All California Kids Want for Christmas Is a Tutor

Forget Naughty or Nice, Every Student Should Get the Gift of Academic Support This Holiday Season

Tutor us, Santa baby.

And don’t bother bringing Californians another four lords-a-leaping or eight swans-a-swimming, St. Nick. What we need this year are nearly 5.9 million tutors—one for each and every one of our public school students.

Because you could fill a giant sack with all the research showing that one-on-one tutoring is students’ best bet for playing academic catch-up, which is needed more than ever right now.

St. Nick: Most of our kids, both the nice and the naughty, would need a team of flying reindeer to get back to grade level …

by Joe Mathews | December 6, 2022

More In: Connecting California

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My Missed Connection Riding the L.A. Metro

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by Joe Mathews | November 15, 2022

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California Should’ve Called the Whole Election Off

November Ballots Are Predictable and Chock Full of Stuff We Don’t Care About. They Don’t Have to Be

by Joe Mathews | November 8, 2022

Question: What would Californians have lost if we had canceled the election that concludes November 8?

Answer: Nothing. We might even be better off.

Our fall elections have become unnecessary at best, …

How California Became Flush With Gambling | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Why Gambling Can’t Really Lose in California

Indian Tribes and Online Gaming Companies Have Two Big Measures on the Ballot—But They’ve Already Hit the Jackpot

by Joe Mathews | November 1, 2022

You can’t miss the brand-new casino on Highway 99 in the southern Sacramento suburb of Elk Grove. It’s the size of a Costco, with the look of a new mall, …