May 17, 2001 | Daily Bruin

High school seniors around the country are feeling apathetic toward their classes during their final semester, which often carries over and negatively affects their freshman year of college. The epidemic, commonly known as “senioritis,” is the topic of a recent...

May 12, 2001 | The Los Angeles Times

Senioritis. Senior slump. The Year of the Zombies. Forget preparing for the rigors of college. The final year of high school is for sleeping in, flipping burgers, hanging out with pals, surfing, partying, fighting with your girlfriend, making up with...

December 1, 2009 | California Collaborative

The Fresno–Long Beach Learning Partnership is a joint effort of the third and fourth largest districts in California to pursue common goals, measure student outcomes, share professional knowledge, learn from each other, and support each other’s progress. This groundbreaking relationship...

April 22, 2009 | Stanford News

Graduation rates for low-achieving minority students and girls have fallen nearly 20 percentage points since California implemented a law requiring high school students to pass exit exams in order to graduate, according to a new Stanford study. The new study...

September 19, 2008 | LB School Bulletin

A recent report by UC Berkeley-based Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) praises the Long Beach Unified School District for its effective, systematic efforts to boost student performance. “The Long Beach Unified School District is nationally recognized for its systematic...

September 8, 2004 | East Bay Times

On the first day of kindergarten, children—regardless of race or income—who regularly attended preschool have up to five months’ academic head start on their nonpreschooled peers, University of California researchers found in a study released today. The study, funded by...

October 15, 2007 | IMDiversity

Recent research suggests that a student’s first college academic experiences are critical in increasing their chances of transferring to a four-year college. The number and type of courses that students take in their first semester and the grades they earn...

July 14, 2007 | Los Angeles Times

Hundreds of California schools are "failing" under the federal standards, but one that's shining bright—and adding its own wrinkle to the debate over school reform—is Ralph Bunche Elementary, named for the black American diplomat who won the 1950 Nobel Peace...

April 17, 2007 | Education Week

The goal of the No Child Left Behind Act is simply stated: All children should be proficient in reading and mathematics by the end of the 2013-14 school year. But more than five years after the law was enacted, it...

March 15, 2007 | Stanford News

Stanford researchers, led by education Associate Professor Susanna Loeb, have headed an unprecedented investigation into California's troubled K-12 education system. Their findings reveal that millions of students will be able to attain the state's high achievement standards only if what...

February 2, 2007 | In These Times

Although some argue that it’s too early to pass judgment, recent evidence suggests that the bill has fallen short of its lofty goals, leaving parents, educators and legislators discontented. Three major studies released in November reported persistent achievement gaps between...

Commentary author
Summary

David N. Plank joined PACE as Executive Director after leading the Education Policy Center at Michigan State University. With a background in educational finance and policy, he has extensive experience in academia and international consulting for organizations like the World Bank and governments in Africa and Latin America. At Michigan State, he focused on using research to influence state education policy, publishing reports on accountability, school finance, and school choice. Plank aims to leverage his expertise to expand PACE's policy research network, strengthen relationships with California policymakers, and elevate the organization's impact in addressing the state's unique educational challenges.

June 29, 2006 | Education Next

It is by now a familiar story, often told as a lament: teachers in this country continue to be paid according to the single salary schedule. They accrue better pay on the basis of years of experience and college units...

Commentary author
Summary

"Getting Down to Facts" is a new research initiative commissioned by Governor Schwarzenegger's Committee on Education Excellence, state Democratic leaders, and Superintendent Jack O'Connell. Led by Susanna Loeb, a Stanford Graduate School of Education Professor and PACE codirector, this project seeks to explore California's school finance and governance systems. Its objective is to provide comprehensive insights essential for assessing the effectiveness of potential reforms. The initiative addresses three key questions: the current state of school finance and governance, optimizing existing resources for improved student outcomes, and evaluating the need for additional resources to meet educational goals. The studies from this project are expected to be available by January 2007.

Welcome David N. Plank!
Commentary author
Summary

We are delighted to announce that Professor David N. Plank, an economist teaching at Michigan State University (MSU), will become PACE's executive director in January 2007. Professor Plank is world renown for his work on school quality and democratic governance both in the U.S. and within developing countries. He currently directs an education policy center at MSU which operates much like PACE. Professor Plank has conducted extensive research in Brazil and is fluent in Portuguese. He will start work from our UC Berkeley office part time, beginning this summer.