event Statewide Survey: Californians and Education Apr 23, 2015 About the ProgramPPIC's latest survey looks at Californians' perceptions of major reforms being implemented in the state's public K–12 schools: the Local Control Funding Formula, the Common Core State Standards, and the Smarter Balanced assessments. It also examines concerns about educational inequities and views on school funding and revenues. PPIC researcher Lunna Lopes will outline these and other key findings. This survey was conducted with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, and the Stuart Foundation.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education By Mark Baldassare, Lunna Lopes, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek Apr 22, 2015 Some findings of the current survey: A strong majority of Californians support the Local Control Funding Formula; fewer than half favor the Common Core State Standards. Most public school parents say they have heard nothing at all about the Smarter Balanced assessments. Half of Californians say the state’s budget situation is a big problem for K–12 education and six in 10 say state funding for local schools is not enough. Two-thirds of adults and about half of likely voters would vote yes on a state or local bond measure to fund school construction projects. Job Approval Ratings: Governor Brown [PDF] California State Legislature [PDF]] Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings: Governor Brown [XLS] California State Legislature [XLS] This survey was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, and the Stuart Foundation.
blog post Video: Online Testing and Learning in California Schools By Linda Strean Apr 17, 2015 Are schools prepared to administer the new online tests? PPIC researcher Niu Gao answered the question with findings from a new PPIC study.
event Are California’s Schools Ready for Online Testing and Learning? Apr 8, 2015 About the ProgramCalifornia is rolling out online tests that are aligned with the Common Core standards. How prepared are school districts around the state? In the longer term, will California schools be ready to benefit fully from digital learning? PPIC researcher Niu Gao will outline her findings on district readiness for online testing and learning. This research was supported with funding from the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.
Report Are California’s Schools Ready for Online Testing and Learning? By Niu Gao Apr 6, 2015 In addition to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), California is implementing a new, online assessment system: the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). Field tests were conducted last spring and the system is being rolled out this year, amid concerns about whether schools are technologically prepared. Using survey data from the California Educational Technology Professionals Association (CETPA), this report examines school districts’ technology infrastructure and assesses their readiness for online testing. Three findings emerge. First, school districts express confidence in the quantity and quality of their hardware and network capabilities but remain concerned about software and training of instructional and IT staff. Second, there is sizable variation in readiness across districts, linked mainly to student enrollment and district expenditure levels. Third, a clear majority of the state’s onetime CCSS Implementation Fund is going into non-technology spending such as instructional materials and teacher training. Regardless of their current readiness, districts will need targeted and ongoing support to upgrade and maintain their technology infrastructure. In the longer term, virtually all schools will need to upgrade their technology infrastructure in order to adopt and benefit from digital learning.
Report Low-Income Students and School Meal Programs in California By Caroline Danielson Mar 12, 2015 School nutrition programs help improve nutrition among vulnerable children. In so doing, they help build a better future for these children and the state. Now that California is implementing the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), there is additional reason to make sure all students who are eligible for free or low-cost meals enroll in these programs. Along with English Learners and foster youth, low-income students—in other words, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals—are targeted for additional funds under the LCFF. This renewed focus on enrollment could also prompt further consideration of participation in school nutrition programs. This report looks at factors that might be linked to variations in student enrollment and participation in free or reduced-price meals. Not surprisingly, we find that districts with higher poverty rates identify higher levels of eligibility than wealthier districts. Low-income high school students appear to be enrolled at levels comparable to younger students, but students in elementary school districts are much more likely to participate in lunch programs than students in other types of districts. We also find that schools in districts with higher shares of foreign-born residents have modestly lower participation levels (but not identification of low-income students). Finally, we find evidence that schools with smaller enrollments are more successful than larger schools at identifying and serving low-income students. One way to further the goal of full enrollment among low-income students is to cut the large share of low-income students who must submit applications for free or reduced-price meals. Achieving this objective is arguably an important part of a larger state effort to integrate social safety net programs and services.
Report Implementing Local Accountability in California’s Schools: The First Year of Planning By Paul Warren, Giselle Carrillo Mar 12, 2015 The passage of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) in 2013 gave California school districts flexibility in allocating resources and significantly boosted state support for the education of disadvantaged students. LCFF also includes a Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), which requires districts to enlist the help of parents and the public in identifying student performance goals and ways to achieve them. Our research in 25 California districts suggests that educators have worked hard to develop the first of these three-year plans, but that knowledge about strategic planning, data-driven decisionmaking, and involving parents and the public in the process varies significantly among districts. As a consequence, the clarity and effectiveness of the initial plans varies widely. The state can help by making technical assistance to districts and county offices of education available and affordable. Our research also indicates that expanding the role of county offices would help them push for improved student performance.
blog post The Road Ahead for Superintendent Torlakson By Patrick Murphy Nov 10, 2014 Leading up to election day, commentators routinely described the state superintendent position as "powerless” or even "obscure.” But the superintendent could play a major part in deciding how significant policies roll out.
