Policy Brief Policy Brief: Factors and Future Projections for K–12 Declining Enrollment By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty, Stephanie Barton Dec 11, 2023 California counties serving higher shares of low-income, English Learner (EL), and Asian, Black, and Latino students expect greater enrollment losses in coming years. In the past, schools that closed due to falling enrollment had more low-income and EL students as well as lower test scores than the rest of the district.
Fact Sheet Financing California’s Public Schools By Julien Lafortune Nov 29, 2023 K–12 funding has been at record-high levels in recent years, and California’s per student spending is now slightly above the national average. Spending is higher for low-income students, English Learners, and foster youth. However, enrollment declines, rising costs, and the expiration of pandemic funding pose fiscal challenges for school districts.
blog post K–12 Education and the New State Budget By Radhika Mehlotra Jul 15, 2019 Spending on K-12 education in California reaches a new high, though some key long-term funding issues remain.
Report Factors and Future Projections for K–12 Declining Enrollment By Julien Lafortune, Emmanuel Prunty Dec 11, 2023 Over the past five years, enrollment has fallen in nearly three-quarters of California school districts, and the trend is expected to continue into the next decade. Faster declines could bring pressure to close schools, along with concerns about the students and neighborhoods bearing the costs of downsizing.
blog post Video: Californians’ Views of K–12 Education By Linda Strean Apr 26, 2016 Most Californians say state funding for their local public schools is inadequate, and most favor ballot proposals likely to increase it, according to PPIC’s 12th annual survey on Californians and education.
Report Improving K-12 School Facilities in California By Niu Gao, Julien Lafortune Aug 5, 2020 Amid a statewide spike in coronavirus cases, most California schools will start the year remotely. When in-person classes do resume, cleanliness and safety will be paramount. But four in ten students attend schools that do not meet minimum facility standards.
blog post Video: Californians and K-12 Education By David Lesher Apr 28, 2015 The annual PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education comes at a time when there are major policy changes underway in the state’s K–12 system.
blog post How Has California Narrowed Its K–12 Digital Divide? By Niu Gao, Joseph Hayes, Darriya Starr Apr 5, 2022 Since the onset of the pandemic, educators and policymakers have made substantial strides in addressing two key barriers to universal digital access—affordability and infrastructure.
Report Rethinking the State-Local Relationship: K-12 Education By Margaret Weston Jun 30, 2011 Governor Brown’s administration has sparked renewed interest in "realignment”—that is, in changing how the state and localities divide responsibility for programs and services. This study examines the tradeoffs between state and local control of education finance, focusing on the state’s funding system for categorical programs. Thoughtful revisions to this system would be a good first step toward improving California’s approach to school finance. This report is part of a PPIC series on rethinking the state-local relationship. The other reports in this series include: An Overview of Realignment Child Welfare Services Corrections Local Economic Development This work is supported by funding from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and by contributions of unrestricted support to PPIC’s Donor Circle.
