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Video: Californians and Education

By Mary Severance

Researchers Deja Thomas and Dean Bonner discuss key findings from the latest PPIC Statewide Survey, which examines Californians’ views on the quality of K–12 public education, school funding and resources, and state officials’ handling of the K–12 system.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education

By Mark Baldassare, Jennifer Paluch, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek

Some findings of the current survey:

  • Most Californians today (80%) believe the quality of the state’s K-12 education system is at least somewhat of a problem, with about half (52%) calling it a big problem.
  • Forty-four percent of blacks say the quality of education has worsened in the past two years compared to just 28 percent of whites, 21 percent of Latinos, and 20 percent of Asians.
  • Most state residents (78%) would prefer to see local, rather than state, decision-making when it comes to allocating school resources—specifically, teachers (34%) and local school districts (31%).

This is the 76th PPIC Statewide Survey and the sixth in a three-year survey series funded by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation focusing on education, environment, and population issues.

Statewide Survey

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education

By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha

Some findings of the current survey:

  • A strong majority of Californians favor Governor Brown’s K–12 funding proposal, which would direct extra money to lower-income and English Learner students.
  • Most Californians believe that targeting funds in this way will improve the academic achievement of disadvantaged students.
  • An overwhelming majority also favor giving local school districts more flexibility over how state money is spent.

Job Approval Ratings:
Governor Brown [PDF]
California State Legislature [PDF]

Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings:
Governor Brown [XLS]
California State Legislature [XLS]

This survey was supported with funding from The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, The Silver Giving Foundation, and the Stuart Foundation.

Report

The Changing Role of Education in the California Labor Market

By Julian Betts

It has been well-documented that the economic returns to education—that is, the wage gains associated with additional schooling—have risen dramatically in the United States since the late 1970s. In this study, the author examines the extent to which trends in California reflect those of the nation. This report examines:

  • Changes in the educational composition of California's workforce between 1970 and 1997 and how these changes compare with those in the rest of the nation.
  • The extent to which California's postsecondary education sector met the demand for skilled workers between 1970 and 1990.
  • The overall trend in the wage premium earned by college graduates, as well as the trends for high school graduates and those with less than 12 years of schooling.
  • How these trends varied across industrial and regional sectors in California and between native Californians, natives from elsewhere, and immigrants.

Report

District Spending of One-Time Funds for Educational Recovery

By Julien Lafortune, Laura Hill, Niu Gao, Joseph Herrera ...

To address COVID-19 disruptions to education, federal and state programs directed billions in stimulus aid to K–12 schools. These programs allocated greater funding to lower-income and high-need districts—and California districts applied their early funds to health, safety, and technology. More recently, spending has prioritized learning recovery.

blog post

Video: Modernizing California’s Education Data System

By Mary Severance

With new state leadership about to take over in Sacramento, the time may be right for an integrated data system that can help policymakers, educators, and students monitor educational progress and outcomes.

blog post

Video: The Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education

By Mary Severance

PPIC researcher Maria Fay presents findings on how the pandemic has affected California schools’ progress in implementing science education standards, and an expert panel discusses how the state can support equitable investments in science literacy moving forward.

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