Prairie View A&M University Receives Historic $63 Million Gift from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott

Largest donation in PVAMU’s 149-year history will fuel excellence, endowment and university’s strategic plan. PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas, Nov. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) announced today that it has received a transformational $63 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the largest single donation in the university’s 149-year history. University logo (PRNewsfoto/Prairie…

13-Year-Old Black Author & Illustrator

Nationwide — At just 13 years old, Saadiq Stevens is capturing the hearts of readers nationwide with his vibrant imagination, meaningful messages, and dedication to representing all children in literature. The Ridgeland, South Carolina native has already written and illustrated three engaging children’s books, each bursting with creativity and purpose. Saadiq’s works range from playful…

State Superintendent Thurmond Convenes Statewide AI in Education Workgroup for Public Schools 

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted the first meeting today of the Public Schools: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Workgroup at the California Department of Education (CDE) Headquarters in Sacramento. Established after last year’s passage of Senate Bill 1288, a bill authored by Senator Josh Becker (13th District) and sponsored by Superintendent Thurmond, the workgroup marks…

Trump’s Admissions Data Order Threatens to Roll Back Decades of Hard-Fought Progress

EdTrust warns directive will weaponize transparency to attack diversity and equity in higher education  WASHINGTON — Wil Del Pilar, Ph.D., senior vice president of EdTrust, issued the following statement in response to the presidential memorandum Ensuring Transparency in Higher Education Admissions: “For generations, students of color were systematically shut out of America’s colleges and universities,…

EdTrust Applauds the Senators’ Pushback Against the Great American Heist

Bipartisan Education Funding Bill Rejects Trump’s Plan to Dismantle Public Education  Statement from Denise Forte, president and CEO of EdTrust WASHINGTON – “The Great American Heist — the largest transfer of wealth in U.S. history — has overshadowed the return of students to our nation’s classrooms. However, we received welcome news yesterday, when the Senate…

Statement from EdTrust Vice President Allison Socol on the Release of Withheld Federal Education Funds

“This is a win for students, but the Great American Heist isn’t over.” WASHINGTON – “The Trump administration’s announcement that it will release more than $5 billion in previously — and illegally — withheld education funding is a major victory for students, families, and advocates across the country. This comes on the heels of the…

Statement from EdTrust Vice President Allison Socol on the Release of Withheld Federal Education Funds

“This is a win for students, but the Great American Heist isn’t over.” WASHINGTON – “The Trump administration’s announcement that it will release more than $5 billion in previously — and illegally — withheld education funding is a major victory for students, families, and advocates across the country. This comes on the heels of the…

AB 1454 Advances Through Senate Education Committee With Unanimous Vote of Approval, Moving Closer to Evidence-Based ReadingInstruction in Every California Classroom

SACRAMENTO, CA – In another significant milestone for California’s students, AB 1454 was approved today by the Senate Education Committee with a 7-0 vote, advancing the evidence-based literacy instruction bill one step closer to a full Senate vote. The Senate Education Committee’s 7-0 vote of approval demonstrates continued legislative consensus around the urgent need to…

Black Educator’s College Planning Program Seeks Sponsors

Nationwide — Educator, author, and college planning activist, Mychal Wynn, founded the Georgia-based Foundation for Ensuring Access and Equity College Planning Cohort program in 2006 to expand college, career, and scholarship opportunities for students from under-resourced backgrounds and marginalized communities. Wynn recounts, “In 2006, when my wife and I were appointed as Education Ministry Leaders…

American Historical Association Condemns Targeting of Foreign Scholars 

Washington, DC — The American Historical Association has released a statement condemning “policies and practices that target international scholars.” The AHA deplores “the atmosphere of fear and repression created by the harassment of foreign-born students and scholars by government agencies.” “International scholars are an integral part of the community of historians represented by the American…

4-Year-Old Autistic Black Girl Left on School Bus For 7 Hours in Extreme Heat

Nationwide — An African American family from Dallas, Texas is demanding answers after their 4-year-old daughter, Araiya Pruitt, who has autism and is nonverbal, was left alone on her school bus for nearly seven hours. Her parents, Robert and Keturah, are deeply concerned about the failure of the Dallas Independent School District to protect their…

