Report Understanding the Effects of School Funding By Julien Lafortune May 18, 2022 Funding for California’s K–12 public schools has reached record highs, but gaps in student outcomes remain. Understanding the benefits of additional funds, and how to distribute those funds, are key concerns for policymakers. This report offers insights from a robust body of research on the extent to which higher spending improves outcomes.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Understanding the Effects of School Funding By Julien Lafortune, Stephanie Barton May 18, 2022 A wide body of recent research offers insights into how and where additional dollars to fund K–12 public schools can improve student outcomes such as test scores and graduation rates. Estimates also reveal how long it may take to close gaps by race and income, based on current trends in funding.
blog post The Digital Divide Has Narrowed but Still Affects California’s Children By Paulette Cha, Niu Gao Aug 10, 2021 California has made progress over the past year, but many children—particularly those in low-income families—still lag behind their peers in technology access.
Fact Sheet Immigrants and Education in California By Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Mar 24, 2021 Educational attainment among California’s recent immigrants has risen markedly. Immigrants now make up 31% of California workers with at least a bachelor’s degree. However, immigrants also comprise an outsized share of workers with little formal education.
Report Does Raising High School Graduation Requirements Improve Student Outcomes? By Niu Gao Feb 23, 2021 The shift to distance learning during the COVID-19 crisis exacerbated inequities in California’s K–12 system, adding urgency to an ongoing discussion about the role of high school graduation policy in improving student outcomes. This report shows that more-rigorous graduation requirements can have a positive and equitable impact on college readiness.
blog post Improving College Readiness through Dual Enrollment By Olga Rodriguez, Niu Gao, Bonnie Brooks, Gabriel Gutierrez-Aragon Jan 15, 2021 Dual enrollment--allowing high school students to take college courses--is an important strategy for expanding educational opportunities. It’s especially important for helping students from underserved communities.
blog post Career Technical Education: Funding & New State Oversight By Refujio Gonzalez, Courtney Lee Sep 18, 2018 New federal funds for career and technical educational gives California more opportunities and responsibilities.
Report Preparing Students for Success in California’s Community Colleges By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez Nov 9, 2016 Community colleges identify 80 percent of incoming students as underprepared for college-level work. Fewer than half of these students advance to and succeed in a college course (44% in English and 27% in math). Concerns about poor outcomes have led to institutional reforms. This research was supported with funding from The Sutton Family Fund.
Report Improving College Graduation Rates: A Closer Look at California State University By Kevin Cook, Jacob Jackson May 17, 2016 Low college graduation rates come at a high cost—lower salaries, lower tax revenue, and fewer college graduates in the workforce. At California State University (CSU), the nation's largest university system, graduation rates have an outsized financial and economic impact on students and the state. CSU has made strides in improving graduation rates, but there is more work to be done. The system continues to struggle with graduation gaps—underrepresented students are much less likely to complete their degree compared to their peers, and these gaps have not narrowed over time. Also, CSU's on-time (four-year) graduation rates still lag behind those of similar universities nationwide. By 2025, CSU aims to further increase graduation rates while cutting graduation gaps in half. To assist campus planning for this goal, we identify several promising programs and policies. More broadly, the CSU Chancellor's Office must work with campuses to evaluate and expand successful efforts, and the state must play a role in supporting new policies to move the needle on graduation gaps and on-time graduation.
blog post Calculating High School Graduation Rates By Paul Warren Jan 19, 2016 One of the lesser known provisions of the new federal education law might force California to revise the way it deals with graduation rates at alternative high schools.
