Policy Brief Policy Brief: Tracking Progress in Community College Access and Success By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Sidronio Jacobo, Fernando Garcia ... Oct 30, 2023 We examine how student outcomes have changed in the years following Assembly Bill 705, which broadened access to transfer-level math and English courses at California’s community colleges.
Report Improving College Pathways in California By Niu Gao, Hans Johnson Nov 27, 2017 Far too many California students are falling off the pathway to and through college. At current rates of high school and college completion, only about 30 percent of California 9th graders will earn a bachelor’s degree, a rate that is insufficient for an economy that increasingly demands more highly educated workers.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Improving College Access and Success through Dual Enrollment By Olga Rodriguez, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Iwunze Ugo, Niu Gao Aug 21, 2023 College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) has become the fastest growing dual enrollment option in California, giving a broad range of students access to dual enrollment and setting more students on the path to college. However, CCAP students are slightly less likely to complete milestones than other dual enrollment students.
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.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Alyssa Dykman Jan 15, 2020 Key findings from the current survey include Sanders (27%), Biden (24%), and Warren (23%) are the frontrunners in California’s Democratic presidential primary; Most Californians say President Trump should be removed from office and disapprove of his handling of the situation with Iran; More than half (53%) of likely voters support a statewide measure to authorize $15 billion in bonds for construction and modernization of public education facilities; 36 percent oppose it and 10 percent are undecided; Californians are most likely to name homelessness as the most important issue for the governor and legislature to address in the coming year.
Report School Finance By Margaret Weston Nov 14, 2012 There is broad consensus that California's school finance system is inequitable, inadequate, and overly complex. In response to these critiques, this year Governor Jerry Brown proposed an overhaul of our school finance system. Also, two initiatives on the November ballot asked voters to increase education funding through tax increases: voters approved Proposition 30, which was integral to the governor's budget plan, and rejected Proposition 38, a citizens' initiative. Despite the passage of Proposition 30, California faces many school finance challenges. This report provides an overview of the state's school finance system and outlines some longstanding school finance issues that may be in play next year.
Report Out-of-School Immigrant Youth By Joseph Hayes, Laura Hill Apr 19, 2007 This report examines a little noticed group of Californians: young immigrants not in school and who receive few if any educational services. The authors also observe the federal Migrant Education Program (MEP), charged with helping this group. Using MEP and census data, the authors find that many out-of-school youth work, left school while quite young, and have very poor spoken English skills. Some are as young as 13, yet work and live without their parents. Many say they want to continue their education. If policymakers are to help this group, the authors say, strategies in addition to traditional education models may be necessary.
Report Family Engagement Practices in California Schools By Rebecca London Jun 13, 2016 In their accountability plans, school districts must address family engagement, which can help improve academic outcomes—especially for disadvantaged students. This report identifies promising family engagement strategies from a review of 15 high-need districts in the state, noting that effective strategies are culturally appropriate and aim to support student learning at home. This research was supported with funding from the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.
Report Student and School Indicators for Youth in California’s Central Valley By Anne Danenberg, Pedro Cerdan, Christopher Jepsen Sep 1, 2002 Twenty percent of California's public-school students attend schools in the Central Valley. Many of these students are at risk of poor educational outcomes: One-quarter of the children in grades K-5 do not speak English or do not speak it well; one-half of all K-12 students participate in a subsidized lunch program. This sourcebook provides a statistical portrait of elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education in the Central Valley. The authors examine trends over time in school resources, course enrollment, and student achievement in the major regions of the Central Valley, comparing trends in these regions to those in the rest of the state.
Report Common Core State Standards in California: Evaluating Local Implementation and Student Outcomes By Niu Gao, Julien Lafortune Sep 25, 2019 California adopted the Common Core State Standards to prepare K–12 students for college and careers—and to narrow longstanding achievement gaps. Most districts have implemented the standards, and student outcomes have improved modestly. But progress has been uneven. State tracking and support could help districts implement the standards successfully.
