Past Events

Jan
25
2024
Revitalizing Public Education in California: Navigating Challenges, Seizing Opportunities
Topic
The PACE Annual Conference in January 2024 will bring together California policymakers, researchers, and education leaders to address critical questions about the state's public education system and explore transformative actions for improvement at all levels, from early childhood through higher education.
Jan
11
2022
Is It Meeting Its Goal of Improving Equity in Education?
Topic
Recent research from Policy Analysis for California Education, the Public Policy Institute of California, and the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Education has provided important insight into whether the LCFF is meeting its goal of improving equity in education and how it can be further refined to improve equitable funding, opportunities, and outcomes in California. Come join California State Senator Anna Caballero along with Children Now, Education Trust-West, Parent Revolution, Teach Plus, and PACE for a webinar exploring this important research.
Jul
28
2020
Aligning Systems to Support the Whole Child
Topic

This webinar will present findings from two forthcoming publications on community schools: the PACE brief “Community Schools: A Coronavirus Recovery Strategy;” and “Creating Strong Community Schools: The Role of California Counties in Providing Technical Assistance” by the Learning Policy Institute. The webinar will also feature perspectives from leaders at the school and county levels who will speak to what it takes to launch and sustain community schools.

Jun
2
2020
What Parents Can Expect and Policymakers Can Do
Topic
Join us for a conversation about education during COVID-19 including the challenges and opportunities ahead as schools and families prepare for a new academic year. What policies and practices can help ensure equitable and effective re-opening? What might learning and classrooms look like in the future?
Apr
28
2020
Mitigating Negative Impacts in California
Topic

With the economy in decline and millions out of work, funding for education—which is heavily dependent on personal and corporate earnings and spending—is expected to be significantly reduced in 2020-21. California’s per pupil spending is already well below the national average, and this financial impact will come at a time when our schools need more money, not less, to serve our state’s children and youth. The goal of this webinar is to build understanding about the challenges to come and suggest how state and local policy can mitigate the impact on teaching and learning.

Feb
7
2020
Evidence to Advance Equity and Excellence in California’s Cradle-to-Career Vision
Topic

PACE’s annual conference brings together nearly 300 California policymakers, researchers, and education leaders to discuss new research and approaches to improving educational outcomes for California’s students, from early childhood through higher education.

Nov
8
2019
Topic

In this seminar, Pivot Learning will discuss two case studies aimed at better understanding the ways in which California districts’ budget challenges impact their ability to serve students. The cases explore this impact in two unique locations: the Sacramento City Unified School District and the Marin County Unified School District. These reports find that, in Sacramento, increasing health care costs and poor business practices have led to deficit spending and cuts to programs and services.

Jun
11
2019
Topic

Join us for a seminar in which Getting Down to Facts II Researcher Paul Bruno, will present his PACE report on the challenges of employee and retiree health benefit costs for California districts. Sac City Unified Superintendent Jorge Aguilar will discuss the particular situation in Sacramento City, and CEO Michael Fine of FCMAT, will provide a broader perspective on districts across the state and what some possible approaches are to solving the financial pressures facing school districts as a result of escalating health care costs.

Apr
29
2019
Findings and Implications for San Diego
Topic

Over the past 10 years, California's PreK-12 public school system has seen transformative changes in almost every arena, from academic standards and accountability to resource allocation through the funding formula. The Getting Down to Facts II project brought together over 100 of the country's top education scholars to examine these changes and assess our progress. The project's 36 studies focused on student success, governance systems, personnel issues, and school finance, and together, they can help build a common understanding of where we are that can be used to guide further improvements.

Apr
12
2019
Topic

Since the adoption of the LCFF, CA’s public school funding structures have become more straightforward, transparent. Additionally, per pupil spending has increased, but remains below the national average. Comparisons between CA and other states in terms of funding levels and policy put CA’s public school spending in context and help to identify opportunities for improved funding measures. PACE researchers summarize findings on CA’s funding structures and trends, detailing gaps between current and adequate spending.

Jan
18
2019
Topic

In 2014, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 1469 requiring teachers and school districts, along with the state government to substantially increase their respective contributions to the California State Teachers' Retirement System. The state has accrued significant pension debt for an extended time totaling approximately $107 billion, and there is no short-term solution to solving this problem. In this seminar Cory Koedel provides the background for how and why CalSTRS finds itself in this situation and discusses potential policy options for reform moving forward.

Dec
14
2018
Topic

Public school funding is a complex but vital area of interest in CA. In this seminar, the challenges of financing public education are highlighted in two areas: funding for facility maintenance and modernization, and special education for students with disabilities. CA’s vast inventory of school facilities vary widely in age and condition, and estimates for CA school facility maintenance and modernization over the next 10 years top $100 billion. With the advent of the LCFF, there has been increased focus on helping students with disabilities succeed in school but many districts lack funding.

