Destination Education

When students at Channel Islands High School in Oxnard head back to school this fall, there will be a friendly new face there to greet them.

Experts say isolation and social media are playing major roles in decreased mental health. When students were isolated during the pandemic, they started spending more time online. And now that they’re back in the classroom – many are experiencing what experts call “COVID regression.”

All 11th-grade History and English honors courses at the school were set to be eliminated.

At Mr. Barrera's Esports class, the 7th graders were completely dialed in, a silent environment teachers from other departments could only dream of.

"For me as a ‘life without inmate,’ it shows that it doesn't matter how much time you are doing or what is going on in your life... you can change and that change is real," said Freddie Hernandez, who serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

The focus of school has long been academics, but more and more educators like Ms. Torres are embracing various studies that help students who struggle to learn when they are overwhelmed by their emotions.

Parents want their child to fulfill their potential and get the best education possible, but for parents of children with special needs, it can feel like a constant battle. For many of these families, the return to in-person learning does not mean a return to normal.

For families of kids with special needs, the return to in-person learning does not mean a return to normal.

FOX 11's Bob DeCastro spoke with a courageous LAUSD transgender student who returned to school for in-person instruction this week for the first time in the pandemic since coming out. Hear her story and learn more about the school district's policies.