Welcome to our blog.
The DisruptEd Blog contains original analyses, commentary, and “on the ground” stories of students, parents, educators, and advocates all over the state striving to advance equity in education. It chronicles our efforts and those of partners and friends working toward the shared goal of making educational justice a reality.
California’s TK-12 Funding Pressures Are Pushing Districts to the Brink. And There Are Solutions That Can Help.
Behind every budget line item in a school district’s budget is a child who wants to learn. A teacher who drove two hours to afford rent.
To Deliver on Dual Enrollment’s Promise, California Must Act Now
I’m the Director of Higher Education Policy at EdTrust-West, leading a dedicated higher education team committed to advancing policies that support students of color experiencing poverty.
California Invested in Golden State Pathways. Now It Must Govern Implementation with Intention
California Invested in Golden State Pathways. Now It Must Govern Implementation with Intention April 1, 2026 Christopher J. Nellum, Ph.D.Executive Director, EdTrust-West Anne StantonPresident and CEO,
5 Things to Know About the Proposed California State Budget for 2026-27
Governor Newsom’s proposed 2026-27 state budget includes several key initiatives that will impact California’s education landscape. Here are five important things to know about the governor’s
Inside the SPI Race: Highlights from EdTrust‑West’s LA Candidate Forum
As the director of EdTrust-West’s work in the Greater Los Angeles region, I had the privilege of joining more than 120 parents, educators, students, and community
Advocacy Works: Kicking Off a Collective Celebration of 25 Years of Courageous Advocacy
Over the holiday season, at one of the celebrations I attended, someone asked me what I do for work. I said, “Social impact and education advocacy.”
The Rainbow Road: Strengthening Dual Enrollment Pathways for Queer and Trans Students’ Postsecondary Success
EdTrust-West is committed to uplifting original research on the intersectional experiences of students across race, income, gender, and language, to advance policies and practices that dismantle
The 2025 Student Parent Summit: Momentum in Action
If there’s one thing I know as a parent, it’s how fast growth can happen. Just a few years ago, we at EdTrust-West were focused on
TK and Black families: What an #EdEquityForum Session Should Teach Us About TK Outreach
As a longtime advocate and TK-12 Policy Director at EdTrust-West, I looked forward to the Advancing Equity in Transitional Kindergarten for Black Families session at the
Time to Act: A California Commission on Black Education Transformation
Black Minds Matter 2025: Building Bright Black Futures, is a wakeup call for California. It highlights how, even in 2025, Black students are still being denied
California Owes a Debt to Black Youth
As a Black education justice advocate for the last 10 years, the amount of apathy and resignation that education leaders, decision-makers, and even my fellow advocates
The Proposed 2025-26 California State Budget: 4 Things to Know
It’s that time again, when California state leaders propose investments that impact our state’s schools and colleges for the year to come. EdTrust-West and our partner
Q&A Blog with Niambi Clay, EdTrust-West’s Director of Educator Engagement
Niambi Clay has over 30 years of experience creating thriving educational conditions for all students. She has been a classroom teacher, district administrator, COO of a
2025: 5 Things on My Mind
Somehow, we are already a few weeks into a new year, and already getting regular reminders in the news about what an uphill battle racial equity
Myth-Busting Four Common Misconceptions about Remedial Calculus at California Community Colleges
Who gets placed in which courses and whether they succeed as a result is a major educational and racial equity issue for California’s community college students.
Shedding Light on California’s Multilingual Learners in the Cradle-to-Career Data System
One out of every five students in California schools is currently an English Learner, also referred to as a multilingual learner (MLL). Despite progress in recent
What’s Next for Math and Multilingual Learners in California Schools
After years of planning, the State Board of Education adopted the California Math Framework in July 2023. The Framework isn’t a mandate but does provide evidence-backed
Grateful, Inspired, and Courageous: Reflections on the #EdEquityForum2024
When we closed out the Education Equity Forum just two short weeks ago, the EdTrust-West team huddled in the Marriott for one last Forum task –
Reflecting on the power of advocacy
Many people fortunate enough to take some type of parental leave wrestle with returning to work and reflect deeply on whether the thing we spend most
Big Potential: California’s New Master Plan for Career Education
Despite living in an era where an almost-incalculable amount of information is available at the entering of a smartphone passcode, any high school or college student
California is on the Cusp of Having the Data Needed to Better Recruit and Retain Teachers of Color
Sometimes measuring impact is tough, but when it comes to a diverse educator workforce, the benefits are clear. Research shows that when students of color are
Championing Student Parent Success in the Cradle-to-Career Data System
Juggling coursework and family can be a lot, as Dia, a parenting student at Los Angeles Pierce College, knows all too well. Dia was hired as
5 things advocates should know about California’s 2024-25 state budget proposal(s) and process
Each year, California state leaders spend months proposing and refining the state’s budget, making decisions about programs and resources that directly impact students, schools, and colleges.
