Report Funding Formulas for California Schools IV: An Analysis of Governor Brown’s Weighted Pupil Funding Formula, May Budget Revision By Jon Sonstelie, Heather Rose, Margaret Weston May 29, 2012 In May 2012, Governor Brown revised his proposal for a new way to allocate revenue to California’s school districts. This report uses the PPIC School Finance Model to asses this revision. It finds that the proposed changes would lead to less funding for disadvantaged students and reduce the differences in funding gains among districts relative to the January proposal. This research was supported with funding from The Silver Giving Foundation and the Stuart Foundation.
blog post Budget Takes Baby Steps Toward Special Education Reform By Paul Warren Jul 11, 2019 The new California state budget provides substantial new funding for special education while also making changes to the underlying funding model.
At Issue, Report Parcel Taxes for Education in California By Eric McGhee, Margaret Weston Sep 16, 2013 The state legislature is considering a lower passage threshold for the parcel tax, which is one of only a few local revenue-raising options for California school districts. A lower threshold would increase the passage rate, but would it encourage a greater number of districts to put parcel taxes on the ballot? This report contextualizes the proposal and assesses its potential impact on school funding. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
event Targeted K–12 Funding and Student Outcomes Oct 7, 2021 As students return to the classroom, record-high funding through the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) will help California districts address gaps after a year of remote learning. PPIC researcher Julien Lafortune will present findings from a new report that examines school and district spending against trends in student outcomes, offering insight into whether the LCFF is meeting its goal of improving equity in education.
blog post Governor Proposes Minor Changes to K-12 Funding Levels By Paul Warren May 14, 2014 Under the governor’s plan, schools would receive about $8,800 for each student—an increase of $780 from 2013–14.
Report California School District Revenue and Student Poverty: Moving Toward a Weighted Pupil Funding Formula By Heather Rose, Margaret Weston Feb 21, 2013 Governor Brown has proposed a new funding system—known as a weighted pupil formula—that would direct more revenue to California school districts serving many economically disadvantaged students. This report examines the relationship between funding and student disadvantage and addresses questions about converting the current school finance system to a weighted pupil formula. We gratefully acknowledge the support of The Silver Giving Foundation and the Stuart Foundation.
Report Special Education Finance in California By Laura Hill, Patrick Murphy, Paul Warren, Iwunze Ugo Nov 28, 2016 California's extensive special education system is costly and complex. By giving districts greater flexibility over special education funding, the state can strengthen transparency, accountability, and local control. This research was supported with funding from the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation and the Stuart Foundation.
blog post Trouble Ahead for Local School Ballot Measures? By Mark Baldassare May 1, 2014 There are undercurrents in our new survey that spell trouble ahead for local school ballot measures. In short, the public’s sense that schools are in crisis has diminished.
At Issue, Report School Finance Reform By Margaret Weston Nov 10, 2010 California’s school finance system is widely believed to be inequitable, inadequately funded, and overly complex. But the state can significantly improve the way it funds public schools by making small investments over time. This report provides an overview of the system’s current challenges, offers five straightforward principles for reform, and outlines a new direction for the state’s school finance system. This report was supported with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
