blog post Why Students Found New Tests Tough By Paul Warren, Rebecca London Sep 29, 2015 There are a variety of explanations for why California students did not do as well on the new standardized tests.
blog post College Readiness and the New State Exams By Jacob Jackson Sep 22, 2015 Results of the new statewide tests show that about half of 11th-grade students are at least conditionally ready for college level courses in English and less than a third are ready for college level math courses.
blog post Students Struggle on Test of New Standards By Laura Hill, Iwunze Ugo Sep 9, 2015 On California’s first statewide tests aligned with the Common Core standards, 40% of fourth-graders scored proficient or better on the English Language Arts (ELA) test and 35% did so in math.
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.
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 Implementing the Common Core State Standards in California By Patrick Murphy, Paul Warren Apr 16, 2014 The Common Core State Standards (CCSS)—adopted in 2010—are similar to California’s current K–12 standards, but their emphasis on conceptual understanding and problem solving will require changes in classroom instruction. California’s transition to the CCSS has gotten off to a slow start. Survey data suggest that many teachers will deliver the new standards for the first time in 2014–15—the first year of CCSS-based testing. Like other states, California will probably see a drop in test scores under the new standards. But as the transition continues beyond 2014–15, the hope is that the new standards and tests will create incentives that lead to higher student achievement.
blog post No-Stakes Testing By Patrick Murphy Mar 12, 2014 March 18, California’s schools will pilot a new type of standardized test for students in grades three through eight and grade eleven.
