Conditions of Education in California

The study by López, et al, is consistent with a wider literature showing specialists are more effective in supporting achievement of English Learners.

Research shows that Latino English Learners have higher achievement in states where teachers are required to hold bilingual or English Learner certification, but achievement is even higher in states with both specialist certification and training for all teachers.

Increased interest in early childhood education (ECE) has given new urgency to questions about the effectiveness of ECE programs. Policymakers may be confused by the many studies that provide differing results. A recent review of the literature finds that research design can help explain some of those differences.

California’s efforts to raise the high school graduation rate appear to be paying off but can the improvement continue?

Elementary teachers report feeling less qualified to teach science than other academic subjects, in terms of both content and subject-specific pedagogy. New research shows that targeted teacher professional development has the potential to build teachers’ knowledge and skills in science, which can lead to improvements in teaching practices.

Most education officials charged with making curriculum adoption decisions are making these decisions without any direct evidence about efficacy. But with the right data, it is possible to link student achievement outcomes with curriculum alternatives and evaluate which materials are most effective.

The two biggest problems with California’s current system of school finance are 1) the revenue allocations are inequitable and have no connection to cost or need, and 2) having categorical restrictions on such a large share of the funding creates inefficiencies that prevent districts from achieving the best outcomes for their students. Brown’s proposal is the only one on the table that addresses both of these problems head on.

Almost all states provide additional, differential funding for at least a few cost factors beyond poverty and English Learners. Such funding could be allocated through weights or adjustments to the base formula, or through separate categorical streams. However, there is a great deal of variation across states in which factors are included.

Low-income and English Learner are two of the most common categories of student need that states include in their school funding formulas. In many states, the amount allocated for these higher-cost students is determined through pupil weights, set as a percentage of the base allocation. What are the right weights? Should the weight change with the concentration of need? Will California districts abandon these students without the threat of losing categorical funding?

The cost of education can be defined as the minimum amount of money that a school district must spend in order to achieve a given educational outcome. There are multiple ways to incorporate costs into a state funding system, and each has implications for local control and governance.