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 Private Schools Dominate the Approval Process for Reopening By Niu Gao, Joseph Hayes Sep 23, 2020 The state has approved waivers allowing more than 500 elementary schools to open in counties with the highest level of COVID-19 risk, with private schools accounting for more than nine in ten.
blog post Providing Meals for School Children as COVID-19 Persists By Niu Gao, Caroline Danielson Sep 9, 2020 The US Department of Agriculture recently announced that it would continue to waive certain restrictions on school meals for the rest of 2020. This extends a key support for many California children, regardless of whether they are in school or learning remotely.
blog post Students Prepare for AP Exams during COVID-19 By Niu Gao Apr 30, 2020 Students who are less economically advantaged and those with special educational needs could face challenges in preparing for and taking AP tests this year.
blog post How COVID-19 Closures May Disrupt Student Learning By Julien Lafortune Apr 2, 2020 It appears increasingly likely that California’s K-12 schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year. What could this mean for student learning? And what might be done to reduce the negative effects?
blog post COVID-19 Shutdown Forces Colleges to Ramp up Online Learning By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Kevin Cook Mar 30, 2020 As higher education in California moves online, the state’s prior experience with distance learning points to effective practices, as well as certain challenges, in helping students succeed.
blog post COVID-19 and California’s Census Count By Eric McGhee Mar 24, 2020 With the census just underway, how might the challenges presented by COVID-19 affect California’s ability to ensure a complete count?
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.
blog post How Are School Districts Spending Their LCFF Dollars? By Julien Lafortune Sep 11, 2019 Six years after California revamped K-12 school funding, a PPIC study looks at how effectively dollars are being targeted to the highest-need students.
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.
