Fact Sheet California’s High School Graduation Requirements By Niu Gao, Lunna Lopes, Grace Lee Nov 27, 2017
Report Does Raising High School Graduation Requirements Improve Student Outcomes? By Niu Gao Feb 23, 2021 The shift to distance learning during the COVID-19 crisis exacerbated inequities in California’s K–12 system, adding urgency to an ongoing discussion about the role of high school graduation policy in improving student outcomes. This report shows that more-rigorous graduation requirements can have a positive and equitable impact on college readiness.
blog post High School Graduation during the COVID-19 Crisis By Niu Gao, Joseph Hayes Apr 16, 2020 School closures and the move to distance learning present challenges in ensuring that California students, especially those from low-income families or with special educational needs, stay on track for graduating.
blog post Calculating High School Graduation Rates By Paul Warren Jan 19, 2016 One of the lesser known provisions of the new federal education law might force California to revise the way it deals with graduation rates at alternative high schools.
Explainer Is College Worth It? By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson Mar 8, 2023 Rising college costs and a reluctance to take on debt lead many students and families to wonder if college will actually yield a brighter future with higher earnings and better jobs. In this explainer, we explore whether the benefits of a college degree outweigh the costs.
blog post Prioritizing Computer Science in California Schools By Niu Gao, Courtney Lee Mar 6, 2018 The fastest-growing, highest-paying jobs in the US require computer science knowledge, but California is falling behind in preparing students with these skills.
Report Math Matters: The Links Between High School Curriculum, College Graduation, and Earnings By Julian Betts, Heather Rose Jul 1, 2001 This study examines the relationship between mathematics in high school and labor force earnings 10 years later. Using a series of statistical models to net out the true effect of curriculum, the authors control for as many other factors as the data allow: the student's demographic characteristics, measures of student motivation and ability, family background, and high school characteristics. After taking into account all of these factors, the authors find the direct relationship between curriculum and earnings remains quite strong. The analysis also shows that it is not simply the number of math courses a student takes that is important; what matters more is the extent to which students take more-demanding courses.
Fact Sheet College Access in California By Iwunze Ugo Dec 4, 2023 About three in five Californians enroll in college right after high school. But whether—and where—high school graduates attend college varies across regions and demographic groups.
Report College Prep for All: Will San Diego Students Meet Challenging New Graduation Requirements? By Julian Betts, Andrew C. Zau, Karen Bachofer, Sam M. Young Apr 27, 2016 Several of California’s major urban school districts have adopted ambitious new high school graduation requirements, making college preparatory coursework mandatory. This analysis—which focuses on San Diego—finds that the new requirements are likely to help many students but may damage the prospects of others. San Diego and other districts can take steps to help lower-achieving students meet the new graduation goals.
