Dual Enrollment Participation From 9th to 12th Grade
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This infographic, from PACE and Wheelhouse, examines participation in dual enrollment among 9th to 12th graders. The data show that about 10 percent of all California public high school students enrolled in community college courses in 2021–22, but these rates vary from zero to 97 percent depending on locality. Analysis demonstrates that dual enrollment participation is unequally distributed across racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups as well as geography. The evidence demonstrates the potential of improving early access to dual enrollment in 9th grade for closing these equity gaps.

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This extended infographic provides an updated look at Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway completion among California public high school graduates and at how completion patterns vary by student race/ethnicity, gender, and CTE industry sector.
An Updated Look at High School Math Course-Taking in California
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This infographic presents updated research on high school students' access to rigorous and inclusive math curricula that prepare them for college and career success. The data shows troubling disparities in access to and success in advanced math courses, which highlights the need to diversify high school math pathways. The descriptions provided can help inform efforts to increase access and equity in math education.
Dual Enrollment is Growing Among California High School Students
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Research shows that dual enrollment benefits high school students in both systems. However, a lack of integrated data systems in California has limited understanding of participation rates. UC Davis researchers matched datasets to reveal 18.2% of California high school students took a college course at a community college during 2018-19. Participation has grown, but disparities persist, particularly for Latinx, Black, and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. These equity concerns are significant given the benefits of dual enrollment.
A Summary of the PACE Policy Research Panel
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Over 725,000 California K-12 students received special education services in 2018-19, but the system is not always equipped to serve them. Early screening, identification, and intervention, as well as better transitions, educator support, and mental/physical health services, need improvement. A Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework in schools could address SWDs' needs, but it requires additional resources and policy support to improve educator capacity and collaboration between agencies while systematizing data on SWDs.
Views from the 2020 PACE/USC Rossier Poll
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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.

California’s College Readiness Standards and Lessons from District Leaders
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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.
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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.
How Do Different High School Assessments Measure Up?
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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.
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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.