Feb
24
2017
Early Evidence from Los Angeles
Topic

Governor Brown’s landmark finance reform —the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) —has shifted large quantities of new revenue to school districts that serve large concentrations of poor children, but less is known about how districts are distributing resources to local schools. Are the schools that educate large numbers of poor children receiving additional resources in proportion to the share of kids who generate the new revenues? Can we detect organizational improvements in these schools? Are the financial and organizational changes supported by LCFF making teachers’ working conditions

Jan
27
2017
PACE Research and Policy Conference
Topic

PACE’s inaugural conference is the premier event for policymakers, researchers, advocates and other leaders working to define and sustain a long-term strategy for comprehensive policy reform and continuous improvement of California’s education system. Our full-day conference will engage with three key education policy issues: school funding adequacy, teacher policies and cross-system-alignment. Registered participants will learn about the key policy debates and research based best-practices through conference plenaries and workshops.

Nov
13
2015
Implementation Challenges and Policy Recommendations
Topic

In this seminar, PACE researchers will present findings from a study of the second-year of LCFF implementation, focusing on how local leaders are adapting to California’s new finance and accountability systems, identifying some promising approaches to LCFF implementation, and providing implications of the findings for adjustments to the LCFF. The report is based on case studies of LCFF implementation in 7 to 9 California school districts, along with LCAP reviews of over 50 districts and interviews with over 25 County Office of Education leaders.

Nov
7
2014
Early Implementation of California's Local Control Funding Formula
Topic

The Local Control Funding Formula represents the first significant change in 40 years to the way California funds education. It gives school districts greatly expanded flexibility to allocate dollars in ways they believe make the most educational sense for their students. It requires districts to engage parents, community members, and other stakeholders in discussion and deliberation about district services, programs, and priorities. This seminar explores the results of a study of early implementation of LCFF.

Jun
27
2014
Topic

CA adopted Common Core State Standards and state and local leaders are now engaged in the implementation process. PACE has organized this conference to review the current state of CCSS implementation in California, what we have learned, and what challenges we will have to face going forward. The conference will feature presentations from state officials who are guiding the implementation effort from Sacramento, local leaders who are wrestling with the challenge of implementing CCSS in their schools and classrooms, and researchers who are monitoring the progress of CCSS in districts across CA.

May
22
2014
Topic

PACE, in partnership with EdSource, invite you to attend a webinar featuring California's Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor on Governor Brown's May Revision of the 2014-15 state budget, what it means for schools and the fiscal outlook for education funding generally. Join us for a thoughtful, information-rich discussion on the state budget in the wake of Prop. 30 and the Local Control Funding Formula, as well as the forecast for Prop. 98 funding and the implications for schools as they implement the Common Core standards and assessments.

May
21
2014
Topic

PACE, in partnership with EdSource, invite you to attend a webinar featuring CA's Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor on Governor Brown's May Revision of the 2015-16 state budget, what it means for schools and the fiscal outlook for education funding generally. Currently it looks like schools will be the big winners when it comes to revenues they will receive as a result of the state's surging economy. But just how big a winner? And will the schools' windfall come at the expense of other parts of the state budget, including possibly non-education services that are important to a child's well-being?

Feb
3
2014
Topic
School districts across California have begun working to implement the Common Core State Standards and to prepare for California’s new assessments. Policy Analysis for California Education and California County Superintendents Educational Services Association are pleased to sponsor six regional leadership sessions on CCSS Systems Implementation. These meetings will introduce you to a variety of strategies, tools and resources that your district can use to support successful implementation of the CCSS.
Jan
17
2014
Topic

The QEIA, one of California’s most ambitious intervention programs for low-performing schools, is now in its sixth year of full implementation in nearly 400 schools across the state. In this seminar, Jane Robb and Courtney Malloy will share findings that examine the extent of QEIA program implementation, explain why QEIA works in some schools while other schools continue to struggle, investigate the various impacts of QEIA and uncover promising practices that can be shared with all schools.

Apr
17
2013
Topic

Policy Analysis for California Education presents a panel discussion on the state and future of higher education in California with a focus on the issues of cost and quality.

Feb
15
2013
The Role of Compensation in Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Topic

Research consistently shows teacher quality is a powerful determinant of student achievement gains, yet urban school districts often struggle to staff schools with qualified teachers. In this seminar, Susanna Loeb explores changes in teacher recruitment in one urban school district as a result of a salary increase. Studying a policy in SFUSD, Loeb finds a differential salary increase can improve a school district’s attractiveness within the local teacher labor market and increase both the size and quality of teacher applicant pools, having the potential to increase the quality of new-hires.

Feb
17
2012
What Policymakers Can Learn from School District Responses
Topic

Recent news headlines have drawn attention to budget cuts that districts pursue in response to the state’s revenue shortfalls. But policymakers and state agencies need to consider more than episodic revenue declines or relative rankings of districts. This seminar reviews evidence from a 2010-11 survey that provides a snapshot of district responses to unpredictable state aid. The speaker suggests ways that policymakers can account for the revenue instability a district has faced when evaluating district fiscal and academic performance.

Jan
20
2012
Statewide Survey Results on District Decisions on Consolidated Categorical Aid
Topic

This second PACE seminar will feature the results of their statewide survey of district chief financial officers and their analysis of statewide expenditure data. To what extent were Tier 3 dollars swept into district general funds? Which programs were hit hardest as re-allocations occurred? Did district leaders share fiscal flexibility with their principals during tough budget times? How did a district’s fiscal health condition their decisions? These are the questions addressed by the research team’s final report at the end of their two-year study.