Completing the A–G course sequence is the standard pathway to college for CA high school graduates; however, findings indicate substantial variation in A–G enrollment and completion rates across student subgroups and schools. This brief describes the distribution in access to and success in A–G courses as well as strategies local leaders could consider to increase these rates among the students they serve. Drawing on case studies of nine public school districts with exemplary A–G completion rates, we highlight best practices to broaden A–G access for students and ease barriers to completion.

Access to and success in advanced math courses are not equal among high school students, with only about half of California seniors enrolling in these courses. To address this, six partnerships between university faculty and high school math specialists developed Advanced Innovative Math (AIM) courses. This report highlights the benefits of these partnerships and their common features of successful intersegmental partnerships, supplemented by case studies of each partnership.

The 2021-22 academic year in California was challenging for public education due to eight issues that threaten student learning, schools, and public education itself, including gun violence, declining enrollment, and long-term funding inadequacy. These issues also have a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities and highlight long-standing systemic inequities. In July 2022, PACE and USC Rossier School of Education conducted a poll of California voters to determine their views and priorities on public education.

In the run-up to 2020 elections, where do California voters stand on key education policy issues? This report examines findings and trends from the 2020 PACE/USC Rossier poll. Key findings include rising pessimism about California education and elected officials, continued concern about gun violence in schools and college affordability, and negative opinions about higher education. However, there is substantial support for increased spending, especially on teacher salaries.

This report summarizes efforts to align California's K-12 and postsecondary education systems to address disparities in educational attainment. Based on district leaders' interviews and quantitative data, the report finds that rigorous academic preparation is crucial to college success, and that participation and performance on college admissions exams are key indicators of college readiness. However, substantial inequality exists across all measures of readiness, and district leaders emphasize the importance of engaging families and the community in supporting postsecondary success.

In this report we explore the patterns in mathematics course-taking among California public high school seniors. We describe what courses students are enrolled in and how course participation varies by key student characteristics, such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and performance level on the state’s 11th grade assessments. We also explore course-taking patterns for students eligible for California’s public four-year colleges—California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC), and for applicants and admitted students at the CSU and UC.

Given the importance of a college degree for both individual and societal economic prosperity, policymakers and educators are focused on strengthening the path to college beyond college entry. In this report, we synthesize the existing literature on four factors key to educational attainment—aspirations and beliefs, academic preparation, knowledge and information, and fortitude and resilience—and the implications of each.

This report investigates the predictive power of the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC), high school GPA (HSGPA), and SAT scores on first-year college outcomes at California State University and University of California campuses. The assessments' relationships with early college outcomes differ by key student subgroups, and HSGPA is found to be a stronger predictor than SBAC or SAT for first-year college GPA and second-year persistence at CSU.

With a new governor, state superintendent and legislators in Sacramento and a diminished federal role in education, there is an opportunity for California’s leaders to take stock of recent educational reforms and make necessary improvements. There are also a host of new and looming issues in K-12 and higher education. As California’s leaders confront these and other issues, where do California voters, including parents, stand on education and education policy? The newest edition of the USC Rossier/PACE Poll shares voter perspectives on a wide range of education issues.

This report details where California public high school students attend college and how college attendance and destinations vary by county. The report was created to fill the information gap on the college destinations of high school graduates in California. The data set assembled includes three recent cohorts of public high school students matched with college enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse.

The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) provides base funding and grants for low-income students, English learners, and foster youth, and allows local school systems to allocate resources as they see fit. The LCFFRC conducted a survey of 350 California superintendents to understand their experiences with and views of the law. Results inform policymakers and indicate areas where changes may be needed. The survey sample included districts of varying sizes and proportions of unduplicated students.

This report analyzes the predictive value of the Smarter Balanced Assessment, high school GPA, and SAT scores on early college outcomes for California State University and University of California, Davis students. The study examines differences among student subgroups, including race/ethnicity and socioeconomic disadvantage, and provides insights into how well the Smarter Balanced Assessment measures up to other commonly used assessments for predicting college success.

The majority of community college students are required to take remedial math courses that can delay their progress through college, disproportionately affecting African American and Latino students. High school grades may be better predictors of success in college math courses than placement tests, and about a quarter of students placed into community college remedial math courses could have succeeded in college-level courses. New assessments and placement practices at the community college level, along with new K-12 Common Core-aligned tests, may change the face of remedial placement in CA.

