event Reopening K–12 Schools: A Conversation with Linda Darling-Hammond Aug 10, 2021 As fall approaches, California’s public schools continue to grapple with a myriad of challenges. What does reopening look like, and how do educators address issues such as declining enrollment, learning loss, and the health and safety of students and staff?
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.
blog post Video: Californians and K-12 Education By David Lesher Apr 28, 2015 The annual PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education comes at a time when there are major policy changes underway in the state’s K–12 system.
blog post Exploring the Spike in Chronic Absenteeism among K–12 Students By Laura Hill, Emmanuel Prunty Mar 29, 2023 Nearly one in three California public school students were chronically absent in 2021–22, a share that is almost triple that in 2018–19. Rates of chronic absenteeism were highest among Black, Native American, and Pacific Islander students.
blog post Public School Enrollment Declines Vary across Grade Levels By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty May 4, 2023 California’s public school enrollment decreased slightly in 2022–23 and has now fallen for six years in a row. While the latest enrollment levels in grades 2 through 12 were close to projections, enrollment in earlier grades fell short.
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.
Report California’s Changing K-12 Accountability Program By Paul Warren Jan 17, 2013 California recently joined a number of other states in adopting the Common Core State Standards, which establish new criteria for what students should learn in school. It also joined a consortium of states to develop new tests based on those standards. The new standards are ambitious, and some teachers are concerned they are not prepared to convey the higher-level skills and concepts they contain. The new tests will allow the state to measure gains in each student’s achievement, creating new options for how the state ranks schools. The change will also prompt the state to reassess the value of state tests in high school and its options for holding secondary schools accountable. More changes to the state’s accountability program are likely when Congress reauthorizes the federal education law, and the way the state addresses these current issues will influence the shape of its future accountability program.
blog post Declining K–12 Enrollment Forces Major Budget Cuts in Many Districts By Paul Warren Mar 4, 2019 About half of all K-12 school districts in California saw enrollment declines over the past five years, leading to decreased state funding. For many districts, this has meant making cuts in teachers, administrators, and other staff.
Report Student Achievement and Growth on California’s K-12 Assessments By Laura Hill, Iwunze Ugo Apr 26, 2017 California’s school children did much better in the second year of new standardized tests. But a look at results for English Learners and economically disadvantaged students indicates that achievement gaps are not closing. Struggling districts may need more guidance from the state—they might also look to schools and districts that have had success with high-need students. This research was supported with funding from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.
blog post Are K–12 Students Keeping Pace in Math? By Paul Warren, Julien Lafortune Oct 12, 2018 The 2018 SBAC results of California's K–12 students show modest improvements over last year. But focusing on longer-term outcomes could be more instructive.
