California

"For years, the Legislature has made it clear to public universities that enrolling and graduating more California students - especially low-income students of color - is a priority for the state. But it has never attached those values to actual funding."

"Local educators are pushing to expand and enrich preschools for low-income children this year after budget cuts have left Ventura County serving only half of eligible kids. A group of 100 parents, teachers and county officials met Thursday afternoon at an El Rio preschool to discuss the problem and what's being done to help."

"Gov. Jerry Brown has thrown down a gauntlet to California legislators, challenging them to dramatically change the way schools are funded -- by giving more new money to districts with a high percentage of low-income and English learners than to other districts."

"A solid majority of Californians support Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to direct more funds to poor school districts and those with large enrollments of students learning English, according to a new poll."

"With support and guidance from Students Rising Above, a local nonprofit, these Bay Area youth are now in college. But for many low-income and minority students who have had suffered trauma as children, financial aid and good grades aren't the biggest challenges. College means they can escape their situation, but it also means leaving behind siblings, friends and family who are still stuck in cycles of violence, drugs and poverty."

"An educational advocacy group released its third annual District Report Cards on Wednesday, showing that half the largest unified districts in the Bay Area improved in their efforts to educate low-income students and those who are African-American or Latino."