Education policies often focus on evaluating the effectiveness of interventions without considering their costs. This oversight limits policymakers’ ability to make informed decisions about resource allocation. Understanding intervention costs in relation to their effectiveness is crucial for efficient policymaking. For instance, reducing high school dropout rates, a national priority, could alleviate substantial economic burdens, yet education budgets are limited. Researchers conducted cost-effectiveness analyses on five dropout prevention programs, finding considerable variations in costs and effectiveness. Remedial programs aimed at dropouts were notably more expensive per additional graduate compared to preventative programs, which targeted at-risk students still in school. These findings emphasize the need for cost-effectiveness assessments in educational program evaluations to guide policymaking effectively. Without such analyses, research evidence alone may not provide policymakers with a comprehensive view for decision-making, potentially leading to inefficient resource allocation.

A new survey examines California elementary school officials' awareness of AB-2109, a law tightening personal belief exemptions for school immunizations. Findings revealed limited understanding among respondents, with low awareness and knowledge of the law's details. Only health workers showed better comprehension. Despite this, schools planned to communicate the requirements to parents. Yet, officials highlighted the need for more staff education, district guidance, and support materials. The survey emphasizes the necessity of further information dissemination about AB-2109 to all school staff involved in implementing immunization policies, from enrollment to parent interaction, to ensure effective compliance.

The KIPP network of charter schools aims to enhance academic outcomes for low-income students through rigorous standards and increased classroom time. Mathematica Policy Research conducted a study assessing KIPP's impact, accounting for the differences between students who chose KIPP and those who didn't. Analyzing 41 KIPP middle schools over a decade, they found that students in these schools demonstrated substantial growth in reading and math, equating to 90% of an extra year of math and two-thirds of a year in reading compared to their non-KIPP peers. These positive effects were consistent across most schools and extended to other subjects and low-stakes assessments. Even when employing random admissions lotteries, the impact remained significant. The reasons behind KIPP's success remain ambiguous—whether it's due to instructional strategies, drawing students from underperforming schools, or positive peer effects remains uncertain. Further research is needed to decipher these causes and determine if KIPP's methods could be broadly applicable to improve student achievement in public schools, potentially prompting the adoption of their successful practices in traditional public schools or expanding successful charter networks.

School reform emphasizes transferring decision-making power to individual schools, seen in districts like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and beyond California. Principals gain control over budgets, curricula, schedules, and professional development, aiming to enhance student learning. Yet, the impact of this decentralization on school performance remains largely unknown. In Chicago, a study of an autonomy program revealed increased reading proficiency among elementary students after two years, but no significant gains in math or overall achievement scores. Principals leaned toward autonomy in budgets and curricula. Policy suggestions arise: policymakers must allow time for schools to adapt to autonomy, understanding improvements might not be immediate. They should also avoid neglecting high- or low-achieving students in pursuit of proficiency rates, affecting school evaluations. Further research is crucial to understand how decentralized control affects academic performance, examining how school leaders leverage autonomy to assess its potential for improving schools.

Proponents support school choice to enhance education, but research often overlooks its impact on school practices and achievement. A new study delves into whether charter school proximity influences school practices and its relation to math and reading achievement using Early Childhood Longitudinal Study data. Results show minimal impact on school practices based on charter proximity. Closer schools reported lower teacher absenteeism and better-aligned instruction, yet these changes did not remarkably affect reading or math achievement. Contrary to beliefs, charter growth does not appear to prompt organizational shifts in public schools due to entrenched cultural norms. Similarities between charter and public schools overshadow differences, hindering learning exchanges. Moreover, charters in disadvantaged areas may lack resources to impact public school competition. This study questions the efficacy of market-driven approaches in addressing educational challenges. Understanding the connection between competition, school practices, and student achievement is vital for directing policy initiatives effectively.

Access to arts education in US public schools varies greatly and remains largely undocumented. The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities highlighted this lack of data on offered courses, hindering policymakers' understanding. A recent study in Texas with data from 870 public high schools aimed to illustrate this variation by developing indices measuring arts education access. Surprisingly, schools with numerous arts courses didn’t always have high student engagement, and high participation rates often lacked diverse courses. Researchers suggest policymakers consider both course offerings and student engagement rates to accurately identify exceptional arts programs.Recommendations propose creating indices combining course offerings and participation rates in other states to address equity and ensure sufficient arts opportunities in public high schools. Additionally, California policymakers are urged to use their education databases, like the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, to document arts education access. Furthermore, researchers propose a dialogue among educators, practitioners, and policymakers to define what constitutes an arts-rich school. Establishing standardized thresholds for course offerings and participation rates can ensure a more comprehensive understanding of arts education access. While incomplete, descriptions of course offerings and participation rates are crucial first steps toward understanding arts education access.

The concern over charter schools potentially excluding low-performing students has sparked debate. Analyzing a major urban district's data, researchers studied exit patterns suggesting such exclusions. Explicit evidence of schools expelling low-performing students is hard to find. Subtle methods like counseling or strict disciplinary actions might influence exits. While research is unable to confirm reasons for student transfers, data analysis did not support the claim that charter schools push out low-performing students more than traditional public schools. The study also found exiting charter students had lower performance, similar to those leaving traditional public schools. Analytical analyses, considering student characteristics, did not show evidence supporting the notion that charter schools disproportionately expel low-performing students. While findings counter the claim within our district, they are not conclusive for all settings. Variations may exist elsewhere. The researchers advocate for evidence-based discussions around charter schools, stressing the need for empirical backing before making or accepting claims about their student retention practices.

