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 How Water Justice Groups View Groundwater Sustainability Planning By Caitrin Chappelle Oct 20, 2020 Groundwater overdraft has caused domestic wells to go dry in the San Joaquin Valley. Environmental justice experts explain flaws in groundwater planning in light of this problem.
blog post COVID-19 Further Disrupts Testing for College Admissions and Placement By Niu Gao, Olga Rodriguez Sep 16, 2020 As the pandemic continues to cause major shifts in the educational landscape, California’s public colleges and universities are exploring how new admissions and placement approaches might promote equity and access.
blog post Affirmative Action and Higher Education in California By Radhika Mehlotra, Bonnie Brooks Sep 3, 2020 A November ballot measure asks Californians whether or not to repeal the state’s ban on affirmative action in the public sector, including in public higher education.
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 Counting California: Challenges for the 2020 Census By Sarah Bohn, Eric McGhee, Lynette Ubois Mar 23, 2020 California has worked hard in preparing for the census and has invested deeply to meet the high-stakes challenge of counting every resident. A House seat and the allocation of billions in federal funds are on the line.
blog post Video: Fiscal Challenges of Declining Enrollment in California Schools By Mary Severance Mar 5, 2020 PPIC researcher Paul Warren outlines a new report on projected declines in K–12 enrollment over the next decade, and a panel of experts offers state and local perspectives.
blog post Making Progress on Connecting Student Data across California By Jacob Jackson Jan 28, 2020 A broad range of stakeholders, including PPIC, are working to create a system for linking data across the state’s public education institutions.
Report California’s Future: Political Landscape By Eric McGhee, Dean Bonner Jan 2, 2020 Most Californians support Democratic policies, but one-party control carries risks—and the demographic differences between voters and nonvoters reflect a growing economic divide.
Report What Happens When Colleges Broaden Access to Transfer-Level Courses? Evidence from California’s Community Colleges By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson Oct 7, 2019 California community colleges that have significantly expanded access to transfer-level courses—important steps toward degrees and transfers to four-year schools—have seen increased student success, particularly in English. Prompted by a new law (AB 705), placement and curricular reforms are now being enacted system-wide; it will be important to monitor their impact.
