press release PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians And Their Government, California Voters: What They Don’t Know Could Hurt Us? May 30, 2007
Report Does School Choice Work? Effects on Student Integration and Achievement By Julian Betts, Andrew C. Zau, Lorien A. Rice, Y. Emily Tang Aug 30, 2006 Public school choice programs in San Diego—the nation’s eighth-largest school district—are extremely popular, especially among non-white communities; many San Diego families who apply for these programs are turned away each year. San Diego's experience stands against the backdrop of a national debate about choice—with proponents arguing such programs will create better schools and accountability, and opponents countering that they could stratify and resegregate a system premised on educational equality. Researchers examined the selection of students for choice programs and their movements through the school system and found that such programs do seem to have helped to integrate San Diego’s student bodies, not only along racial-ethnic lines but also in terms of students' parental education levels. But evidence that choice programs also boost academic achievement is less clear. With some exceptions—elevated math achievement for students in magnet high schools — those who won lotteries that allowed them to attend choice programs did about the same on standardized tests as non-winners one to three years later.
Report Deep Roots: Local Government Structure in California By Paul Lewis Sep 1, 1998 Many observers have argued that California's system of local government is too complex and fragmented. They contend that such complexity hinders coordination among governmental activities, makes it difficult to establish political accountability, and may lead to inefficient provision of services. Some have further argued that the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978 exacerbated the problem, leading to a proliferation of new cities and special districts and fundamentally altering California's local governance structure. This report examines the long-term trends in California's local government structure and the possible effects of Proposition 13. It presents a new, more accurate method for measuring local government fragmentation and illuminates the factors that contribute to differences in local political structure around the state.
