blog post How Did California Schools Assess Student Learning in Fall 2020? By Niu Gao, Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune Mar 10, 2021 K–12 school districts used a variety of tools this past fall to measure student learning, with assessments developed locally—by teachers or districts—being the most common.
Report Does Raising High School Graduation Requirements Improve Student Outcomes? By Niu Gao Feb 23, 2021 The shift to distance learning during the COVID-19 crisis exacerbated inequities in California’s K–12 system, adding urgency to an ongoing discussion about the role of high school graduation policy in improving student outcomes. This report shows that more-rigorous graduation requirements can have a positive and equitable impact on college readiness.
Report Surveying the Landscape of California’s English Learner Reclassification Policy By Laura Hill, Andrew Lee, Joseph Hayes Feb 10, 2021 Measuring the progress of English Learners grew more complex after California schools switched to online learning, as some tools to assess students became unavailable. This report shares results from our survey of district policies and offers recommendations for standardizing reclassification criteria.
blog post New Laws Address Water Affordability and Wildfire Risks By Henry McCann, Gokce Sencan Nov 16, 2020 The pandemic and recession forced tough decisions in Sacramento this year. Despite challenging circumstances, several high-priority bills covering safe drinking water and wildfire risk reduction were enacted.
blog post Without Testing, Challenges for School Districts Add Up By Laura Hill May 11, 2020 The lack of statewide K–12 standardized tests this spring will pose significant difficulties for teachers and districts when schools ultimately reopen.
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.
Report English Learner Trajectories and Reclassification By Julian Betts, Laura Hill, Karen Bachofer, Joseph Hayes ... Sep 23, 2019 Nearly 40% of California’s K–12 students are current or former English Learners, and California is now standardizing the policies that will define English proficiency across the state. Los Angeles and San Diego have taken two different, but largely effective, approaches.
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.
blog post Video: English as a Second Language in California Community Colleges By Mary Severance May 2, 2019 PPIC researcher Bonnie Brooks presents findings from a new report on ESL in community colleges, and an expert panel discusses how campuses across the state are taking steps to strengthen their ESL programs.
Report English as a Second Language in California’s Community Colleges By Olga Rodriguez, Sarah Bohn, Laura Hill, Bonnie Brooks Apr 29, 2019 English language proficiency can facilitate social and economic mobility for non-native speakers—and California’s community colleges are key providers of ESL education. Now that a new law is motivating colleges across the state to reexamine their ESL programs, we need a better understanding of ESL students and the policies that help them succeed.
