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.
Occasional Paper, Report Financing New School Construction and Modernization: Evidence from California By Kim Rueben, Eric J. Brunner Jun 1, 2001 Presented to the Finance & Facilities Working Group - K-12 Education, Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education - Kindergarten through University, June 28 2001.
Report Funding California Schools: The Revenue Limit System By Margaret Weston Mar 1, 2010 California’s 978 school districts receive the majority of their funding through a formula known as "revenue limits.” While it is commonly believed that this funding is equitably distributed across districts, this is not the case. In 2005-2006, this funding differed across districts by as much as $3,871 per student. This report examines the components of the formula determining revenue limits, discusses the variations in funding, and considers potential reforms in school finance. This report was supported with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Report Achieving Universal Broadband in California By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu Mar 29, 2023 In 2021, California invested over $6 billion to expand broadband infrastructure, address affordability, and promote digital literacy. This report examines barriers to installing broadband in underserved communities and offers recommendations as the state aims to close the digital divide.
blog post A Long-term View of Higher Education Funding By Kevin Cook Aug 16, 2018 Public higher education is a major component of California's General Fund allocations, along with K–12 education, health and human services, and corrections. How has this spending changed over time?
Policy Brief Policy Brief: How Did Pandemic Recovery Funding Support California Community Colleges? By Olga Rodriguez, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Kevin Cook, Chansonette Buck May 8, 2024 Much of the pandemic recovery funding went directly to students—even that earmarked for institutional support. Investments reported to enhance student equity, success, and enrollment include making college more affordable, expanding student supports and services, and increasing flexibility in course modality.
Report California’s English Learner Students By Laura Hill Sep 6, 2012 English Learner (EL) students in California’s schools are numerous and diverse, and they lag behind their native-English-speaking peers. Closing the achievement gap for EL students has been a long-standing goal for California educators, and there are some signs of success. Now that EL funding and curriculum issues are receiving a fresh level of scrutiny from decisionmakers in Sacramento, it is important to assess our understanding of this diverse group, highlight the opportunities to improve policies around demonstrating mastery of English, calibrate funding formulas involving EL students, and implement new curriculum standards thoughtfully.
Report The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California By Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon, Shannon McConville Mar 27, 2023 The Affordable Care Act has helped millions of Californians gain health insurance over the past decade. In addition to improving access to care, the ACA has increased financial well-being. This analysis focuses on the significant contribution of publicly funded health coverage—particularly Medi-Cal—to family resources across the state.
blog post Californians Hold Mixed Views on Their Personal Finances By Rachel Lawler Jun 29, 2023 A slim majority of Californians say they and their family are in about the same financial situation as a year ago, while one in three say they are worse off and a smaller share say they are better off.
Report Financing Higher Education Capital Projects By Patrick Murphy, Radhika Mehlotra, Kevin Cook Dec 5, 2018 Aging infrastructure should be a major priority as California seeks to produce more college-educated workers. Modernizing and maintaining facilities at the state’s community colleges, CSU, and UC could cost billions of dollars, with each system facing its own unique challenges.