State Superintendent Thurmond Calls For Restrictions On Cell Phone Use In Schools 

Thurmond commends many districts for starting the year with cell phone-free classrooms, encourages more to join statewide effort supporting students’ wellness, safety, and academic achievement by restricting phones.  SACRAMENTO – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today called for local educational agencies (LEAs) to join California’s statewide effort to restrict students’ cell phone use…

SBCUSD Board Of Education Honors Outstanding Individuals

April Outstanding Achievement Awards Recognize District Students, Parents and Staff SAN BERNARDINO, CA—In April, the Board of Education presented the Outstanding Achievement Awards to students, parents and staff of Mt. Vernon and Muscoy Elementary Schools, M.L. King Jr. Middle School and San Andreas High School. The Board recognizes Outstanding Student Award winners to honor excellence…

Inland Empire Community Foundation Appoints Torie Weiston-Serdan, PhD as Education Equity Program Officer

Riverside, CA – Michelle Decker, CEO of Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF), has appointed Torie Weiston-Serdan, PhD as its new Education Equity Program Officer. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Weiston-Serdan joining us at IECF. She brings a wealth of experience to advancing educational opportunities for all students in our region,” Decker. “At a time…

California submits proposal to increase federal financial aid access for more community college students

What you need to know: From California’s Master Plan for Career Education, to the community colleges’ Guided Pathways framework and dual enrollment strategies, the state is increasing higher education and workforce opportunities for more Californians. SACRAMENTO – In line with the goals of California’s developing Master Plan for Career Education, Governor Gavin Newsom and California…

Statewide Award for Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District

The Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District has been recognized as the 2024 Organization of the Year by the Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education (AEOE), Ten Strands, and the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI): https://aeoe.org/news/13358474 . One-hundred guests celebrated the award, along with the career of retiring Public Affairs Manager Diana Ruiz on Sunday, May 19….

California’s 2024 Enrollment Data Reflects Doubled Growth for Earliest Learners as Overall Decline Slows 

SACRAMENTO—On Thursday, May 16, the California Department of Education (CDE) released annual enrollment data for the 2023–24 school year, which showed a continued, though slowing, decrease in overall enrollment.   Significant bright spots include a doubling of enrollment in transitional kindergarten (TK) over the last two years, from 75,465 in 2021–22 to 151,491 in 2023–24.   …

Vote-by-mail ballots for the June 4, 2024, Temecula Valley Unified School District, Trustee Area 4, Special Recall Election on the way to voters 

The Riverside County Registrar of Voters Office have sent approximately 21,600 vote-by-mail ballots for the June 4, 2024, Temecula Valley Unified School District, Trustee Area 4, Special Recall Election, to the U.S. Postal Service today. Submission Deadline: To ensure inclusion in the final tally, completed vote-by-mail ballots must be received at the Registrar of Voters…

The Lenserf Group Launches Emotional Intelligence Academy for HBCU Interns

PHILADELPHIA, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — This week marks the launch of The Lenserf Group’s pioneering “Exceed Your Potential Academy” for over 20 student interns from six Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This innovative, employer-sponsored program offers an 8-week virtual course in emotional intelligence, accountability, and growth mindset, specifically tailored to prepare interns for…

 Black-Owned College Prep School With 100% Graduation Rate Continues to Make History

Nationwide — The Wilson Academy, a Black-owned College Prep School based in the Atlanta area known for its unique academic approach and consistently high-performing students, is making history again. The school hosted its first-ever Legacy Leaders Gala on March 23, 2023, at 7:30pm to celebrate community leaders and raise funds to support students like Sodiq…

Aguilar Announces 2021 Art Competition for Inland Empire Students

San Bernardino, CA—Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar announced that his office will once again participate in the Congressional Art Competition, an annual showcase of art from high school students from across the country. The competition allows high school students in every congressional district to submit works of art to their local Congressional offices. The chosen winner…