A year ago teachers in Los Angeles were celebrating the signing of a new agreement with their district after an outpouring of support from teachers around California and the larger public. But since then, there have been few visible signs...
Recent survey results show that while more California county office of education leaders are understanding and accepting of the new roles of COEs in the Statewide System of Support, the state must further build out and enhance the system to...
Research has shown that grades are the best single predictor of college performance and aren’t as heavily influenced as the standardized exams by income, parent education levels and race. But the ACT and College Board, which owns the SAT, argue...
Today, Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) released an extensive report outlining specific actions taken by district leaders to improve California students’ college readiness, access, and success. The report, “Strengthening the Road to College: California’s College Readiness Standards and Lessons...
The University of California came under new pressure Tuesday to eliminate the SAT and ACT as an admission requirement, when several groups threatened a lawsuit alleging that the tests violate state civil rights laws by unlawfully discriminating against disabled, low-income...
There is a deeply rooted impulse in American society — perhaps any society — to rank everything from restaurants and refrigerators to athletes and colleges. That may help explain why pressures continue in California to rank its schools based on...
Distinguished Professor George Farkas presented his latest research findings at the Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) group in Sacramento on August 13. The meeting title was PACE Policy Research Panel on Special Education: Organizing Schools to Serve Students with...
A recent trend in public education spending is positive for educators: revenues are on the rise as states such as Texas, Arizona and West Virginia inject new money into school districts. While many schools will receive additional resources as a...
Pivot partnered with Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), an independent, nonpartisan research center at Stanford University, to conduct research and present findings on the current challenges facing rural districts in California. Pivot and PACE are continuing to collaborate on...
California’s new system for funding public education has pumped tens of billions of extra dollars into struggling schools, but there’s little evidence yet that the investment is helping the most disadvantaged students.
What is the fiscal impact of charter schools on California’s school districts? This is a simple question with no simple answer. Yet policymakers are ready to act. Many school districts in California are having trouble balancing their budgets and are...
Is charter school conflicts intensify in California, increasing attention is being focused not only on the schools themselves but on the school boards and other entities that grant them permission to operate in the first place. They’re called charter authorizers...
As charter school conflicts intensify in California, increasing attention is being focused not only on the schools themselves but on the school boards and other entities that grant them permission to operate in the first place. They’re called charter authorizers...
As charter school enrollments grow, are school districts so weakened by financial losses that teaching and learning must suffer? Or does competition spur traditional public schools and districts to improve—for the benefit of all? There are bodies of research and...
Research shows California schools are now relying more on counselors in order to improve outcomes for students in areas such as attendance and graduation. A report released last year as part of Getting Down to Facts II—a project involving Stanford University...
There’s no denying it: the concept of a four-day school week is extremely enticing. And it’s swiftly becoming a reality for many schools across the country. Currently, in the U.S., there are 24 states that have at least one district...
CSU is considering requiring a fourth year of high school math of all freshmen applicants. While advocates for this change say that requiring four years of high school math will make more students ready to tackle mandatory college math courses and improve CSU’s graduation rates, critics fear the possible harmful impact on underprepared students in low-income and high schools already struggling to find enough math teachers.
Policymakers and educators have a vested interest in ensuring that each space at universities be filled by the most capable candidates, as spaces are limited. This is especially true at public institutions. Because the majority of funds come from the...
The most damaging myth in American higher education is that college admissions is about merit, and that merit is about striving for – and earning – academic excellence. This myth is often used as a weapon against policies like affirmative...
Many schools—especially those which a large number of students facing stress and trauma—can benefit from increased mental health resources on campus. The topic of mental health in schools has been more pronounced in recent years as school districts—and donors—are moving...
Getting Down to Facts II combines 36 studies that explore a broad swath of K–12 policy topics central to school equity. Among some of the report’s findings: Large accountability gaps persist; students are behind before they even enter kindergarten; data...
In a recently released PACE/Rossier poll, California voters identified reducing gun violence as the top priority for schools in the state. Voters also support addressing college costs, support for teachers’ strikes, holding charter schools accountable, and changing the property tax...
In a new poll from PACE/Rossier, California voters said that their top education priority was reducing gun violence in schools, with more than half of respondents saying it was “very important.” College affordability was also identified as a pressing issue...
School safety and college affordability are the most pressing issues in education, California voters said in a ew poll. The top priority overall was reducing gun violence in schools, with more than half of respondents saying it was “very important.”...