Search Results for: natalie hanson

Chico Unified eyes some declining test scores

photo courtesy of state Department of Education
Almost 53 percent of Chico Unified students met or surpassed the standard for English Language Arts testing in the 2023-24 school year.

Test scores in English are on the rise at some Chico Unified School District (CUSD) elementary schools, but there was an overall decline in English and math at 16 of the district’s 22 schools, including the two high schools.

An analysis of state and national test scores shows the average student remains half a grade level behind pre-pandemic achievement in both reading and math.

CUSD, as a whole, is following that trend.

Schools showing the most progress in both English and math were McManus, Citrus, Chapman, Little Chico Creek and Hooker Oak elementary schools, said Tim Cariss, CUSD director of assessment and accountability. For example, Hooker Oak and Little Chico Creek improved their math scores during the 2023-24 academic year by 16.6 and 9.8 points, respectively. McManus students are still below the state standard in English testing, but they made the most growth by improving 17.6 points last year. read more

President’s executive orders endanger LGBTQ people

photo by Leslie Layton
A Stonewall Alliance Chico flier circulates during this Black History Month seeking support for queer and trans people of color.

LGBTQ advocates from Chico and beyond say that the Trump Administration’s jump to “criminalize and erase” transgender people will worsen an ongoing rise of hate and violence toward a marginalized community.

Stonewall Alliance Chico, a nonprofit that has served LGBTQ people for decades, told ChicoSol in a statement that Trump’s anti-trans campaign — recognizing only “biological men and women” — is the latest in an “ongoing wave” of policies attempting to erase the transgender and gender non-conforming community. read more

Teisha Hase, a “child advocate,” assumes trustee seat

Editor’s note: Gayle Olsen and Teisha Hase joined the Chico Unified School District (CUSD) board this month after winning seats in the Nov. 5 General Election. Read our Q-and-A with Olsen here and our Q-and-A with Hase below. Read our sidebar on policy under the Trump Administration here.

Longtime English and reading educator Teisha Hase is taking her dedication to students to the next level as she assumes her seat on the CUSD board representing Trustee Area 3. read more

New Chico Unified board member prepares for challenges

photo courtesy of Gayle Olsen

Editor’s note: Gayle Olsen and Teisha Hase joined the Chico Unified School District’s (CUSD) school board this month after winning seats in the Nov. 5 General Election. This Q-and-A with Olsen is the first story in a two-part series. And read our sidebar on what policy under the Trump Administration could look like here.

Gayle Olsen is no stranger to the challenge of fighting for resources for the most vulnerable students.

Now that she’s won the race for a seat on the board in Trustee Area 2, she said she’s ready to leverage that experience to fight for many more students. read more

Future of federal Education Department unclear

by Natalie Hanson
posted Jan. 12

A second Trump presidency has spooked many public education advocates, but some say the administration may face resistance if the president pushes drastic changes like dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.

According to education experts assembled in an Ethnic Media Services panel in December, the American education system may become a battleground for significant policy changes attacking federal support for the most vulnerable students, including LGBTQ+, immigrant and low-income students. Pedro Noguera, dean of the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education, said the Trump Administration may target federal funding to schools as punishment for the use of inclusive instructional materials or diversity programs. read more

Safe Space works to overcome hurdles to intake

photo by Karen Laslo
Safe Space volunteers checked in people who needed shelter during an intake held near the municipal center last winter.

The nonprofit organization Safe Space is working to get emergency night-time sheltering available by Christmas Day as unhoused people struggle with this week’s downpour.

Forecasts were indicating that up to 10 inches of rain were possible in Chico between today and the end of the week, as well as localized flooding. Safe Space Executive Director Hilary Crosby said outreach teams were on the streets handing out tarps and making sure homeless community members “knew about the storm coming through.” read more