Conditions of Education in California, 1984

This is the first edition of what is planned as a series of annual reports regarding the conditions of education in California. The primary purpose of this and subsequent publications in the series is to provide public officials, professional educators, and private citizens with a thorough, objective, and regular assessment of the performance of California's schools.

This initial, 1984, report may prove particularly significant. In 1983, California launched an ambitious and comprehensive education reform effort. (The reform policies are contained in Senate Bill 813.) The prescribed changes are directed at dozens of education matters, such as high school graduation requirements, employee salaries, length of school day and year, secondary school counseling, and teacher licensing. The intent is to render California's schools more productive both for individual students and the state as a whole.

In future years it will be important to assess the extent to which reform efforts have been successful. By providing data on a number of school related dimensions, this report can serve as a baseline against which to judge future statewide educational outcomes. Toward that end, successive annual versions of this report will address the dimensions contained in this 1984 edition so as to enable comparisons to be made. Future reports will be issued in September to coincide with the beginning of the school year.

This report summarizes information about California's schools and students on dimensions such as demography, academic performance, curriculum and, instruction, personnel, and finances. The information has been compiled from a spectrum of federal, state, and local sources. The report concentrates on K–12 public schools. However, a few data and conclusions are included regarding nonpublic and postsecondary education matters as well.

In compiling data about California education, we have attempted to present a balanced view. Schools have been much criticized of late. We offer no apology for their performance. On the other hand, we wish to make clear that there are dimensions on which California's school systems have acquitted themselves well. We emphasize the positive points, as well as negative features, in both the body of the text and in the summary. In the highlights section, which appears initially, we have attempted to underscore those current or future conditions of California education which likely will need substantial attention from policy makers, education professionals, and the public. Additionally, in the highlights we summarize those components of education with which Californians can take pride.

This report is issued under the auspices of PACE. The concept of the PACE Project was endorsed by legislative leaders, executive branch officers, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and education organizations such as the Association of California School Administrators, California Federation of Teachers, California School Boards Association and the California Teachers Association. PACE is funded by a grant from the Hewlett Foundation. However, none of these organizations or officials is responsible for the content or the conclusions contained in this report.