Kids may dream of becoming an astronaut, teacher or artist when they grow up. But those dreams are shattered for those caught up in gangs. Research shows kids typically join gangs when they're just 13 years old. Experts say following family members into gangs is common.

Crime is on the rise at San Diego public schools at a time when the school district’s police force might be shrinking.

The San Diego Unified School District might eliminate its own school police department. The district's police chief is fighting back.

A San Diego tax advocate could unseat a 20-year veteran of the San Diego City school board next month. The biggest difference between the two candidates is their personalities.

San Diego taxpayers will decide next month whether they’re willing to pay more for the city’s public schools.

San Diego voters will soon decide who should represent public schools in the northeastern part of the city.

Oceanside is now tied with Escondido in having the most gang injunctions in San Diego County. Gang injunctions ban gang members from congregating in certain areas of a neighborhood.

The largest and most active street gang in Oceanside has been slapped with a gang injunction on Friday. The ban targets 50 of its members.

San Diego Unified school officials say the state's new budget means there will be local teacher layoffs next year.

Critics of the San Diego Unified School District are putting together a ballot measure that could change how the local system is governed. San Diegans for Great Schools is calling for the changes.

School kids headed back to Kelly Elementary School in Carlsbad on Monday. Three days ago an apparently crazed gunman opened fire on students during recess.

As part of our ongoing series, San Diego Gang Stories, KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis tells us how gangs are affecting lives in all corners of the North County.

California Schools Chief Jack O'Connell says some public school districts are taking out loans to make payroll. He says that's one of the results of the budget delay.

Some might consider San Diego's North County to be an area of scenic coastlines, quaint main streets and suburban homes. However, police say underneath that pleasant exterior lies a severe gang problem. As part of the ongoing series, San Diego Gang Stories, KPBS focuses on how gangs are affecting lives in all corners of the North County.

Law enforcement officials arrested more than 50 gang members over the weekend in San Diego County. The sweep reveals a cross-border connection between street gangs and drug cartels.

California's schools chief Jack O'Connell unveiled a new web tool yesterday in San Diego that's being called the “Facebook for teachers.” The program connects teachers outside of the classroom.

State Schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell unveiled a Facebook-like web tool for California teachers today in San Diego. The program is the first of its kind in the country.

There are close to 90 documented gangs in the city of San Diego. More than half of those gangs are in the mid-city and south eastern communities. In the first part of an ongoing KPBS series called San Diego Gang Stories, we focus on how police and residents in these neighborhoods are conducting curfew sweeps to save young lives.

San Diego Unified's teachers union has unexpectedly pulled its support for a school board candidate running in the November election.

Community leaders across San Diego County are coming together on Tuesday to discuss how to break the cycle of gang violence in local neighborhoods. They’re also hoping to bust some stereotypes along the way.

San Diego County schools got their state and federal report cards today. Schools are making progress based on the state's standards. However, they're missing the mark under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Gangs are present in almost every neighborhood in San Diego County -– even those considered safe. How are the roughly 10,000 gang members in San Diego County impacting the community?

School is back in session today across San Diego County. However, it will be a very different kind of academic year.

The official start to a new school year in San Diego County begins next week after Labor Day. This week can be a nerve-wrecking time for many school kids as they think about the year ahead. But many teachers are feeling the same way.

Thousands of Mexican natives migrate to California every year. Most speak Spanish, but others don’t speak Spanish at all. Now San Diego State University will teach the indigenous language of Zapotec, which is spoken by 350,000 people in Mexico.

San Diego State University is suffering from a heat wave. A water main break has left the county's largest university without air-conditioning, and the problem is throwing a wrench in the university's back-to-school preparation.

School reform has been a top-down process in San Diego Unified for a long time. But that’s changing under Superintendent Bill Kowba. School communities will develop and adopt their own strategies for success.

San Diego Unified School Superintendent Bill Kowba rolled out his new plan for the district when classes begin in a couple weeks. His plan involves a team of veteran educators.

More San Diego high school students are passing the state's exit exam. State test results show 80 percent of sophomores in San Diego City schools passed the English portion of the test last year. About 82 percent passed the Math portion.

A new report says controversial reading reforms adopted in San Diego City schools more than a decade ago produced big results in literacy.

San Diego public school students posted big gains on state standardized test scores last year but there remains a persistent achievement gap affecting black students. Educators say despite a better understanding of the disparity, things remain the same.

San Diego County school districts saw improvements in their state standardized tests scores last year despite big budget cuts. Some districts did better than others.

San Diego public school students posted gains on state standardized tests last year, despite a district budget that's been slashed by more than $300 million over the past few years.

State Schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell releases annual state standardized test scores today. Local and state educators say they're trying more this year to help close the persistent achievement gap affecting black students.

The nation's education czar says graduating more Latino students is a key to fixing the country's economy. That’s because more college-educated Latinos will help the nation compete.

The Oceanside Unified School District is saving $2 million next school year by re-tooling teacher health care benefits. The tactic may prompt other school districts to follow suit.

It has been five months since UC San Diego was rocked by a series of racially charged incidents stemming from the so-called "Compton Cookout" party. The university has been trying to repair its image since then. They're hoping a few Compton teenagers may help the school.

The national immigration debate largely focuses on adults. But there are more than five million children living in the U.S. whose parents are here illegally. When those parents are deported, many of those young people are left to fend for themselves.

A group of civic leaders is calling the San Diego Unified School District a "failing school district." The leaders blame a series of leadership changes within the top ranks.

The Calexico Unified School District could lose millions of dollars in state funding. Imperial Valley County education officials question the efforts to teach kids after the Easter earthquake.

The San Diego Unified School Board voted yesterday to place a parcel tax on the November ballot. Supporters hope the measure will save teaching jobs in San Diego.

The San Diego Unified Board of Education will consider today how much it would tax district residents in order to offset several years of state budget cuts. It’s part of a plan for a new parcel tax.

A group of anti-tax advocates in San Diego says a sales tax hike will not restore cuts made to fire service, parks and libraries. They say instead the money will go toward back-filling San Diego's massive pension deficit.

The San Diego Unified Board of Education tapped Bill Kowba to be the district's next school superintendent. The trustees made the announcement during their meeting on Tuesday. Their decision came sooner than expected.

The three finalists competing to be San Diego's school superintendent gave their best pitch for the job on Thursday. They took part in an unprecedented town hall meeting as the district searches for a new leader.

The San Diego Unified School Board revealed the names of three finalists competing to be the district's next superintendent. The announcement came late Wednesday.

The San Diego Unified School Board delayed its decision on picking finalists for the district's top job. The trustees wanted more time to think.

The San Diego Unified school board is expected to reveal the names of the top three finalists to be the district's next superintendent on Tuesday evening. The announcement will be made at district headquarters.

Thousands of San Diego city students rely on their parents or the yellow school bus to get to class. But other students are not so fortunate. They say just finding a way to get to school is the biggest challenge. However, one high school principal is trying to change that.

Most high school students learn about American history by reading textbooks or visiting monuments. However, a group of teenagers at La Jolla Country Day School are learning history from a high school musical.