Across the country, low pay, costly rents and tight housing markets put many teachers just a few steps away from Wall's situation—especially those new to the profession and earning starting salaries. The housing struggles teachers face have become such a crisis that many school districts are trying to solve it by building apartments teachers can afford.

Under a proposal in the state legislature, public schools across California would no longer be allowed to serve foods that contain certain substances, including some artificial dyes commonly found in snacks.

"It's a perfect setup," Waterford Graded School District Superintendent Tony Spence says. "It's not just an outreach to members of the community who are already in the schools, it's an outreach to those who are beyond."

While students with learning disabilities and English language learners often have interventions targeted to their individual needs, it's not uncommon for schools to take a one-size-fits-all approach to academic growth and instruction.