The dominant narrative about American schools is one of decline: Math and reading achievement at historic lows, the nation caught in a long-term “learning recession.” But that’s a narrative based on standardized test scores. Assessing the effectiveness of American schools...
It’s not often you see over 900 diverse organizations across California all agree on something. But when a problem affecting our kids’ education has existed for over a century with little progress towards fixing it, it brings people together to...
For Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE) Professor Susanna Loeb, the work of bringing an incoming governor up to speed on the state’s education system begins with a listening tour. “There are a billion different things you could look at...
Stanford University on Thursday released a sweeping research project that takes a 360-degree, immersive look at all aspects and operations of public education in California, from preschool through high school, from special education to teacher certification, enrollment decline to high...
California K-12 schools have come a long way over the past 20 years, but according to an exhaustive overview of the state’s school system, further progress may require tinkering with a long-entrenched form of school governance: local control. That’s among...
A bill moving through the state legislature would require independent evaluations of any new education initiative that costs at least $500 million a year or $1 billion in one-time spending. The proposed requirement is part of a larger bill that...
Education is not a central issue in California’s crowded governor’s race, but the candidates addressing it offer sharply different visions, from expanding school funding and free college, to stricter teacher accountability and restrictions on transgender students in sports. Lupita Cortez...
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to shift control of the Department of Education from the state superintendent of public instruction to a new education commissioner under future governors’ authority passed its first test in the Legislature last week — but probably...
A new research paper released by the Center for Studies in Higher Education (CSHE) at the University of California, Berkeley, reveals that the common narrative of American educational stagnancy is misleading. The study, titled "Broadening Our Perspective Concerning America's Education...
KVPR will broadcast a live forum featuring California gubernatorial candidates Thursday evening April 30th at 5:30 p.m. It will air live on KVPR 89.3, 89.1 and on KVPR.org. Hosted by the California State PTA (CAPTA), Policy Analysis for California Education...
This has been a disruptive year for education research. Last February, roughly $1 billion in federal funding was canceled. Amid efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, most staff at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), which supports education...
Jeannie Myung, a researcher with Policy Analysis for California Education, presented findings suggesting California’s governance system is misaligned with its policy goals. She said strong education policies often fall short during implementation. “Even when the state adopted bold student-centered...
Gavin Newsom ought to be pleased that the Legislative Analyst’s Office has given its seal of approval to the governor’s plan to streamline the state’s education bureaucracy to improve accountability of K-12 test scores. The Newsom plan is indeed sensible...
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to shift the operation of the California Department of Education has received a key endorsement from the Legislative Analyst’s Office. The nonpartisan LAO said last week that moving control of the department from the State Superintendent...
Dozens of Bay Area school districts have announced layoffs, budget cuts or school closures this year to repair gaping budget deficits ranging from $6 million to over $100 million. Last month, Oakland Unified School District voted to lay off more...
Teachers have been walking off the job or threatening strikes during tense contract negotiations from San Francisco to the East Bay. Experts say these disputes are part of a larger trend in the Bay Area and tied to rising living...
California allows school board members to get monthly compensation for their service. A new state law updates how much they can get paid for the first time since 1984. Previously, they could earn no more than $60 to $1,500 a...
A power struggle over public schools is brewing at the State Capitol as Gov. Gavin Newsom pushes to strip the state's Department of Education from the California Superintendent of Public Instruction. The state's Superintendent of Public Instruction is an elected...
Two months ago, the idea of stripping the State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s job of managing the California Department of Education and handing it to the governor was a recommendation in a university-based research center’s report. This week, it became...
he job of the state superintendent of public instruction may be very different a year from now. Last month, the nonprofit research organization PACE (Policy Analysis for California Education) released a report on school governance that recommended transferring the California...
Governor Gavin Newsom has made education funding one of his priorities during his final year in office. He also made an unexpected proposal during last week’s State of the State address — to bring oversight of the state Department of...
As part of his budget proposal, Gov. Gavin Newsom last week announced a new educational plan that sounds reasonable, as it streamlines regulatory authority and places more oversight in the governor’s office. Per Newsom’s statement, “California’s K-12 education system as...
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday previewed a major education system overhaul that would give the next governor more authority over state school policies and redefine — and almost certainly diminish — the role of the elected state superintendent of public...
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said he was blindsided by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal Thursday to curtail the superintendent’s duties and he disagrees with it, although it’s unclear what he can do to stop it. “Tony Thurmond is...
