October 13, 2018 | EdSource

This week, Louis and John interview Marshall Tuck, candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Tuck, a former school administrator, lays out his vision for the job and explains what he would do to strengthen the state’s limited education data...

October 5, 2018 | CISION

Child360, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting early learning from every angle, today announced the appointment of William (Bill) Sperling as Chief Executive Officer. He will lead as CEO effective immediately and will be the force behind Child360's vision to...

September 28, 2018 | Chapman University

Dr. Michelle Hall, Attallah College of Educational Studies’ Director of Program Assessment and Improvement, was one of the contributors to a major update to a key research project, Getting Down to Facts II (GDTF II), that examines the many facets...

September 25, 2018 | Education Week

Despite investing in education data systems, California produces little information on how to provide an effective education for its students, according to a 36-study analysis by the Policy Analysis for California Education Center at Stanford University. The study finds that...

September 24, 2018 | Cal Watchdog

In 2007, researchers associated with Stanford University released “Getting Down to Facts”–a massive compilation of studies of the California K-12 public school system. The hundreds of pages of voluminous research allowed both the state education establishment and its critics to...

September 21, 2018 | KQED News

A troubling new research project finds that the achievement gap among California’s 6 million school children begins as early as kindergarten. What contributes to this startling inequity and what can be done to narrow the gap?

September 19, 2018 | Capital Public Radio

Researchers from Stanford University and Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) released a new study on K-12 education in California this week. Dr. Susanna Loeb, Principal Investigator, and Dr. Heather Hough, Executive Director of PACE will join us to discuss...

September 18, 2018 | EdSource

EdSource interviews with Sean Reardon and Deborah Stipek, professors at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, about their contributions to the research project on California public education, Getting Down to Facts II. Reardon’s research found that California’s low-income children entered...

September 17, 2018 | CalMatters

A decade ago, an academic research team produced a massive report on the shortcomings in how California’s K-12 schools educate about 6 million children and adolescents. The “Getting Down to Facts” report was issued just as a very severe recession...

Commentary author
John M. McAdams
Summary

The change in California's kindergarten entry age, moving the cutoff date from December 2 to September 1, brought about transitional kindergarten for affected children born in the transitional period. This impacted both those who delayed entry and those who didn't. Older entrants might show better readiness and learning skills compared to younger peers, a reason why parents often choose to delay their child's entry ("redshirting"). However, the benefits of this additional year might vary based on available activities. The shift also influences non-delayed children due to grade age averages affecting peer dynamics and learning. In a study assessing this change's impact on crime, incarceration rates dropped by 10-13% among those directly and indirectly affected by the entry age policy. While both groups benefitted, the reduction in crime was smaller for those delaying entry, hinting at potential harms from late entry, perhaps due to less learning during the "redshirt" year or lower educational attainment. This emphasizes early education's long-term benefits, supporting transitional kindergarten's role. Yet, caution is needed in generalizing these findings, considering the availability of alternative pre-kindergarten programs today, absent in earlier decades, possibly lessening the negative impacts of delayed entry.

Commentary authors
Marissa Wheeler
Allison Buttenheim
Summary

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.