Welcome to the GIA Education Report. With the latest in Southern California education news, I’m Alyssa Silva.   

The Supreme Court will hear a case challenging a 2022 federal rule that streamlined student loan forgiveness for borrowers whose schools closed or engaged in misconduct. The rule aimed to clarify eligibility and allow group claims, but a lower court blocked it, making forgiveness harder to access. While the case moves forward, borrowers can still apply, though no claims are being processed. Payments must continue for now, but successful applicants may qualify for refunds and full discharge once the case is resolved, likely by June 2026.  

In other news, two elementary schools in the San Bernardino City Unified School District are being recognized by the California Department of Education for outstanding achievement. Ramona-Alessandro earned the California Distinguished School Award for the first time, while Palm Avenue earned it for the third time. The award honors schools that are effectively closing achievement gaps and demonstrating strong academic performance, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Eighteen SBCUSD schools have received this award since its inception in 1985.  

On July 1, California will officially retire the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment and replace it with a new literacy performance assessment. The updated test places greater focus on foundational reading skills such as phonics and decoding, and allows teacher candidates to demonstrate their instructional skills through lesson planning, video submissions, and written reflections. The shift aims to reduce entry barriers for new teachers and better align with current evidence-based literacy standards. It’s part of a broader statewide effort to improve reading outcomes, which includes revised teaching expectations and mandatory K–2 reading screenings.  

UC Riverside is moving forward with plans to build a teaching hospital and outpatient center to address the Inland Empire’s physician shortage, one of the most severe in the state. The region has far fewer primary care providers and specialists per capita than the California average. Without its own hospital, UCR’s medical students have completed their training at other facilities, often leaving the area for residencies. The new project will expand access to care, increase residency slots, and help retain physicians trained in the region, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. 

To close this report, we spotlight Jesse Cuba, a senior in A.B. Miller High School’s two-year Career Technical Education aviation program. He recently completed his first solo flight in a Cessna 152 at Cable Airport, just ten hours into training, and is on track to earn his private pilot license this summer. The program combines classroom study, flight simulators, and mechanics instruction, with successful alumni now working as flight instructors and mentors. It’s a standout pathway that equips students with hands-on experience and strong career readiness in aerospace. 

And that’s this week’s GIA Education Report; I’m Alyssa Silva.