The traditional algebra-based math curriculum, thought to be necessary for college success, has led to increased enrollment in remedial math classes. Some are promoting alternatives such as statistics and quantitative reasoning for non-algebra intensive fields, with promising early results. However, universities are wary of these alternatives, creating a dilemma for transfer students. California's history of math reform makes it a particularly salient issue in the state.

The traditional U.S. math curriculum, consisting of two years of algebra and one of geometry, is being called into question as new technologies and evolving disciplines highlight the importance of statistics, modeling, computer science, and quantitative reasoning. The emphasis is shifting to differentiated "math pathways" with distinct trajectories based on students' goals, in order to develop the capacity to apply math skills to solve problems in various contexts. These decisions will impact the academic opportunities of millions of students nationally.

This report commemorates the fifth anniversary of the Getting Down to Facts project, which sought to provide a thorough and reliable analysis of the critical challenges facing California’s education system as the necessary basis for an informed discussion of policy changes aimed at improving the performance of California schools and students. The report focuses on the four key issues that received emphasis in the Getting Down to Facts studies: governance, finance, personnel, and data systems.

The Early Assessment Program (EAP) is a national model for increasing the number of students who are prepared for college and careers upon graduating high school. It has been recognized by two national consortia as the model for designing new high school assessments aligned with Common Core State Standards. The report highlights the EAP's key features and potential to strengthen coherence and alignment in California's educational system, reviews research on its impact on student success, and suggests modifications to increase its value to students and educators.

This report provides policy guidance for new state assessments aligned to Common Core State Standards. It aims to inform the work of the two consortia funded by the U.S. Department of Education in developing the assessments. The report includes three papers addressing issues of computer adaptive assessments, assessment of English learners, and assessing science. The authors' vision of new assessments goes beyond the horizon of current practice and emphasizes the need to use new technologies to provide useful and timely information to students and teachers.

The Partnership for Urban Education Research (PUER) comprises six of California's largest urban school districts working together to increase data availability, enhance internal research capacity, and promote collaboration and information sharing across district lines to benefit students. In a new report, PUER districts identified opportunities to improve the current dropout reporting system and reviewed district efforts to reduce dropout rates. PUER is working with PACE to review and publish their research.

This report examines the critical role played by California Community Colleges in extending college opportunity to all, as envisioned in the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education. However, the foundation of this longstanding commitment has eroded, and renewed commitment to college opportunity is urgently needed in the knowledge-based, global economy. The report calls for action from educational, governmental, philanthropic, and civic leaders to renew and extend opportunities to shape California's future.

Senior slump is a phenomenon unique to American high schools, where students view senior year as a time for nonacademic pursuits. This report suggests curtailing senior slump to add valuable months to students' education at a critical point in their intellectual development. Policy directives are presented to help American high schools reclaim the senior year.

The PACE report commissioned by the University of California aims to enhance university participation by disadvantaged and underrepresented students. It reviews evaluations of current outreach programs, identifies effective practices, and makes recommendations for program improvement and evaluation methods. The report analyzes the effectiveness of college preparation programs and suggests essential principles for program design. It also examines how to improve evaluations of outreach programs and the implications for policy decisions on future outreach efforts.

California's education reforms have resulted in increased enrollment in math, science, and foreign language classes, including advanced placement courses. However, there are concerns about teacher qualifications and whether all students have access to advanced classes. This report examines enrollment data, teacher supply and demand, and state policies affecting these subjects to provide benchmarks for future progress. The goal is to ensure that students develop the competencies necessary to be competitive in tomorrow's economy.

The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation's School-to-Work and Academy Demonstration programs aim to help disadvantaged high school students transition to work. This evaluation covers the 1986-87 school year and includes a process component that describes each program, and an outcome component that tracks program and non-program students on retention, attendance, credits earned, courses failed, grade point averages, standardized test scores, and surveys. Seven cities were included, with programs varying in structure and age. Evaluation of student outcomes showed varying effects from site to site.

This report discusses the decline in vocational education enrollment in California and its potential impact on noncollege-bound students' high school completion rates. Questions remain about the objectives of vocational education and whether it should prioritize skill training for entry-level jobs or emphasize academic skills for a working life of continual learning. PACE recommends a re-examination of curricular changes with a special focus on transitions occurring in vocational education due to enrollment declines and changes in the US job structure.