Contra Costa Times

Nationwide, parents push for alternative to middle schools: It's an idea as old as the single-room school house: kindergarten-through-eighth-grade schools.

Community colleges nationwide labor under the weight of ill-prepared students. Some colleges estimate that nearly every student is unprepared in math, reading or writing -- or all three.

California's 109 community colleges -- the world's largest college system, with 2.6 million students per year -- have fallen far short of their carefully planned purpose. Money, faltering high schools, a hugely varied student population and changing job markets have undercut success.

Competition for a coveted spot on a UC campus may be a little less fierce next year, as the number of high school graduates begins to shrink.

California parents without teaching credentials can no longer home school their children, according to a recent state appellate court ruling.

UC Berkeley is negotiating a secretive deal with a developing graduate university in Saudi Arabia, raising significant questions about whether the Saudi school will discriminate against women and others.

APARENTly Speaking: The book that helped the Taylor family
Cal freshman Blake Taylor's memoir offers fascinating and ultimately hopeful glimpse into attention-deficit disorder.

The state Legislature today approved immediate cuts of about $1 billion - half of it from school operations outside the classroom - to begin addressing a fiscal emergency declared by Gov. Schwarzenegger.

The University of California received a record number of undergraduate applications for this year's fall term -- perhaps at a time UC can least afford it.

An appeals court has upheld a ruling that the University of California owes $33.8 million to past students whose fees were unfairly raised.

An estimated 280 Deer Valley High School students were temporarily detained Monday after showing up on campus without student photo ID cards.

Early estimates show surprising enrollment spikes at Bay Area's community colleges for the fall term.

The Contra Costa Community College District is cracking down on thousands of current and former students who owe the district $2 million in delinquent payments.

An increasing number of black, Latino and Pacific Islander students are passing the math and English sections of the high school exit exam on their first try sophomore year

Students from the Hayward, Los Angeles and West Contra Costa school districts filed a federal lawsuit today against the U.S. Department of Education over teacher quality rules.