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A staggering 59% of our third grade students in Sonoma County are not reading proficiently. Learning to read by third grade is crucial; it marks the transition from learning to read to reading to learn. If a fourth grader does not know how to read at grade level, they will struggle to keep up with their peers in other subjects, including history, science and math. Literacy is everything. A literate third grader is four times more likely to graduate from high school. Third gra

DONNA GRETHEN / Tribune Content Agency By Amie Carter | Amie Carter is Sonoma County superintendent of schools. and Contributed Content PUBLISHED: September 23, 2024 at 12:02 AM PDT Over the past couple weeks, Sonoma County’s schools and law enforcement agencies have been experiencing heightened emotion and anxiety around school safety. As we grieve for the families and friends of those lost in the Georgia school shooting on Sept. 4, our thoughts naturally turn to whether som

The game is up. The streets took me in at 12 years old. Older homies introduced me to a lil something called a drill — a sorry sight. Back-to-back bending blocks. — anonymous author When poetry teacher Pamela Michael walks into her classroom at the Juvenile Justice Center on Rancho Los Guilicos Road in Santa Rosa, things look different from the other classrooms where she’s taught for decades. In this room, as Michael describes it, all students are dressed the same in county-i

Classroom discussion — the free exchange of ideas among three or more people — is one of the most powerful tools in education. Research shows it deepens learning and promotes mental well-being by fostering social connection. Yet meaningful discussions remain rare and brief. As schools increasingly integrate artificial intelligence, we must ask: Will AI enhance or diminish students’ opportunities to engage in face-to-face conversations? The history of education yields two valu

I ran for Sonoma County superintendent of schools because I believe every child — no matter their background — deserves access to a safe, supportive and equitable education. Schools have a moral responsibility to create inclusive environments that protect vulnerable students, foster a sense of belonging and guarantee access to quality education as a pathway to success. This is especially true in times of uncertainty and fear. For the next four years, our nation will be led by

Across Sonoma County, we’re seeing an important shift in how we educate students with disabilities. For decades, many of our county’s most vulnerable learners — those with moderate to severe disabilities — were served in specialized classrooms operated by the Sonoma County Office of Education. These programs were built with care, staffed by dedicated professionals and provided vital support for students and families. But today, more students who receive special education serv

by Matthew S. Bajko , Assistant Editor Wednesday, May 7, 2025 At a time when LGBTQ students are being targeted by the Trump White House...