Today’s newsletter is presented by Harriet Tubman Village Charter School.
Hello, La Mesa!
A long time ago, Labor Day Weekend coincided with the start of school. But today’s students have been in school for over a month– something San Diego Unified School District said prevents summer learning loss. Still, I dedicated this newsletter to some of the major education trends affecting local students.
- Late start times can boost grades. In 2022, California banned middle schools from starting earlier than 8 a.m., and high schools from 8:30 a.m. A new study shows the law is having positive effects, with more students, especially boys, getting eight hours of sleep per night. That has knock on effects, like improved mental health and higher English and math test scores.
- Preschools take a hit from free transitional kindergarten. Last year, California unveiled free universal transitional kindergarten for all 4-year-olds. It was a boon for parents when childcare costs can rival that of housing. But now private preschools are grappling with the loss in 4-year-old students, who are cheaper and easier to care for than younger toddlers. Those private preschools are advertising smaller class sizes, pivoting to serve younger kids or closing up permanently.
- Upcoming bond measures focused on infrastructure. La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and Grossmont-Cuyamaca College District both have bond measures on the November ballot that would fund facility improvements, like replacing aging buildings or making campuses fire safe. Grossmont Union High School District is not putting a new bond measure on the ballot, so property tax rates will drop in the district as the bond rate expires.
- SNAP cuts could impact free school meals. The nutrition assistance program SNAP was one of the federal aid programs cut last summer. When a school has enough enrolled families on SNAP, the school automatically receives federal funds for free breakfasts and lunches for all students. Unsurprisingly, students concentrate better in class when they aren’t hungry. Officials are raising the alarm that kicking 1 million Americans off SNAP could have trickle-down effects for schools qualifying for free meals. California is one of nine states that offers free meals for any student, but funding that could be trickier as federal funds dry up due to SNAP enrollment. For this year, the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District urged students to enroll in the program.
Drew Sitton
La Mesa Courier newsletter host
La Mesa story spotlight
Do later school start times help California students? Here’s what new study says
By Vani Sanganeria • EdSource
California’s 2022 law mandating later school start times has led to improvements in sleep, mental health and academic achievement for students, according to new research.
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