Report School Finance By Margaret Weston Nov 14, 2012 There is broad consensus that California's school finance system is inequitable, inadequate, and overly complex. In response to these critiques, this year Governor Jerry Brown proposed an overhaul of our school finance system. Also, two initiatives on the November ballot asked voters to increase education funding through tax increases: voters approved Proposition 30, which was integral to the governor's budget plan, and rejected Proposition 38, a citizens' initiative. Despite the passage of Proposition 30, California faces many school finance challenges. This report provides an overview of the state's school finance system and outlines some longstanding school finance issues that may be in play next year.
Report California’s English Learner Students By Laura Hill Sep 6, 2012 English Learner (EL) students in California’s schools are numerous and diverse, and they lag behind their native-English-speaking peers. Closing the achievement gap for EL students has been a long-standing goal for California educators, and there are some signs of success. Now that EL funding and curriculum issues are receiving a fresh level of scrutiny from decisionmakers in Sacramento, it is important to assess our understanding of this diverse group, highlight the opportunities to improve policies around demonstrating mastery of English, calibrate funding formulas involving EL students, and implement new curriculum standards thoughtfully.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on the California State Budget By Mark Baldassare May 27, 2004 This survey is the third in a series of special PPIC Statewide Surveys on the California State Budget and Fiscal System, begun in June 2003 and conducted in collaboration with The James Irvine Foundation. The intent of this series is to raise public awareness, inform decisionmakers, and stimulate public discussion about the current state budget and the underlying state and local finance system.Some findings of the current survey Three-quarters of Californians (73%) say the state budget gap is a big problem. Residents are concerned about the efficiency of their state government. Nearly three-quarters (71%) believe it could spend less and still provide the same level of services. A strong majority of likely voters (60%) support this November’s ballot measure that requires voter approval for any state-level legislation that reduces local government revenue. A large majority of likely voters (69%) approve of Governor Schwarzenegger’s job performance. Only about one-third of likely voters (35%) approve of the California legislature’s job performance. “Partisan gridlock and inaction in Sacramento has been very exasperating for Californians,” says Mark Baldassare, the survey’s director and Director of Research at PPIC.
