Brandy Frakes, an elementary school teacher at the Aspire University Charter School in Modesto, is tackling one of the greatest challenges facing educators: building support among bewildered parents ...

Last year, only 34.5 percent of city students in grades 3 to 8 passed the math exams, and 29.4 percent passed in reading and writing. Overall, officials said, the scores inched up slightly from the ...