Redefining Teacher Quality to Recruit and Retain the #TeachersWeNeed
As California’s students and families of color grapple with the aftermath of remote learning and their disproportionately negative learning outcomes attributed to lost instructional time and
Money Matters: Prioritizing Equity and Opportunity for Students of Color in the 2023-24 California Budget
At The EdTrust—West, we’re dedicated to a more equitable California for the students who have been systematically shut out from opportunity. To make our educational systems
Appreciating California State University’s Efforts To Elevate Black Excellence
In 2017, EdTrust–West released the first in our “Hear My Voice” series of reports, looking at how K-12 districts, higher education institutions, and state leaders could
Q&A: Getting to Know Rachel Ruffalo, EdTrust–West’s Senior Director, Strategic Advocacy
Question: You’ve been with EdTrust–West since 2017, but were just named Senior Director, Strategic Advocacy. What excites you about this new role? This is an exciting
Seen, Heard, Reflected: Diversifying the Health Professions
Why We Need Physicians and Dentists of Color In Seen, Heard, Reflected: A Look Into CA’s Teacher of Color Shortage report, we shed light on the
Money Matters: Prioritizing Equity and Opportunity for Students in the California Budget Proposal
At The EdTrust—West (EdTrust—West), we’re dedicated to a more equitable California for the students who have been systematically shut out from opportunity. We understand that to
Little kids, big priorities: what we’re focused on in early learning and care
With over two million children under the age of five in California, the state’s recent investments in early learning programs were met by many advocates with
Do Black Minds Matter in California today?
In February, we watched education leaders, politicians, and advocates host Black History Month events and laud the historical contributions of Black communities and Black Californians, as
We’re still missing something: shining a light on student parents
A few months back, I heard a story that I can’t get out of my head. Kevin, a young man working on his bachelor’s degree, was
Getting to Know EdTrust–West’s new Director of Southern California Partnerships and Engagement, Dr. Mayra A. Lara
I became familiar with EdTrust—West earlier in my career, and I remember coming across reports from the organization that were notably more accessible and action-oriented than
Looking Back at My New Year’s Resolutions for California’s Educational Equity Resolutions
As The EdTrust–West releases Moving Forward Together: A Policy Agenda for Racial Equity in California Education Systems in 2023, a list of what we’ll be advocating
Ed Equity Forum 2022: Why the Only Way Forward is Together
As is the case with many of you, I choose the events I go to these days carefully. I’m worried about the risks associated with the
Accomplishments – Equity Alert: Time to Close the Loopholes in Remedial Education at Community Colleges
In February 2022, The EdTrust—West authored Equity Alert: Time to Close the Loopholes in Remedial Education at Community Colleges that outlined and addressed the three most significant
Meet the 2022 Educator Advisory Council!
We are excited to announce the EdTrust–West’s 2022-23 Educator Advisory Council (EAC)! We were honored to receive over 50 applications from talented and passionate educators. Below,
A Closer Look at Governor Newsom’s Final 2022 Budget
Schools, colleges, and universities have just celebrated their alumni’s accomplishments with graduation ceremonies across the state. And here at The EdTrust–West, we are also celebrating the
A Closer Look at Governor Newsom’s Revised 2022 Budget Proposal
At The EdTrust-West (EdTrust), we’re dedicated to a more equitable California for the students who have been systematically shut out from opportunity. We understand that changing
Math Matters for California: 5 Key Equity Principles for Updating California’s Math Framework
Like other states, California has a set of curriculum frameworks that provide guidance to educators on teaching different subjects. These updates help ensure that our teachers
Education Equity Audits: A 20-year legacy of moving districts closer to equity
The EdTrust–West (ETW) is celebrating 20 years of fierce advocacy toward education justice, and our Educational Equity Audits (EEAs) are one of our most lasting
Meet the 2021 Educator Advisory Council!
We are excited to announce the EdTrust–West’s 2021-22 Educator Advisory Council (EAC) and reintroduce our inaugural cohort! We were honored to receive over 50 applications from
Charting a New Path Forward on Dual Enrollment Access
Since Covid-19 shuttered classrooms and campuses 18 months ago, we at The EdTrust–West have lived by a consistent mantra: while we miss much of pre-pandemic life,
The EdTrust–West Announces Dr. Christopher J. Nellum As Our Next Executive Director
Today, EdTrust-West named me as its next executive director. I’ve been touched and humbled by the congratulations and support I’ve gotten so far, but nothing compares
The Financial Aid Ecosystem that Will Truly Support California Students
When Rodrigo Velaz was in high school, he had big dreams of going to college, but he knew one of his biggest obstacles would be the
Eliminate Remedial Courses: Implement AB 705 and EO 1110
When Beatriz Espinoza enrolled in her California Community College (CCC), she was placed in remedial English courses, which pushed back her timeline for transferring to a
Connecting Linguistic and Academic Development in California’s Revised Mathematics Framework
U.S. schools primarily define English learners (ELs) by their emerging bilingualism. This is understandable, given that federal law requires that schools identify these students based upon
Showing Appreciation Through Our Words and Our Actions
When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered school buildings and campuses across the state and nation in March 2020, The EdTrust–West (ETW) turned to our educator community to hear their perspectives. We held
A Closer Look at Governor Newsom’s Budget Proposal: Early Childhood
Editor’s note: This is the third of a three-part series in which our experts delve into the details of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s January budget proposal.
A Closer Look at Gov. Newsom’s Budget Proposal: Kindergarten through High School (K-12)
Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part series, in which our experts delve into the details of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s January budget proposal.
What Proposition 16 Means for Higher Education in California
Voters are heading to the polls in droves, not only to elect the next president, but in California, to decide on Proposition 16. This would remove
Prop 16: A Generational Opportunity for K-12 Educational Justice
In the last several months, converging crises have rocked our country. Among them, police killings have forced the country to wrestle with the question of whether
Math, Equity, and English Learners in California
Too often, schools and educators treat English learners (ELs) as students in waiting — learners whose academic development cannot seriously be engaged or advanced until their
