blog post Early Results from Education Reforms By Linda Strean May 4, 2016 PPIC researchers analyzed the early results of two reforms in K–12 education and presented their findings at a PPIC event in Sacramento last week.
blog post Video: Californians and Education By Vicki Hsieh May 6, 2022 PPIC’s Rachel Lawler and Dean Bonner discuss key takeaways from our latest statewide survey, which examines Californians’ views on public K–12 education, school funding, and more.
Occasional Paper, Report Funding Formulas for California Schools II: An Analysis of a Proposal by the Governor’s Committee on Education Excellence By Jon Sonstelie, Ray Reinhard, Heather Rose, Ria Sengupta Bhatt Jul 8, 2008 In this paper, the researchers examine a finance system proposed by the Governor’s Committee on Education Excellence which would consolidate a large number of current K-12 revenue programs into two programs: a base program serving the needs of all students, and a targeted program providing supplemental funds for disadvantaged students. This new approach would call for two fundamental changes in current policy: first, the state would have to transfer its revenue authority to local school districts; and second, the state would have to allocate a larger share of K-12 revenues to districts with high proportions of disadvantaged students. Governor's Committee on Education Excellence: Simulation Results (279KB, Excel)
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on Education By Mark Baldassare Apr 27, 2006 Some findings of the current survey The share of Californians (58%) who say the quality of education is a big problem is higher now than at any time since 1998, when the PPIC Statewide Survey was launched. Substantial majorities of residents (64%) and likely voters (60%) favor raising the income tax paid by the wealthiest Californians to fund education. Eighty-seven percent of blacks are very concerned about high school drop-out rates, a much higher percentage than in any other group (Latinos 59%, Asians 51%, whites 50%). A majority of Californians (73%) believe that students should have to pass a statewide test to graduate from high school. This is the 66th PPIC Statewide Survey and the second in a series of special surveys focusing on education in California, made possible by a grant from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
blog post Reducing Tuition Volatility at California’s Universities By Jacob Jackson Apr 28, 2016 It’s clear that California’s public universities will raise tuition, but it’s not clear when or by how much. History shows that periods of low or no tuition growth are often followed by large increases.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha Apr 25, 2012 Some findings of the current survey: California’s likely voters favor raising income taxes on the wealthy to increase funding for public schools, but they oppose raising the state sales tax. Just over half of likely voters—54%—would vote yes on Governor Brown’s proposed tax initiative and a strong majority oppose automatic cuts to K–12 education if the initiative is rejected. An overwhelming majority prefer local control over state funds for schools. 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 Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Stuart Foundation, and The Silver Giving Foundation.
blog post Video: The Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education By Mary Severance Aug 19, 2022 PPIC researcher Maria Fay presents findings on how the pandemic has affected California schools’ progress in implementing science education standards, and an expert panel discusses how the state can support equitable investments in science literacy moving forward.
blog post PPIC Turns 30 By Tani Cantil-Sakauye Jan 18, 2024 Since its founding in 1994, PPIC has been committed to providing independent, nonpartisan research on the critical policy questions facing our state. President and CEO Tani Cantil-Sakauye reflects on the institute's three decades of impact—and what lies ahead.
Report Higher Education in California: Meeting California’s Workforce Needs By Hans Johnson, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Oct 1, 2019 Strong and growing demand for highly educated workers has been a hallmark of the state’s economy for decades, and forecasts show this demand continuing into the future. But the importance of increasing the number of college graduates goes beyond workforce needs.
blog post K–12 Test Scores Vary Widely across Student Groups By Paul Warren Oct 20, 2017 The 2017 test results for California’s public K–12 school students underscore the need to improve outcomes for economically disadvantaged students, English Learners, and students with disabilities.
