The University of California released a “major expansion” of UC Scout, a new online program designed to provide high school students with free access to Advanced Placement (AP) and “A-G” subject requirements required for competitive college admissions. UC Scout now...

A compendium of three dozen new studies on California education, involving dozens of researchers, will be released in June, in time to help shape the debate in state elections in November and the next governor’s approach to education. At least...

A new study released last week concluded the implementation of California’s school finance reform, with money targeted to address the needs of students and local districts, is making a significant difference in student outcomes, narrowing achievement gaps between groups of...

California’s sweeping education reforms championed by Gov. Jerry Brown have resulted in higher graduation rates and especially sizable gains in math among low-income students in the 11th grade, according to a new study.

New research shows that California’s landmark overhaul of public education finance and accountability is narrowing achievement gaps between groups of students and helping parents learn about school progress, the state Department of Education reported Tuesday. The Learning Policy Institute late...

Several Collaborative members made important contributions to the PACE Research and Policy Annual Conference, Fulfilling the Promise of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). As a panelist in a session focused on equity, Ed Trust-West Executive Director Ryan Smith acknowledged...

California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), the school finance overhaul enacted in 2013, is having a measurable positive impact on students’ academic achievement and graduation rates, improving outcomes and narrowing  gaps, according to a study released today by the Learning...

As part of the California School Dashboard, the state’s new school accountability system, 1 in 4 school districts will receive assistance from county offices of education and the state to help improve the performance of groups of students who have...

Leading education policy researchers on Monday released Getting Down to Facts II(GDTF II), a major PreK-12 education report that reveals California is generally on the right track due to recent reforms but that major system-wide funding challenges and significant gaps...

One in 4 California school districts received notice that they must work with county offices of education or with a new state agency to improve the education of at least one of their student groups that were ranked among the...

Speaking at the 2017 Principal of the Year Institute in Washington this week, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy​ DeVos talked about the need to cut federal red tape and to give state and local leaders as much autonomy as possible, Education Week reports...

When the results of the third year of the Common-Core-aligned Smarter Balanced tests are released in California this week, they will almost certainly receive a great deal of attention, in the media and elsewhere. There will be an outpouring of...

Limited resources for teacher training have made it difficult for some rural districts in California to fully implement Common Core standards in math and English language arts, according to a new study.

Researchers who closely examined the impact of the state’s funding formula in eight school districts found a continued commitment to the goals of the new system but an uneven implementation and “consistent misunderstandings and confusion” of fundamental aspects of the...

The Local Control Funding Formula Research Collaborative (LCFFRC) recently released Paving the Way to Equity and Coherence? The Local Control Funding Formula in Year 3. This report seeks to inform policymakers and others about ways in which LCFF implementation is...

California is quickly becoming a national battleground over the franchise for testing high school juniors. The College Board, producer of the SAT college admissions test, wants in, while state officials, defenders of the state’s current test provider, the Smarter Balanced...

Some low-income students in California could face a steep fee increase for Advanced Placement exams this spring following the elimination of a federal subsidy. The cost for each AP exam for these students could climb from $5 or $15 to...

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 2017 full-day conference will engage with...

English-language-learner services are designed, in theory, to prevent educational inequity, but for some students the specialized services may be reinforcing it. A new study out of the University of Oregon found that designating early elementary students who are close to...

As the presidential election mercifully moves toward its conclusion, there are important education policy questions that will need to be answered in the coming years. Public opinion and its drivers could well influence state and national policy under the new...

This is one of the most exciting, daunting and critically important moments in California’s education policy history. We are all in uncharted territory. Policymakers and educators at all levels of the system are wrestling with the virtually simultaneous implementation of...

California’s K–12 students struggled on the new statewide Smarter Balanced assessments (SBAC) last year. The results highlight the challenges facing students and teachers as the state shifts to computer-based tests on new curricula with higher standards for achievement. Disadvantaged groups...