A new study assessed the effectiveness of after-school tutoring programs, specifically the Supplemental Educational Services (SES) under No Child Left Behind (NCLB), within Chicago Public Schools. Evaluating these SES providers from 2009 onwards, the research aimed to fairly measure their impact on student achievement by considering student characteristics and school settings. The findings indicated that participating in SES positively influenced student achievement, notably with over 40 hours of tutoring, contributing significantly to annual student gains. Interestingly, there was a decline in hourly rates among providers over time, which correlated with the district's program, and a clear link between provider effectiveness and the number of students served. Successful program attributes, such as effective oversight, coordination, and cost reduction, were identified and could be beneficial for other districts. The strategies developed could be adopted by districts to assess provider effectiveness and provide crucial information to parents, aiding informed decisions. This valuable data could guide California districts granted NCLB waivers in program development and accountability system design. Similar analyses are underway in the Los Angeles Unified School District, highlighting the broader potential application of these findings.

States moved from assessing students' proficiency to using growth models to track academic progress. Researchers analyzed three growth models in a California district, finding more prediction errors for English learners (ELs) than non-ELs. The models often misjudged ELs as remaining non-proficient by 7th grade when they were proficient. This error was more frequent for ELs (16–28%) than non-ELs (13–17%). ELs' steeper learning trajectories might explain this discrepancy; their growth is faster despite early low scores due to language support needs. These model inaccuracies have policy implications, potentially causing unnecessary interventions and not crediting effective instruction in early grades. They could influence the selection of accountability models, especially for student subgroups. Although California hasn't implemented growth-based accountability, it's part of the Smarter Balanced Assessment plans. Notably, the LA Times used a growth model to evaluate teachers, a contentious practice in education due to concerns about validity. The study's evidence questions any model's validity assuming uniform student growth without considering a teacher's student demographics.

Year-round school calendars, widely adopted in California due to school crowding, aim to evenly distribute school days. Multi-track calendars, seen as cost-saving, accommodate larger student bodies. There is a belief that redistributing summer breaks could counteract summer learning loss, particularly for disadvantaged students. Research highlights caution regarding year-round schooling. While cost savings are clear, academic gains haven't materialized, impacting high-risk student groups negatively. California showed notably negative effects compared to neutral outcomes in Wake County, North Carolina, where multi-track calendars were used widely. This disparity emphasizes considering demographics; schools with substantial minority or low-income populations may face different challenges. The findings caution policymakers against risking student achievement solely for minor savings. Tailored approaches for schools based on their demographics are suggested. The academic benefits of year-round schooling remain scarce, except for addressing severe overcrowding. Yet, amid tightening budgets, year-round schools are cautiously endorsed as a financial reform, urging further examination and context-specific considerations in policymaking.

This commentary, part of a broader PACE series exploring school finance, speaks to challenges faced by California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The two biggest problems with the California financial system are inequitable revenue allocations and inefficiencies caused by categorical restrictions. Governor Brown's proposal addresses these issues, but critics argue that the system still has other problems. One major criticism is that there are winners and losers in the system. Under Brown's proposal, the allocations for some districts will look drastically different, with some receiving less than others. This is because current allocations have little connection to the costs of educating students and the characteristics of students and schools. Another alternative is to raise the base so everybody "wins," which would provide more flexibility and a more correlated revenue with costs. However, this system still creates winners and losers because allocations would not be as tightly connected to costs as under the current system. Governor Brown's proposal nevertheless helps solve the two biggest problems with California's school finance system and offers a better alternative to the current financial system.

The Urban School Leaders (USL) program at California State University Dominguez Hills, backed by a five-year federal grant, embodies a partnership between LAUSD districts and the university. Its goal is to prepare leaders for high-needs schools, enhance staff development, and foster student achievement. Adapting to students' needs and the evolving demands on schools has prompted ongoing reflections and changes within the program. Continual adjustments maintain curriculum rigor while integrating theoretical knowledge with practical experiences. The program's evolution is a collaborative effort involving curriculum review, aligning with standards, and emphasizing research-based practices. Forming and nurturing partnerships with school districts necessitates time, flexibility, and creativity, ensuring meaningful dialogues among stakeholders to address LAUSD's student needs. This ongoing learning process emphasizes the importance of active experiences and reflective learning for educational leaders. The success of the program holds promise for policy implications, establishing a new paradigm in leader development, emphasizing ongoing university-district partnerships, transforming urban communities, and embedding research as a regular practice within educational settings. This model foresees universities becoming hubs for continual development, fostering a transformed educational landscape by nurturing stable communities and promoting ongoing research-driven improvements.

California's education funding system, laden with layered regulations akin to geological strata, restricts innovation and flexibility. Governor Jerry Brown's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) proposes a significant overhaul, consolidating scattered funds into a flexible per-pupil grant. This reform aims to empower educators by freeing them from rigid spending rules, shifting focus from compliance to achieving student goals. Additionally, the plan directs extra resources to schools supporting disadvantaged students, offering supplementary aid based on the level of need. Notably, the proposal doesn't reduce funding but allocates more to districts facing greater challenges. The reformation aspires to create a fairer, more efficient, and innovative education finance system, paving the way for a more promising educational landscape in California.