Andy Thorburn

10/08/2026

Why the recent California charter school bankruptcy is a rare move:

While Highlands Community Charter School recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, formal bankruptcy filings are actually rare for public charter schools.

Experts note that Highlands' recent filing is a highly unusual tactical move used to pause a $180+ million repayment demand from the state and halt a pending shutdown.

Most struggling charter schools dissolve quietly or face charter revocation by their authorizing school districts, rather than entering a courtroom.

A state audit last year faulted the Sacramento County Office of Education and CDE for insufficient follow-through on earlier findings. The state is expected to release the results of an audit reviewing the Orange County Board of Education including its charter school approval process. Stay tuned.



Supporters of Public Education-OC Public School Defenders Hub WAVE

10/07/2026

📢 Big updates are coming to California classrooms! 🎒✨

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a new package of education laws aimed at boosting student success across the state. Here is what you need to know about two major changes heading to K-12 schools:

• Early Math Screening: Schools will now require early skill assessments for students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade to catch learning gaps early and provide targeted support. 📊🔢

• Streamlined English Learner Reclassification: New guidelines will simplify the fluency reclassification process, helping English Learners transition more smoothly and access advanced coursework faster. 🗣️🌍

These updates represent a significant shift toward early intervention and reducing bureaucratic barriers for California students.

Supporters of Public Education-OC WAVE Public School Defenders Hub

10/06/2026

Help strengthen your local public schools!

Join a free, interactive training developed by attorneys for volunteer school board observers. Gain the tools to advocate for accurate, inclusive education and hold local boards accountable.

You’ll learn how to:

Understand key California Education Code requirements.
Push back against harmful extremist actions.
Prepare for and participate effectively in school board meetings.
Recognize board responsibilities under the Brown Act.
File and escalate complaints when boards fail to comply with the law.

Sign up and turn your concern into action!

https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/1007982/



Supporters of Public Education-OC Wound Walk OC

Free interactive, attorney-authored training for active volunteer observers What You’ll learn: -Key state Education Code requirements of school boards to ensure accurate, inclusive education for all students -How you can help reduce the proliferation of detrimental extremist local acti...

10/05/2026

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." — Henry Adams

World Teachers' Day 2026 is celebrated today marking the 60th anniversary of the landmark 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.

10/02/2026

“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” ―Joseph Brodsky. Thank you to our coalition partner WAVE for hosting this important event.

Next Saturday, 10/10, take action to protect our freedom to read. Then, head out to knock doors or drop lit in Tustin to re-elect Letitia Clark for Mayor and two school board trustees who value our freedom to read! Dr. Letitia Clark Lynn Davis, School Trustee Jonathan Abelove Public School Defenders Hub

10/01/2026

Explore Academy charter school is now closed but should it have ever opened?

What's striking is that Orange County Department of Education staff recommended denying the school's charter in 2021, citing concerns that the proposal did not demonstrate an ability to meet the legal standards for a countywide charter and identifying multiple deficiencies in the petition.

Are public education decisions guided by independent analysis? What role, if any, do advocacy networks, campaign support and long standing professional relationships play?

When education officials override expert recommendations, they owe the public a clear explanation—and accountability for the outcome.

Students, families and taxpayers deserve transparency and answers.



Supporters of Public Education-OC Public School Defenders Hub WAVE

09/30/2026

“School choice” sounds like freedom. But freedom for whom—and access for which children?

Choice can help integrate schools when programs are designed to bring students together. Without those safeguards, it can deepen divisions by race and income. UCLA’s Civil Rights Project found greater racial segregation in charter schools than in magnet schools within the same districts.

A choice on paper means little if a family cannot get its child to school, navigate enrollment or afford costs a voucher does not cover. When access depends on a parent’s resources, “choice” can become a sorting system.

09/29/2026

California’s community colleges are making an ambitious push to prepare students for an AI-driven future.

The system, serving 2.1 million students across 116 colleges, is seeking nearly $200 million in the 2027–28 state budget for technology upgrades, faculty training and AI tools to support teaching and student services.

The state legislature and the governor will be weighing the request but the goal is to ensure students at every college—including those in districts with fewer resources—have access to AI education and workforce preparation.

Faculty and students are calling for safeguards to protect privacy, educators’ work and meaningful learning.

How California balances innovation, equity and accountability could shape the future of public higher education.



Supporters of Public Education-OC Public School Defenders Hub WAVE

09/28/2026

California’s community colleges are no longer just a stepping stone to a four-year university.

The largest higher education system in the country is undergoing its biggest mission shift in decades. Driven by new state laws allowing expanded bachelor’s degree offerings and an aggressive $195 million push for AI equity, community colleges are evolving into regional economic powerhouses.

The New Reality: Four-Year Degrees At Home: Landmark legislation allows campuses to offer bachelor’s degrees tailored to local workplace demands—even if traditional universities nearby offer similar programs.

AI & Tech Infrastructure: Instead of just teaching basic computer literacy, a massive budget request aims to embed supercomputing and AI career tracking into every district.

Built for Place-Bound Students: The focus has shifted to helping adults, low-income students, and working professionals graduate with high-earning degrees without the crushing cost of moving to a university campus.

While the evolution faces friction over funding duplication and data privacy, one thing is clear: the path to a lucrative career is changing.


Supporters of Public Education-OC Public School Defenders Hub WAVE

09/25/2026

Barack Obama: "We should choose to treat our diversity as a strength, a source of boundless innovation, and a powerful engine for economic and social growth—something that the Hispanic community has demonstrated for generations."