Lasherica Thornton
LightNews LightNews
banner
lashericat.bsky.social
Lasherica Thornton
@lashericat.bsky.social
160 followers 450 following 110 posts
Covering Central Valley education for @EdSource.org 👩🏾‍💻 Experience from @FresnoBee.bsky.social Ed Lab & others 🗞️

Mother ♥️ ΔΣΘ 🐘 Alum @OleMiss.bsky.social
Posts Replies Media Videos
lashericat.bsky.social
The community college faculty at State Center give no confidence vote in chancellor, who is set to retire. Even though she plans to retire in September, faculty are calling for her removal.

edsource.org/updates/comm... via @edsource.org
UPDATE: Community college faculty give no confidence vote in chancellor
The latest education news updates from EdSource.
edsource.org
November 17, 2025 at 7:32 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Carole Goldsmith, the chancellor of the State Center Community College District in the Central Valley, will retire next year.

edsource.org/updates/chan... via @edsource.org
UPDATE: Chancellor of community college district set to retire next year
The latest education news updates from EdSource.
edsource.org
November 13, 2025 at 11:40 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Improve Your Tomorrow, a mentoring program for young men of color, is one of many @calvolunteers.bsky.social programs that depend on federal @americorps.bsky.social funds.

Listen 🎧 @edsource.org's podcast about how programs have adapted to funding uncertainty.

edsource.org/podcast/a-me...
PODCAST: A mentorship program fights for survival under the Trump administration
Many mentoring and tutoring programs in K-12 schools rely partially on federal grants through AmeriCorps — funding that President Donald Trump has proposed entirely eliminating.
edsource.org
November 13, 2025 at 9:34 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Congress voted to end the government shutdown, but the fallout could be lengthy, school leaders say.

edsource.org/2025/governm... via @edsource.org
Fallout from shutdown could be lengthy, school leaders say
Even though the shutdown is ending, it is unclear how long it will take for funding to flow and for employees to resume their usual activities.
edsource.org
November 13, 2025 at 1:52 AM
lashericat.bsky.social
Most Fresno County districts are pursuing a waiver not to fund teachers’ salaries with at least 55% of their budgets.

edsource.org/updates/most... via @edsource.org
UPDATE: Most Fresno County districts seek waiver to limit teacher pay spending
The latest education news updates from EdSource.
edsource.org
November 7, 2025 at 12:25 AM
lashericat.bsky.social
A Golden Charter Academy parent said the school told him he’d have to sign a nondisclosure agreement, or NDA, to view the curriculum.

edsource.org/updates/fres... via @edsource.org
UPDATE: Fresno Unified trustee accused of intimidating charter school parent
The latest education news updates from EdSource.
edsource.org
November 6, 2025 at 10:24 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Some of California's @americorps.bsky.social programs have struggled through funding uncertainties; others have shut down.

edsource.org/2025/americo... via @edsource.org
‘Fewer children are able to thrive’: California AmeriCorps programs adapt to funding uncertainty
Due to federal funding disruptions and a Trump administration proposal to eliminate AmeriCorps, programs are establishing contingency plans, fundraising, or in some cases, closing.
edsource.org
November 5, 2025 at 10:09 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Election Day yesterday was quite busy. So ICYMI, listen 🎧 to me & KVPR talk about the engaging learning environment that Sanger Unified teachers are creating for students, leading to improvement that outpaces statewide growth.

www.kvpr.org/podcast/cent...
Nov. 4: How This Valley School District Is Turning Around Student Test Scores
School districts are in an upward climb to get student engagement and test scores back to pre-pandemic levels. Sanger Unified in Fresno County has historically struggled with test scores, but is now o...
www.kvpr.org
November 5, 2025 at 6:59 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Schools scramble to respond to SNAP food crisis, including community schools in Fresno Unified that are serving as emergency food distribution centers and pantries.

edsource.org/2025/trump-a... via @edsource.org
‘Everyone is scrambling’: School communities respond to SNAP food crisis
California schools, families, community organizations and students have been mobilizing to help those affected by delays in SNAP. They are raising funds, soliciting food donations and coordinating wit...
edsource.org
November 4, 2025 at 4:17 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Using about $150,000 of state arts funding, Clovis Unified created an interactive farm exhibit for preschoolers to engage in dramatic play - a form of arts education - and receive music and theater education.

edsource.org/2025/clovis-... via @edsource.org
Clovis Unified preschool program gets creative with state arts funding
Clovis Unified is using $150,000 of state arts funding to provide arts, music and theater education to preschool students through an interactive farm exhibit.
edsource.org
November 3, 2025 at 11:42 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Fresno Unified, the state’s third-largest school district, issued checks worth $2.2 million to someone pretending to be the district’s largest construction contractor.

edsource.org/updates/fres... via @edsource.org
UPDATE: Fresno Unified scammed out of $2.2M by contractor imposter
The latest education news updates from EdSource.
edsource.org
October 30, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Reposted by Lasherica Thornton
edsource.org
Ethnic studies was supposed to be required for all California high schoolers — starting now.

But the mandate stalled after Gov. Gavin Newsom left it out of the state budget.

Some students have ethnic studies. Others don’t. Here’s why.

