blog post COVID-19 Alters College Admissions By Jacob Jackson, Olga Rodriguez, Niu Gao May 5, 2020 UC and CSU are allowing greater flexibility in requirements for fall 2021 admission, but disadvantaged students may still face unique barriers to access.
Report Implementing the Common Core State Standards in California By Patrick Murphy, Paul Warren Apr 16, 2014 The Common Core State Standards (CCSS)—adopted in 2010—are similar to California’s current K–12 standards, but their emphasis on conceptual understanding and problem solving will require changes in classroom instruction. California’s transition to the CCSS has gotten off to a slow start. Survey data suggest that many teachers will deliver the new standards for the first time in 2014–15—the first year of CCSS-based testing. Like other states, California will probably see a drop in test scores under the new standards. But as the transition continues beyond 2014–15, the hope is that the new standards and tests will create incentives that lead to higher student achievement.
blog post Three Bills Signal State of Education Policy By Iwunze Ugo Nov 21, 2016 A review of the fates of three bills, the state budget, and recent administrative actions helps illustrate the current state of education policy in California.
blog post What Does the Repeal of Net Neutrality Mean for California Schools? By Justin Goss, Niu Gao Jul 11, 2018 California’s K–12 schools increasingly rely on internet service for instruction and test administration—what does repealing net neutrality mean for them?
blog post Video: Analyzing the Standardized Test Results By Linda Strean May 1, 2017 Standardized tests results show improvement overall. But they also suggest that students already lagging their peers could be falling further behind.
Report California’s K–12 Test Scores: What Can the Available Data Tell Us? By Paul Warren Jun 25, 2018 California’s K–12 system relies on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) English and mathematics tests to measure student academic progress and assess school and district performance. This report uses publicly available data to explore trends in student performance during the first three years this test has been in place.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education By Mark Baldassare, Lunna Lopes, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek Apr 22, 2015 Some findings of the current survey: A strong majority of Californians support the Local Control Funding Formula; fewer than half favor the Common Core State Standards. Most public school parents say they have heard nothing at all about the Smarter Balanced assessments. Half of Californians say the state’s budget situation is a big problem for K–12 education and six in 10 say state funding for local schools is not enough. Two-thirds of adults and about half of likely voters would vote yes on a state or local bond measure to fund school construction projects. Job Approval Ratings: Governor Brown [PDF] California State Legislature [PDF]] Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings: Governor Brown [XLS] California State Legislature [XLS] This survey was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, and the Stuart Foundation.
blog post No-Stakes Testing By Patrick Murphy Mar 12, 2014 March 18, California’s schools will pilot a new type of standardized test for students in grades three through eight and grade eleven.
