Enrollment in California public schools has been declining and is projected to fall even more steeply during the next decade. Because funding for school districts is largely based on average daily attendance rates, a decline in enrollment results in a loss of funding. To address budget shortfalls and align services with student counts, many districts have consolidated or closed schools, or they are contemplating doing so.

This report discusses the implementation challenges of restorative practices (RPs) in schools, which have the potential to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline and improve school climates. However, schools often struggle with selective adoption, and there is a need to measure the extent to which teachers are using and students are experiencing RPs. The report provides guidance on how to measure RP implementation and why it is essential for achieving the intended impacts, including decreasing discipline, reducing racial disparities, and improving academic achievement.

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.

This report examines how continuous improvement is applied to educational accountability in California. It analyzes the experiences of two organizations leading networks to increase postsecondary success, aiming to improve the consistency of initiatives using continuous improvement. Key takeaways for districts, county offices, and support providers are provided.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for English learners (ELs) to receive the services and support they need for academic success. This report highlights how K–12 public school districts planned to support ELs during the pandemic. While many districts communicated plans to assess student progress and provide services for ELs, details on the sufficiency of these plans were lacking. The legislation mandating the plans did not include measures for adherence or monitoring student outcomes, leaving questions about the actual strategies implemented by districts and how ELs were affected.

A report examines two CA districts that have shifted their structures, policies, and culture to improve student outcomes. Both districts worked with California Education Partners to refine their continuous improvement approach and spread practices. PACE identified three key lessons for leading impactful improvement efforts: anchor work in outcome measures, invest in an aligned system of instructional learning, and use cross-role and cross-site structures. These lessons contributed to positive trends for student achievement, empowered practitioners, and built internal capacity for improvement.

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.

A report on the importance of economic analysis in decision-making in CA's school system. Economic evaluations can help identify the most effective policies and interventions while reducing waste and ultimately improving outcomes for students. Studied here is the cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) method, its benefits, and its broad applicability. To be more influential, economic analysts should focus on policies and programs that require significant funding, investigate how results are relevant to decision-makers, and consider how resources can be allocated towards cost-effective programs.

This brief was developed by California-based family and student engagement organizations, associations representing educators and system leaders, research institutes, and civil rights and equity groups. The recommendations arise from the evidence that has collectively emerged from focus groups with educators, parents, and students; polls and surveys of stakeholders; a deep review of the literature; and original research conducted on COVID-19’s impact on schools and students.

The brief summarizes the PACE report "Enabling Conditions and Capacities for Continuous Improvement," which provides a framework for supporting teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The framework emphasizes the importance of rapid cycles of improvement and the enabling organizational conditions for continuous improvement, including shared purpose, mutual trust, and resources for collaborative work. Examples of this approach in practice can be found in a related PACE brief "Ayer Elementary School's Resilient Conditions for Improvement: Pivoting Amid COVID-19."

Equity has been a key focus of California education policies, which aim to reduce disparities in learning outcomes. The Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) can help identify struggling students and offer support. Pivot Learning's demonstration project with Sanger, Monterey Peninsula, and Lancaster school districts sought to make MTSS implementation more accessible. Lessons learned from Sanger's implementation can guide the state's continued expansion of MTSS.

This article provides 10 recommendations based on the PACE report to help educators and district leaders provide high-quality instruction through distance and blended learning models in the 2020-21 school year. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, research can guide decisions about student learning and engagement. These recommendations can be used as a framework to prioritize quality instruction.

This report discusses the challenges California faces in improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities (SWDs) and how inclusion in general education classrooms has positive benefits. It examines strategies used by Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Florida to improve inclusion rates and makes four recommendations for California, including implementing a data system, targeted support for districts with poor inclusion rates, and an inclusion tool for schools and districts to assess their practices.

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 2018 Getting Down to Facts II research project drew attention to California’s continued need to focus on the achievement gap, strengthen the capacity of educators in support of continuous improvement, and attend to both the adequacy and stability of funding for schools. Based on the nature of the issues and the progress made in 2019, some clear next steps deserve attention as 2020 unfolds.

This report examines the early implementation of California's Statewide System of Support, which is designed to empower local educators in determining the best approaches to improvement. While COEs and district officials hold positive views of the system's emphasis on support over compliance, they have concerns about under-resourcing and the effectiveness of the Dashboard measurement tool. The report provides five recommendations to make the System of Support a more comprehensive system aligned with the Local Control Funding Formula.

This case study explores the Garden Grove Unified School District's culture of improvement through four key structures and processes, including consistent goals, data-driven reform, vertical and horizontal structures, and prioritization of people. The district's culture prioritizes student outcomes, commitment, and high-quality teaching. Lessons from GGUSD are broadly applicable to other California districts seeking to foster a culture of improvement.

The CORE-PACE Research Partnership's report on Long Beach Unified School District highlights lessons learned from their continuous improvement approach to improving classroom instruction. This report describes four key practices that have led to improvements in organizational function, including shared clarity of purpose, structures for shared learning, differentiated support for instructional leaders, and deepening understanding of implementation. LBUSD's efforts offer valuable insights for other systems and leaders seeking to support continuous improvement.

A case study of Ayer Elementary School in Fresno, California, reveals leadership practices that foster continuous improvement in education. The report identifies three lessons for supporting improvement in other schools: access to district resources, a culture of continuous improvement, and teacher agency. The study highlights the importance of leadership skills in promoting a culture of risk-taking, teacher agency, and collective efficacy to improve student outcomes in California schools.

This report examines how California's education sector is embracing continuous improvement over standards-based reform. The study presents six lessons learned from PACE and CORE Districts' collaboration on the topic, including the complexity of embedding continuous improvement processes into school norms and the need for deliberate steps to build a culture conducive to continuous improvement. The report provides implications for broader continuous work in California and beyond, with three case studies providing more detail on exemplary practices in two districts and one school.

California’s shift towards continuous improvement in education makes understanding how districts and schools can learn to improve a more pressing question than ever. The CORE Improvement Community (CIC), a network of California school districts engaged in learning about improvement together, is an important testing ground to learn about what this work entails.

Rural school districts face challenges in obtaining funds and technical assistance. Pivot Learning's Rural Professional Learning Network (RPLN) provides access to resources and collaboration for districts to improve instructional programs. The RPLN model can cost-effectively provide expertise and build a professional culture. Recommendations for future networks include a shared focus with site-specific work, intentional community building, and a data-driven improvement process.

Effective data use is crucial for continuous improvement, but there is confusion about how it differs from data use for other purposes. This report explains what data are most useful for continuous improvement and presents a case study of how the CORE data collaborative uses a multiple-measures approach to support decision-making.

CA is shifting the responsibility for school improvement to local school districts with County Offices of Education playing a supportive role. The focus is on local leaders driving educational improvement and ensuring quality. Strategic data use is central to the implementation of this policy, with questions remaining about what data is needed, by whom, and for what purpose. This paper provides a framework for how data use for improvement is different from data use for accountability and shares lessons from the CORE Data Collaborative on how to use data for improvement in networked structures.

This brief explores the concept of "continuous improvement" in California's K-12 education system, defining it as a shared, evidence-based process that requires a change in culture and a substantial investment of time and resources. Interviews with education leaders reveal the need for capacity building and data use, as well as barriers including a lack of clarity and resources. Implementing continuous improvement system-wide requires a shift in mindset and culture, persistent effort, and a focus on student outcomes.