Report Achievement in California’s Public Schools: What Do Test Scores Tell Us? By Paul Warren, Julien Lafortune Jul 10, 2019 California’s student test scores show significant progress in English—but they also show stalled gains in math and persistent income achievement gaps. State actions to improve math instruction and support struggling districts could help boost student performance.
Report The Impact of Expanding Public Preschool on Child Poverty in California By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman Jun 17, 2019 High-quality preschool has many benefits, such as promoting early skill development in young children and supporting work among parents. More investments in public preschool could also help reduce child poverty by subsidizing an important family expense.
Report Preparing for California’s Next Recession By Patrick Murphy, Jennifer Paluch, Radhika Mehlotra May 29, 2019 California is enjoying one of the longest growth periods in history and appears well-prepared to endure a mild economic downturn. But a more severe crisis would exhaust current reserves, decrease school funding, and open a significant budget gap for several years. What steps can the state be taking to prepare for and minimize these outcomes?
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Alyssa Dykman, Rachel Lawler Apr 24, 2019 Key findings from the current survey include most Californians say charter schools are an important option for parents in low-income areas—but many express concern that charters divert funding from traditional public schools. More than half of residents across regions say teacher salaries in their community are too low. Majorities support Governor Newsom’s spending plans to expand preschool and full-day kindergarten.
Fact Sheet Public Preschools in California By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman Apr 22, 2019 Most parents of young children work, but public preschool programs are fragmented and currently unable to serve all who are eligible. Improvements will require a multipronged approach.
Report Academic Progress for English Learners: The Role of School Language Environment and Course Placement in Grades 6-12 By Laura Hill, Julian Betts, Megan Hopkins, Magaly Lavadenz ... Jan 23, 2019 English Learners in middle and high school come from a variety of backgrounds and face unique challenges. The school’s language environment and course placement practices are two factors that may affect their academic and linguistic progress.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Alyssa Dykman, Lunna Lopes Dec 12, 2018 Key findings from the current survey: Four in ten Californians approve of Governor-Elect Newsom’s plans and priorities; half say they want him to take a different policy direction from Governor Brown. Majorities see new state spending on universal health coverage and free community college as high priorities; fewer prioritize high-speed rail. Californians view jobs and the economy as the most important priority for the state’s future; many believe that children will be worse off than their parents.
Report Modernizing California’s Education Data System By Jacob Jackson, Kevin Cook Nov 28, 2018 Unlike most other states, California lacks a data system that can follow students from K–12 schools to college and into the workforce. Linking data across sectors would help policymakers and educational leaders promote student success and institutional effectiveness.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Higher Education By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lunna Lopes, Alyssa Dykman Nov 14, 2018 Key findings: Most Californians think public higher education should be a high priority for the next governor; many are ready for a change in policies. A majority see affordability as a big problem and are concerned about students at public colleges and universities taking on too much debt.More than half say the level of state funding for higher education is inadequate; many think a state spending guarantee for the California State University and University of California systems is a good idea.
Report California’s K–12 Test Scores: What Can the Available Data Tell Us? By Paul Warren Jun 25, 2018 California’s K–12 system relies on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) English and mathematics tests to measure student academic progress and assess school and district performance. This report uses publicly available data to explore trends in student performance during the first three years this test has been in place.
