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The article discusses an effort to end middle school Algebra 1 classes in San Francisco, California public schools in order to stop putting students on separate tracks. Topics include racial and socioeconomic disparities in U.S. math education, efforts to allow high school students to take advanced math courses, and political pressure related to math curriculum decisions in San Francisco.

The article presents information on U.S. court case Vergara v. California, which focuses on the job protections of teachers in California. The author looks at the Los Angeles County Superior Court lawsuit, California Governor Jerry Brown, state Superintendent Tom Torlakson, and the California state education department. The article also discusses teacher-evaluation systems, teacher tenure, and the equal-protection rights of students.

The article reports that California's Instructional Quality Commission has adopted several K-8 history and social studies textbooks that highlight LGBT people as part of implementing the state's 2011 FAIR Education Act.

The article discusses the difficulties facing California school districts and teachers implementing the state's Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful Education (FAIR) Act, which requires California students to be instructed on the societal and historical contributions of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, in addition to people with disabilities.

The article discusses changes proposed for the California State Teachers' Retirement Plan (calSTRS) by U.S. Governor Jerry Brown. Topics include Governor Brown's plans to replenish the teachers' pension fund within 32 years, the concerns of the California School Boards Association regarding the state's education funding, and how the changes effect the state financial plan the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).

The article discusses three lawsuits in California filed from 2010-2012 which attempt to overhaul access to good instruction by revamping teacher quality requirements. The lawsuits are "Reed v. California," "Doe v. Deasy," and "Vergara v. California." Topics include comments by Gloria Romero of the California chapter of the Democrats for Education Reform (DFER), the cases' foundation on student rights issues, and the Students Matter nonprofit organization started by David F. Welch.

The article discusses the teacher evaluation system in the Lucia Mar school district in California called the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) school reform initiative. The author comments on the program's inclusion of a mentoring system and a performance-based pay incentive. Topics include superintendent Jim Hogeboom's application for a federal Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant and the relationship between Hogeboom and Lucia Mar Unified Teachers Association president Lloyd Walzer.

The article reports that the advocacy group Students Matter has brought a lawsuit against several school districts in California challenging collective bargaining agreements with teachers that specify that student test scores may not be used in teacher evaluations, and cites California law.

The article discusses appeals by California teachers' unions in the case Vergara v. California regarding state laws on teacher quality in relation to teacher tenure, due process, and teacher layoffs.

The article discusses California state legislators' efforts to reform teacher dismissal policy in California through the enactment of the state's bill SB 843.

The article discusses a California state law approved in August 2013 which allows teacher education programs to offer up to two years of formal preparation, an increase of the previous one-year restriction. Information is provided on California's near-elimination of an undergraduate teaching degree in 1970 and requirements for a yearlong postbaccalaureate program that included pedagogical skills and student-teaching. Comments from Linda Darling-Hammond of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing are included.