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.

The 2021 PACE/USC Rossier poll examines Californians’ views on higher education during COVID-19, highlighting equity and affordability. Californians recognize college affordability as crucial and support remote learning options, community college funding, loan forgiveness, and equitable admissions. However, they worry that increased access may compromise education quality and believe that universities should only consider academic and extracurricular qualifications, not race or income. Political affiliation and race influence perceptions.

The brief reports on California voters’ attitudes and engagement with local school district governance using data from the 2021 PACE/USC Rossier Poll. The findings show high support for school boards, but less satisfaction with their performance during the pandemic. Engagement patterns changed with some voters becoming more involved due to dissatisfaction with the educational system. The report highlights patterns of racial, socioeconomic, and partisan divisions in school district governance, with Black and low-income voters being the most dissatisfied.

Growing inequities and lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic together with billions of dollars in new funding present an opportunity to make substantial changes to K–12 education to better serve all students in California. In May 2021, PACE and USC Rossier School of Education fielded our annual poll of California voters, which sought to gain clarity about voters’ priorities on public education issues during this period in which Californians are beginning to look towards a postpandemic future. The following are 10 key findings from the poll.

This policy brief focuses on California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) to provide guidance for involving the public in goal setting and resource distribution decisions. It highlights weak accountability for using public funds by LCFF’s target populations, low awareness and engagement among stakeholders, and a gap between interest and participation. To improve engagement, it suggests investing in communication, targeting a range of stakeholders, and capacity building.

California voters generally support policies to increase teacher diversity and require high school ethnic studies courses, according to a 2020 PACE/USC Rossier poll. Support for increasing teacher diversity was higher when respondents were informed of its positive impact for students of color. Support varied by race/ethnicity and political party, with white and Republican respondents showing less support than African American, Latinx, Democrat, and Independent respondents.

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.

The increase in students opting out of standardized tests is a threat to accurately measuring student achievement. This brief examines the effects of opting out in the CORE districts and models how it could affect accountability measures. More opt-outs could significantly impact some metrics, but the growth measure is largely unaffected. Metrics tracking achievement by cohort are at risk of bias, even with low levels of opting out. Adjusting for characteristics of students who take the tests could be a solution.

Governor Newsom has proposed initiatives to support children under 5, but California voters prioritize K-12 education and college affordability over early education. Despite evidence that high-quality early education has a powerful impact on children’s future success, more active engagement by the Governor and his allies may be necessary to build public support for expanding access and improving the quality of early education programs.

College affordability was ranked as the second most important education policy issue in the 2019 PACE/USC Rossier poll. Governor Newsom’s budget proposal and several bills in the state legislature reflect this concern. The diverse geography and socioeconomic status in CA demand local context consideration for designing effective reforms. Variation in concern over college costs is discussed by county and income and racial/ethnic groups. Proper evaluation and implementation of college promise programs and equity initiatives are suggested as fruitful avenues for addressing college affordability.

This report updates previous research on California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) using a 2019 poll of California voters. Despite increased awareness, over half of voters are unfamiliar with LCFF. Support for the policy remains high but has decreased. Participation in LCFF engagement has increased but remains low, particularly among low-income voters. Low-income communities may not be meaningfully engaged in LCFF decision-making.

This brief analyzes the 2018 update of the California School Dashboard, examining improvements and areas for continued enhancement. Using data from the 2019 PACE/USC Rossier poll, the author characterizes use of and support for the Dashboard, finding low use, equity gaps, but high support and preference for the new Dashboard.

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 analysis explores predictors of opposition to Common Core Standards (CCS) using data from a California poll. Opposition was found to be strongly associated with views about President Obama, testing, and negative conceptions about the standards. The study suggests using poll data for future understanding of public opinion on education issues.

CA is undergoing significant changes in its education system. The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) has decentralized authority and responsibility, with the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) focusing on local strategies for improvement. Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) aim for improved instruction and deeper learning, but require significant changes. A PACE/USC Rossier poll surveyed California voters on their knowledge and opinions on these changes, including the Vergara case, teacher employment policies, and charter schools.

A PACE/USC Rossier poll in August 2013 surveyed California voters' views on the state's education system and recent changes, including the implementation of the CCSS, new assessments, funding increases, and the Local Control Funding Formula. The poll covered various education-related topics, such as curriculum, standardized tests, evaluations, and accountability. It also asked for opinions on Governor Brown's handling of education and Proposition 30. This was the third poll of its kind, with previous findings summarized in a 2012 report.

California has long been viewed by the rest of the nation as leader in many areas, including education. The state’s K-12 and higher education systems were once the envy of other states. Of late, though, the news from the Golden State has not been so rosy. For the last three decades California has faced increased demands on public services while suffering through economic cycles that have had exaggerated effects on the state budget. The result has been increased competition for limited resources, budget uncertainty and steadily eroding state dollars for a local schools.