As COVID-19 continues to disrupt educational experiences of students across the nation, newly analyzed survey research by the California Education Lab at the University of California, Davis, details the high level of uncertainty and financial stress experienced by California high...
As COVID-19 continues to disrupt educational experiences of students across the nation, newly analyzed survey research by the California Education Lab at the University of California, Davis, details the high level of uncertainty and financial stress experienced by California high...
Cal State Universities' bold decision last spring to decide to keep students online in the fall provided certainty during the early tumultuous months of the pandemic. A CSU years-long initiative to increase graduation rates has built momentum that students did not want...
Despite colleges dropping their testing requirements because of the coronavirus, students continue to sign up for the exams, believing that a score is the key to admission. Whether standardized admissions tests will become yet another casualty of the pandemic is...
When California State University faculty first proposed requiring applicants to complete a math or quantitative reasoning course in their senior year of high school, they specifically recommended that the system “investigate the impact these requirements may have on the success...
A study of college students by the California Student Aid Commission and UC Davis found that students have great concern about what the future holds, uncertainty about where they will attend, and how they will afford college and other basic...
The coronavirus pandemic could upend universities as we know them. While other economic downturns were a boon for graduate programs, especially at elite business schools where young professionals—at least, the ones who can afford to—could await a better employment prospects...
In a rare move by a presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden detailed his plans this month calling for full federal funding of special education—something that hasn’t happened since Congress first passed sweeping legislation for students with disabilities 45...
In a shot heard around the country, on May 21, 2020, UC’s Board of Regents suspended the requirement and use of standardized tests, including the SAT and ACT, for freshman applicants. UC will be test optional for campus selection of...
On a Thursday in the middle of May, from their homes across California, two dozen professionals from the business and political worlds moved to permanently overhaul the admissions process to the most prestigious university system in the country. By unanimous...
It started almost as soon as the coronavirus closed down schools in the U.S. A wave of colleges announced that, due to the pandemic, they would put less weight on standardized tests. If students didn't have access to spring testing...
USC Rossier Professor of Education Policy discusses strategies for engaging local stakeholders, her experience as a researcher and how COVID-19 will impact funding for education.
In a decision that could reshape the nation’s college admissions process, University of California regents voted Thursday to suspend SAT and ACT testing requirements through 2024 and eliminate them for California students by 2025.
How does your college stack up in terms of Middle-Class Mobility? Use the interactive to find a specific institution and investigate how a school’s selectivity, size, or sector impacts students’ future economic outcomes. The following report uses Opportunity Insights’ data...
When it comes to understanding the role standardized tests play in the college admissions process in California, Michal Kurlaender scores a 1600. As chair of the UC Davis School of Education and co-director of Policy Analysis for California Education, she’s...
One of the most complicated issues facing teachers right now is how to assess and grade student work. As one Washington Post article noted this week, “There’s little consensus beyond the need to abandon the status quo.” Even in “normal”...
An unusual dispute about the value of the SAT as a tool in college admissions has flared in California—this one among academics at a time when the influential University of California system just waived the requirement for SAT/ACT scores for...
Associate Professor of Public Policy Sarah Reber was featured in a Los Angeles Times report about the controversy over a faculty recommendation to keep the SAT and ACT tests as admission requirements for the University of California system. In a...
As the University of California (UC) Board of Regents approaches an important decision on the use of the SAT and ACT in UC admissions, a faculty task force report that was meant to inform and clarify has instead mischaracterized key...
In a letter to UC leadership posted Wednesday, the experts asked the Board of Regents to instead consider using the state assessment for K-12 students in California and several other states known as Smarter Balanced, which research shows is as...
Three University of California admissions experts slammed a faculty recommendation to keep the SAT and ACT for at least five years, giving ammunition to critics of the controversial exams who want to drop them as an admissions requirement. In a...
As the UC Board of Regents approaches a crucial decision on the use of SAT and ACT in admissions, a faculty task force report has drawn criticism for distorting key issues and offering recommendations lacking substantial evidence or potential for improving admissions fairness or diversity across campuses. The report acknowledges problems with these tests but suggests a ten-year continuation without viable replacements, viewed as a waste of time and public funds. Three comprehensive analyses accompany this commentary, urging a reevaluation of the report's stance. They highlight concerns regarding heavy reliance on SAT scores affecting underrepresented groups, propose restructuring the Eligibility in the Local Context program for improved diversity, and advocate for considering Smarter Balanced assessments alongside GPA for fairer admissions. Criticizing the report's swift dismissal of valid options, the analyses emphasize aligning high school and university expectations while urging evidence-based decisions. This commentary seeks to steer the Regents' attention beyond the task force report, advocating for a more inclusive and thorough assessment of the available perspectives.
PACE Executive Director Heather Hough cautions that COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted California's education system, highlighting the state's low funding and the substantial financial shortfall necessary to meet educational objectives. Recent research indicates a need for an additional $26.5 billion annually in K–12 education to reach state achievement goals. Decades of underinvestment have left districts financially vulnerable, compounded by the economic challenges triggered by the crisis. The dependence on personal earnings for school funding could result in severe cuts, impacting critical student services and potentially leading to layoffs. School closures have underscored their role beyond education, serving as community hubs crucial for student well-being, safety, and essential services. The pandemic exacerbates existing inequalities in learning opportunities among California students. The urgent call is to recognize schools as central to communities and the state's well-being, emphasizing the necessity for significant post-crisis investments in public education as a priority for California's recovery.
Educators, researchers, and leaders consistently emphasize the need to educate the whole child, acknowledging that intellectual growth intertwines with social, emotional, and physical development. The current pandemic further stresses the urgency of cultivating adaptable, resilient, and empathetic individuals equipped with diverse skills like digital literacy, critical thinking, and civic responsibility. Many districts have responded by creating Graduate Profiles—a concise outline defining essential skills for success beyond academics. Several districts, united under a partnership named Scaling Student Success, have formed a Community of Practice to implement these profiles effectively. This collaborative network aims to translate Graduate Profiles into actionable practices, sharing experiences, tools, and resources to foster continuous improvement. Expert support providers assist in various steps, from assessing student progress to crafting career pathways. The pandemic amplifies the significance of these efforts, prompting a deeper commitment to whole-child education among districts, acknowledging its vital role in shaping resilient individuals for the future.
