Getting Down to Facts

The purpose of this research project is to carve out common ground for a serious and substantive conversation that will lead to meaningful reform by providing ground level information about California's school finance and governance systems necessary to assess the effectiveness of any proposed reform.

"Getting Down to Facts" was specifically requested by Governor Schwarzenegger's Committee on Education Excellence, Democratic leaders in the state legislature, and Jack O'Connell, superintendent of public instruction.

The project addresses three broad questions: What do California school finance and governance structures look like today? How can we use the resources that we have more efficiently to improve student outcomes? To what extent are additional resources needed so that California's students can meet the goals that we have for them?

"Getting Down to Facts" is being led by Susanna Loeb, professor of education at Stanford University and codirector of PACE. These studies will be available by January 2007.