Read more: bit.ly/3WMgxKK
October 23, 2025 at 4:08 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
For now, California has no formal way of determining transitional kindergartners’ English proficiency, which means schools miss out on federal and state funding for English learners.

edsource.org/2025/califor... via @zstavely.bsky.social @edsource.org
California rethinks how to identify 4-year-olds who need extra help learning English
The challenge is that children at this age are still developing language skills. In the past, students would sometimes cry and put their heads down on the desk during tests.
edsource.org
October 28, 2025 at 5:40 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Engaged and balanced instruction - where “student talk” is key and writing is in all subjects - is how Sanger schools outpace statewide growth.

edsource.org/2025/sanger-... via @edsource.org
Sanger Unified’s yearslong achievement tied to engaging instruction, focus on student growth
Engaged and balanced instruction, where “student talk” is key and writing is in all subjects, is how Sanger Unified schools outpace statewide growth.
edsource.org
October 22, 2025 at 6:46 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
With the ethnic studies mandate stalled, California school districts are figuring out what to do: make the class optional, require it, or pause rollout? Stockton Unified & Fresno Unified will continue requiring the course, for example.

edsource.org/2025/what-is... via @edsource.org
What is happening to ethnic studies in California?
After years of debate and millions in state funding, a required high school ethnic studies course remains stalled.
edsource.org
October 21, 2025 at 6:38 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
With the goal to develop the whole child, academically, socially, and personally, Fresno’s Golden Charter Academy offers daily zoo visits, hands-on learning experiences in the community, and student-centered approaches to learning. 

edsource.org/2025/hands-o... via @edsource.org
Fresno’s Golden Charter Academy blends academics and nature-based learning
The school has earned a reputation for empowering students through community-based projects and student-centered approaches.
edsource.org
October 17, 2025 at 9:07 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Based on test scores from the 2024-25 school year, Fresno Unified students are inching closer to pre-pandemic proficiency.

edsource.org/updates/fres... via @edsource.org
UPDATE: Fresno Unified student test scores near pre-pandemic levels
The latest education news updates from EdSource.
edsource.org
October 2, 2025 at 5:29 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
The elimination of Clovis Unified's non-union teachers group, which had operated for decades, seems to have paved the way for either a CTA-backed or independent group to unionize educators.

Listen 🎧 as I discuss the topic with KVPR.

www.kvpr.org/podcast/cent...
Clovis Unified teachers face choice between CTA-backed or independent union
Two competing groups continue to ask Clovis Unified teachers to form a union — something they've operated without for the past 60 years.
edsource.org
October 1, 2025 at 11:34 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
ICYMI: Some California school districts are backing a U.S. Supreme Court case to bar transgender athletes from girls sports.

edsource.org/updates/some... via @edsource.org
UPDATE: Some state districts back U.S. Supreme Court case to bar transgender athletes
The latest education news updates from EdSource.
edsource.org
October 1, 2025 at 5:43 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
A Stockton Unified board member who was removed from her position after a felony conviction was also charged with but acquitted of embezzlement and misuse of public funds — charges her attorneys say were in retaliation for whistleblowing.

edsource.org/updates/stoc... via @edsource.org
UPDATE: Stockton Unified board member, whistleblower in district case, removed from board after felony conviction
The latest education news updates from EdSource.
edsource.org
September 26, 2025 at 6:35 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
The rule change would have applied to about 300 universities and 80 school districts that receive Energy Department funds.

edsource.org/updates/trum... via @edsource.org
UPDATE: Trump administration drops proposal to undo Title IX protections
The latest education news updates from EdSource.
edsource.org
September 24, 2025 at 6:08 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
Two competing groups continue to ask Clovis Unified teachers to form a union — something they've operated without for the past 65 years.

edsource.org/2025/clovis-... via @edsource.org
Clovis Unified teachers face choice between CTA-backed or independent union
Two competing groups continue to ask Clovis Unified teachers to form a union — something they've operated without for the past 60 years.
edsource.org
September 24, 2025 at 1:05 AM
lashericat.bsky.social
A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit against Fresno Unified's Black student support program, saying the allegations were generalized and speculative, not specific. 

edsource.org/updates/judg... via @edsource.org
UPDATE: Judge dismisses lawsuit against Fresno Unified’s Black student program
The latest education news updates from EdSource.
edsource.org
September 23, 2025 at 2:12 AM
lashericat.bsky.social
ICYMI: More 4-year-olds across California are entering transitional kindergarten (TK) this year. But some aren’t fully potty-trained, posing an unexpected challenge for schools.

Read more here:
edsource.org/2025/potty-t... via @edsource.org
‘Can you come wipe me?’: Younger 4-year-olds pose new challenges for TK
Teachers and aides face new challenges as 4-year-olds not fully potty-trained enroll in transitional kindergarten.
edsource.org
September 4, 2025 at 6:33 PM
lashericat.bsky.social
TK, Head Start, preschool and more: Many factors go into a family’s decision on which program best suits their 4-year-old’s and family’s needs. 

edsource.org/2025/tk-head... via @edsource.org
TK, Head Start, preschool and more: What’s the difference?
Families with 4-year-old children have several options for a prekindergarten experience that will prepare their kids for kindergarten at 5 years of age.
edsource.org
September 3, 2025 at 6:51 PM