In 1987, the Superintendent of Public Instruction released a document detailing the average costs of California schools for 1985-86, providing a brief summary of school expenditures. However, this report lacks in detail, and this report aims to provide more comprehensive and realistic data on school expenditure patterns. The report serves as an analytical base for exploring issues surrounding school expenditures in California, and the data was provided by the state Department of Education staff.

The California Staff Development Policy Study was initiated to assess the possibilities and limitations of staff development in improving classroom teaching and learning. The study aims to answer four questions related to California's investment in staff development, how staff development activities are administered, and how teachers and administrators judge their effectiveness. The study yields eight main conclusions, presented in terms of investment and focusing on improving the capacities and commitments of California's educators.

California's waiver authority provides school districts relief from Education Code, allowing them to seek alternatives to state requirements subject to local and state review. Waivers are automatically approved unless denied by the State Board of Education, which rarely happens over local objections. Program waivers are rare despite clamor for needed flexibility, possibly due to districts being unaware of the process, viewing it as time-consuming, or using suboptimal local procedures. Oversight hearings are recommended to explore the potential of the waiver process.