education pipeline.

New research from Penn Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education, a part of CTS' California MTSS Research Consortium, reveals the high cost of high school non-completion, absenteeism & discipline. Investing in MTSS can boost student success & reduce economic burdens: tinyurl.com/5y76cfma.

At #AERA2025, CTS’ Joseph Bishop, Michael Corral, and Angela James joined scholars from the UK’s Excluded Lives Project to present a powerful session on exclusionary school discipline across the US and UK. They called for better data, cross-sector policy, and humane discipline practices.

CTS’s Joseph Bishop & Stanley L. Johnson Jr. shared why CS education must center social, cultural & emotional development #AERA2025. Teachers who build relationships and affirm identities help students thrive in STEM. #STEMIdentity #SELinSTEM #EquityInEducation #UCLACTS

In our new policy brief, we find that most policies for HMY focus on single systems without addressing students’ interconnected needs that require cross-sector support. We call for integrated, preventative, and proactive solutions. Read the report at tinyurl.com/tyzn5v4v

Former CTS California Educator Diversity Project Director Kai Mathews and CTS Researchers Erika Yagi and Hui Huang presented “Nooks & Crannies: How Community Colleges Can Contribute to California’s Educator Workforce” at AERA. #AERA2025 #UCLAatAERA #AERA25

How are we creating space for students to build relationships with one another? Charon Green, Social Justice Manager for Para Los Niños, explains during our REACH Network convening how students need shared opportunities to learn with and from each other and foster community, empathy, and growth.

Tyrone and Jaleel Howard share in an ASCD article how schools can help Black students thrive. They highlight 5 practices from two standout schools: 🔹Ecosystems of support 🔹Culturally responsive curriculum 🔹Affirming Black identity 🔹Family engagement 🔹Believing educators Read at tinyurl.com/3r2xxs3u