News Briefs | FYI
June 9, 2025
Visalia USD celebrated their very own eighth-grader Sarvadnya Kadam (pictured fourth from right) on his first day back to school following his incredible achievement of earning 2nd place at the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
Spelling Bee finalist welcomed home
Visalia Unified School District, alongside the staff and students of Oak Grove Elementary, celebrated their very own eighth-grader Sarvadnya Kadam on his first day back to school following his incredible achievement of earning 2nd place at the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
The morning assembly was filled with pride and excitement, featuring heartfelt remarks from Superintendent Kirk Shrum, Principal Travis Hambleton, Sarvadnya’s teachers, and his proud parents. Sarvadnya himself also addressed the crowd, sharing his reflections and gratitude. During the assembly, Principal Hambleton presented Sarvadnya with two special medals from the Scripps National Spelling Bee organization. The celebration concluded with the entire student body joining in Oak Grove’s spirited cheer: “Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue!”
“Sarvadnya’s success is a powerful example of what’s possible when a student’s passion is met with strong support from teachers, families, and the community,” said Superintendent Shrum. “We also know that when students are connected to at least one school activity, they are much more likely to succeed.”
CDE: Student enrollment data shows decline is slowing
The California Department of Education has released 2024–25 school enrollment data showing there are 5,806,221 students in the state’s public schools, a slight decrease of .54 percent from the previous year.
While the overall decrease in school enrollment compared to pre-pandemic levels continues to be a source of strain on public schools, the decline in public school enrollment has begun to slow, according to a news release from CDE.
The release says new initiatives such as transitional kindergarten show significant growth and signs of promise as local educational agencies work to reengage families, especially as California’s families experience increased economic hardship.
“The overall slowing enrollment decline is encouraging and reflects the hard work of our LEAs across the state,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, in a news release. “While we have more work to do, the dramatic growth in TK is inspiring and shows that providing rigorous and quality programs can be a key ingredient to bringing more families back to our schools. One of our initiatives in this area is expansion of Dual-Language Immersion programs as a strategy to drive future enrollment growth by providing school programs that are in high demand from California’s families.”
Though the change from the prior school year is minimal, the difference between current year enrollment and pre-pandemic enrollment in 2019-20 — 356,780 students — remains significant.
The most significant trend in California’s 2024–25 school enrollment data reflects an increased demand for specific education initiatives, such as TK.
Even as overall enrollment has fallen, TK enrollment continues to boom, with a year-over-year increase of 17.2 percent. The number of LEAs offering TK at all school sites has increased to 85 percent, and as TK expansion creates more spaces in state preschool, enrollment of three-year-olds in state preschool continues to rise. Overall, more and more families are taking advantage of public opportunities for early learning.
This growth in preschool and TK shows that directly responding to California families’ enthusiasm for specific educational initiatives is a strong path to reengaging families in schools.
District receives national award for family engagement podcast
Lynwood Unified School District has been honored with a prestigious Publications and Digital Media Excellence Award from the National School Public Relations Association for its groundbreaking video podcast, Beyond the Classroom. The national recognition underscores the district’s commitment to innovative storytelling and its increasing impact on school communications nationwide.
Led by Student Services Director Dr. Maribel Martinez, Beyond the Classroom promotes mental health awareness and family engagement through meaningful conversations on topics such as substance use, the effects of social media, anxiety and resilience — equipping families with the tools and insights to support their children’s well-being.
“I’m extremely honored to receive this recognition, but more importantly, I’m proud of the work we’re doing to reach our families in new and meaningful ways,” Martinez said. “Even if just one person feels seen, supported or empowered because of an episode, then we’ve made a difference, and that’s what this is all about.”
The weekly podcast, which has released over 20 episodes since its January debut, is produced by Firebaugh High School seniors and Student Services interns Rodrigo Ayala and Jonathan Franco. The duo has created each episode with care and intention, with their creative contributions helping to bring the project to life, making it a relatable, accessible resource for the community.
The award highlighted the podcast’s inaugural episode, The Importance of Mental Health, for its high-quality content and thoughtful approach to supporting students and families. The podcast features guests who work directly with families at school sites, including licensed clinical social workers and social-emotional learning specialists.
“This award is a reflection of the heart and creativity our team, which includes our talented students, pours into every episode,” Superintendent Dr. Gudiel R. Crosthwaite, said in a news release. “Beyond the Classroom exemplifies our District’s dedication to uplifting families and providing meaningful support, and we are incredibly proud to see this work celebrated on a national stage.”
Lynwood Unified will be recognized at the NSPRA’s national seminar in Washington, DC, on July 20. The last podcast episode of the school year will be available on YouTube (@beyondtheclassroom_lusd) on June 18.
Bill would limit presence of ICE agents on school campuses
Amid growing fear and tension among immigrant families and advocates nationwide, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has presented a bill, Senate Bill 48, that will limit the presence of ICE agents on school campuses.
SB 48, authored by Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-33), is sponsored by Thurmond to address safety concerns of immigrant families and protect school funding that is projected to decline in some parts of the state as attendance is suppressed as undocumented individuals fear deportation consequences at school. The bill is in direct protest to President Donald Trump’s threats to lead mass deportation efforts at schools and houses of worship.
“We know that the fearmongering happening across our nation has disruptive impacts on children in our immigrant families, and it could cost California schools millions of dollars,” Thurmond said in a news release. California is one of a handful of states that still uses an average daily attendance system for attributing funding or the loss of funding to schools.
Approximately half of all students in California are members of immigrant families, in which at least one parent is an immigrant. One in five students in California live in mixed-status families, in which one or more parents are undocumented.
“All California children deserve safe school environments that prioritize student learning, regardless of immigration status,” said Gonzalez, in a news release. “As Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, I’m proud to be partnering with Superintendent Tony Thurmond to author this important legislation, which will prevent disruptions to student learning, keep children in school, and prevent families from being torn apart.”
Thurmond has called on federal policymakers to create a path to citizenship where undocumented immigrants, who are estimated to generate billions in state revenue through earnings, can take on hard-to-fill jobs and pay into the tax system.
FYI
Apply for ACSA Academy scholarships by July 14
ACSA offers scholarship funding for participation in ACSA’s Academy program exclusively to members with financial need. Eight $500 scholarships and one $1,000 scholarship (superintendents only) will be awarded to recipients selected by the Academy Scholarship Selection Committee. Eligible scholarship recipients are regular ACSA members who have a commitment to educational quality, student achievement and professional growth, and who can demonstrate a financial need. Applications must be submitted electronically by July 14. Visit www.acsa.org/academies for complete scholarship application information.
Free, virtual course for LEAs on high-impact tutoring
High-impact tutoring is one of the most effective ways to help students catch up — especially those who are furthest behind. Research shows it boosts learning, builds student confidence, increases engagement and reduces absenteeism. But only 37 percent of schools nationwide are using this strategy. With state and federal funding available, a free, virtual course just for California local education agencies will be held this fall to help you design, implement and fund high-impact tutoring in your schools. This initiative is led by Results for America, National Student Support Accelerator and the Center for Outcomes Based Contracting, in collaboration with the California State Board of Education, Department of Education Expanded Learning Division, and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. To be part of this opportunity, sign up at results4america.org/a-solutions-sprint-to-accelerate-student-learning. Applications are due Aug. 20.