Executive Summary
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Summary

The California State Plan for Vocational and Technical Education 2000-2004 was developed with PACE's help, linking vocational education to other aspects of California's education system. The plan aimed to improve academic learning through strong vocational programs and better linkages between the world of schooling and the world of work. The summary covers the plan's context, guiding principles, vocational education, accountability, evaluation, and Tech-Prep Education.
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A study conducted for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services aimed to determine the supply and demand of licensed childcare in the county, with a focus on low-income communities and special types of care. The survey analyzed data at three levels: county-wide, service planning areas, and supervisorial districts. Results showed disparities in childcare supply across the county, with shortages in special types of care and little information on where childcare is needed.
Mothers Balance Work and Child Care Under Welfare Reform—Executive Summary
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A four-year study aimed to learn how welfare reform affects children's upbringing and development, showing early warning signals such as low-quality childcare and social isolation among women. The report provides a baseline picture for 948 families across three states and suggests an unfinished agenda for cash assistance and family support programs to lift children out of poverty.
Are the Reform Pieces Fitting Together?
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"Crucial Issues in California Education 2000" is a PACE publication that offers an analytical overview of California education through in-depth research projects contributed by experts statewide. It provides the latest data analysis and overall strategic recommendations on a wide variety of issues, from childcare to universities, making it a unique source for policy analysis. The volume is the largest in the history of the series, bringing together numerous reports on components of California education in one source.
Are the Reform Pieces Fitting Together?: Executive Summary
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California’s education system has undergone many reforms, with new mandates from policymakers threatening to overwhelm educators. The new accountability system tracks schools’ effectiveness and allocates carrots or sticks. Schools still struggle with reducing class sizes and finding enough qualified teachers. While California has made significant policy initiatives, the challenge is whether the puzzle pieces of reform fit together into a coherent “theory of action.” The issue of policy coherence must be addressed to energize teachers and bring forth more stimulating classrooms and pedagogy.
California's School Voucher Initiative—Proposition 38
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Proposition 38 allows parents in California to obtain a state chit worth $4,000 and move their child from public to private school, which would significantly affect school financing. This policy brief addresses six key questions about the proposal, including its differences from the 1993 voucher initiative, which families would benefit, how it would impact school spending and taxpayers, and the success of voucher experiments in raising achievement.