Tyrone Howard published his 2024 AERA Presidential Address. The piece calls on education leaders to confront the historical roots of racism, examine how it shapes today’s systems, & disrupt the routines that continue to reproduce inequity in education. Learn more at tinyurl.com/yydpcuzu

This month’s Community Schools Research Library resource: CTS’s 2025-26 CA Educator Diversity Funding Guide, outlining nearly $300 million in funding opportunities that support educator diversity. Explore the full guide and our library at tinyurl.com/53cmxcm5

A new EdWeek interview with Kathy Do highlights findings from our new study evidencing why cellphone restrictions alone are not enough, and why schools must also support students in building healthy digital habits. Read the full interview and explore our research brief at linktr.ee/Transformsch...

School counselors help students build confidence and explore new possibilities. They bring training in college and career guidance, mental health awareness, and early identification of student needs. Watch our video on Livingston USD’s counseling program: tinyurl.com/2usx4ppp

In 2025, CTS advanced research and partnerships rooted in equity, care, and community leadership. We uplifted student and educator voices and supported more just, joyful schools. Wishing you rest, reflection, and a bright start to the new year. 💛💙

How can community schools use suspension data to build more equitable & restorative discipline practices? Our new REACH Network brief finds that overall suspension rates haven’t changed much between 2017-2024 w/ persistent racial disparities, despite recent legislation to reduce punitive discipline.

Livingston USD recognized a growing need for stronger access to school counseling and mental health support. With LCFF resources, the district expanded its counseling team and placed a counselor in every building. Watch our YouTube video & download the case study: linktr.ee/Transformsch...

CTS staff shared how storytelling, visualization, & humanizing practices help translate research into action with the @uclaseis.bsky.social community. Centering student & family voices, using equitable language, & strong visuals helps our work reach people who can study, implement, & use this work.

Our recent case study on Livingston was highlighted in an LA Times article and attributes Livingston Union’s gains in attendance, suspensions, & student well-being to its innovative school counseling model. Learn more: linktr.ee/Transformsch...

Looking to better support students' behavioral health? @CAPublicHealth & @ACEsAware launched a new training: “Recognize, Respond, Connect” This free training helps educators and school staff working with grades 7-12 foster safe, accepting and supportive environments.

Students are still carrying the emotional weight of the pandemic. Tyrone Howard and Joseph Bishop explore how educators are responding to these lasting impacts on student mental health and why supporting well-being remains central to recovery. Read the full article at tinyurl.com/4dufd6na

In a new Urban Education article, CTS researchers highlight programs that combine academic rigor, holistic support, and culturally responsive practices to create learning environments where Black students thrive. Get access to the full article at tinyurl.com/4ywyyrjs

Our brief was recently featured in EdSource, which highlights how schools can rethink cellphone use to better support student learning and well-being. The report finds that flexible and collaborative policies help students build healthy digital habits. Read the article at tinyurl.com/2tpy6hhs

Joe Bishop shares 3 takeaways for cellphone policy implementation. Our new brief explores how schools can balance technology use with focus, well-being, and equity. Read the report to explore thoughtful, community-centered policies for today’s classrooms at tinyurl.com/87tpe6nr

Our student homelessness research was recently featured in a Mercury News article about a state audit examining how CA’s public universities are addressing student housing. Read the full article at tinyurl.com/3n4uu27u Explore our student homelessness research at tinyurl.com/87tpe6nr

Meet Ms. Alma Lopez, lead counselor redefining student support in Livingston Union School District. Their counseling model shows how relational, student-centered practices can improve outcomes and transform rural schools. 🎥 tinyurl.com/mw49jb4 📑 tinyurl.com/34v5tutf #SchoolCounselors

This month’s featured article in our Community Schools Research Library highlights insights from CA MTSS Phase II pilot on how integrated supports foster belonging, safety, and equity. These lessons remain vital for community schools. Read the article at tinyurl.com/bd4pr8fk

📱⚖️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